Does the Ketogenic Diet Work for Weight Loss?

The ketogenic diet, or keto, is a low-carb, high-fat diet that has exploded in popularity in recent years.

It has been shown to provide multiple impressive health benefits, including weight loss. Therefore, many people go back to this way of eating to achieve the goal of weight loss.

Studies indicate that the diet may help shed body fat, but there is a lack of long-term studies to support its effectiveness.

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This article reviews the possibilities of the ketogenic diet to help you lose weight.

Can it promote weight loss?

Following a traditional ketogenic diet, your carbohydrate intake is limited to less than 5-10% of your total daily caloric intake.

This allows your body to enter ketosis, a condition where the body switches to using fats instead of carbohydrates as its main source of fuel, and ketones are produced in the liver.

Reduced carbohydrate intake is compensated by increasing fat intake to about 70-90% of calories or 155-200 grams for 2000 calorie diets.

Protein feeding is moderate, about 20% calories, or 100 grams for a 2,000 calorie diet.

Despite the lack of long-term studies, there are several proposed weight loss measures related to the ketogenic diet.

May Reduce Hunger

One of the main methods of weight loss related to a ketogenic diet is probably the ability to reduce appetite.

Following a ketogenic diet has been linked to decreased levels of ghrelin, one of the body's main hunger hormones.

Berlin's lowers levels and appetite can cause you to eat fewer calories throughout the day, which can lead to weight loss.

In fact, a study of 20 obese people who followed the Keto diet found that this type of eating was associated with a reduced appetite for food and alcohol.

Therefore, the ketogenic diet may be an effective strategy for controlling appetite levels, although its long-term safety needs to be considered.

Can promote loss of water weight

Another possible method of weight loss from the ketogenic diet is water weight loss which is accompanied by a significant reduction in carbohydrate intake.

This is because the carbohydrates stored in your body hold water.

Therefore, when you reduce your carbohydrate intake, such as when starting a keto diet, the stored carbohydrates, along with the extra fluids, are released, resulting in different amounts of weight loss.

Calorie balance

In order to determine if a ketogenic diet can help you lose weight, it is important to review how the weight loss tradition is achieved.

To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn, also known as a calorie deficit.

A study of 17 obese or overweight men found that the ketogenic diet involved a slight increase in the number of calories burned. However, it does not increase body fat loss compared to the traditional diet.

These results suggest that a ketogenic diet is not necessarily higher than a diet for weight loss if the amount of calories consumed is equal.

Therefore, the effects of the Keto diet on weight loss are much more likely to be due to changes in calories due to changes in the signals associated with high fat and very low carbohydrate diets.

SUMMARY:

Ketogenic diets have been linked to weight loss, although exact methods remain unclear. Studies suggest that ketogenic diet-related weight loss may be due to calorie deficiency, decreased appetite levels, and water weight loss.

Ketogenic supplements

Since the rise of the ketogenic diet, a number of supplements intended for ketogenic diets have appeared on the market and some of them may help in weight loss.

Here are the top keto complements with their suggested functions:

MCT oil. Containing medium-chain triglycerides, this oil helps keto dieters to add more fat to their diet and stay in ketosis. It is digested faster than conventional fats but it can be a side effect of digestion.

Exogenous ketones. These are ketones from external sources, in contrast to naturally produced endogenous ketones. These can increase the ketone levels in your blood and help you get ketosis faster.

Ketogenic protein powder. These protein powders are made to be low in carbohydrates.

Keto electrolytes. Loss of electrolytes is common when starting the Keto diet first due to water weight loss. Electrolyte supplements can help prevent common electrolyte deficiencies, such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium.

Digestive enzymes. Some people may experience digestive problems due to the high-fat content of the Keto diet. Digestive enzyme supplements, especially lipase, help break down fats.

This study is limited to the weight loss effects of ketogenic supplements.

A study of rats looked at the effectiveness of external ketones as a weight loss supplement. Various exogenous ketones, as well as MCT oil, have been found to reduce appetite and aid in weight loss as a result of eating fewer calories naturally.

However, there is a lack of human research to back up these claims.

While keto supplements may not be necessary, they can help keto dieters convert to this rather limited way of eating and increase tolerance to the diet.

These supplements should not be used solely for weight loss, he said, as data is insufficient and their long-term side effects are unknown.

SUMMARY:

MCT oils and exogenous ketones can help you get into ketosis faster and avoid many of the side effects associated with infection. They can also reduce appetite, but are not recommended for use as a weight-loss supplement.

Other things that can affect weight loss

When following the Keto diet for the purpose of weight loss, there are a few more factors to consider to ensure progress.

Take your proper carbohydrate

By starting a ketogenic diet, you can help keep track of how many carbohydrates you eat each day.

This helps ensure that you enter ketosis relatively quickly and avoid some of the symptoms associated with the "keto flu," which are a group of symptoms, including headaches and brain fog, as soon as you start the keto diet.

If you eat too many carbohydrates, you will not be in ketosis and the potential benefits of the diet will be reduced, including weight loss.

For most people, eating less than 50 grams of carbohydrates a day should be enough to stimulate ketosis.

If you are getting enough sleep

Sleep is often the most neglected aspect of any diet. Studies show that lack of sleep and chronic stress can negatively affect weight loss results. This is especially true when following the ketogenic diet.

Studies have also shown that lack of sleep can negatively affect appetite hormones like ghrelin and leptin. You can increase your appetite by fighting the appetite-reducing effects of the Keto diet.

Making sure you can take a break and get at least 7 hours of sleep each night can help facilitate a ketogenic diet.

If you are physically active

Although the Keto diet alone can provide weight loss, combining a proper exercise routine with it can enhance this effect.

When you adapt to a diet, your body can use fat as its main source of fuel for exercise. Studies suggest that it is most beneficial in endurance sports.

It's important to note that you need to coordinate well with your ketogenic diet before engaging in any moderate-intensity exercise to avoid negative side effects.

SUMMARY:

Weight loss will be followed by constant fatigue and tiredness, but you will also need to consider specific carbohydrate intake and sleep and exercise routines.

The sustainability of the diet

One of the main disadvantages of the Keto diet, especially for weight loss, is long-term sustainability.

Considering that the diet is quite regulatory, some people may find it difficult to stick to it.

This creates a challenge, especially when eating or gathering food with family or friends on vacation, a new way of eating must be adopted, which potentially affects social communication.

Also, there is a lack of studies on the health effects of following a long-term ketogenic diet.

These issues should be considered before beginning.

SUMMARY:

Due to the limited nature, it can be difficult to stick to the Keto diet long term. Food and other social situations may require perseverance and special preparation.

BOTTOM LINE:

The ketogenic diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that has been shown to provide a number of health benefits, including weight loss.

The exact mechanisms of weight loss associated with this type of diet are still under investigation, but it has been shown that weight loss occurs due to calorie deficiency, loss of appetite, and water weight loss.

Keto supplements can reduce appetite and help you fall into ketosis more quickly, although they should not be used to promote weight loss.

The weight-loss benefits of the ketogenic diet may seem promising, but it is important to consider its potential side effects, downsides, and lack of long-term research on the subject.

Article source healthline.com