The ketogenic diet is increasingly on everyone’s lips, but it’s hardly just the diet du jour. According to a study published in Behavioral Pharmacology, the ketogenic diet has been in clinical use for 80 years. Originally developed in the 1920s to treat patients with epilepsy, the diet emphasizes a dependence on fat (from oils, butter or fattier cuts of meat) as the main source of calories, with around 15 to 20 percent of calories coming from protein and only 5 to 10 percent from carbohydrates.
[See: Should You Count Calories or Macronutrients?]
These macronutrient ratios may vary slightly depending on whom you ask, but the results of following any iteration of the plan are similarly compelling. When insulin levels are lowered due to carbohydrate restriction, the body is forced to use stored body fat for energy, rather than glucose from foods like fruit, pasta and potatoes. This process is known as ketosis and, when done properly, it can trigger the following incredible health benefits:
1. Weight Loss
There are several ways in a which a ketogenic diet can help you lose weight, including by slashing calorie intake (which often happens when “empty calories” like sugary drinks, bread, cereals and desserts are eliminated); helping you feel fuller, longer (thanks to the consumption of low-carb foods that are higher in fat and satiating protein); and causing certain hormonal changes.
On a deeper level, the ketogenic diet causes weight loss because restricting carbs prevents excess insulin from being released into your blood. You may have heard insulin referred to as a “storage hormone” because it signals cells to store as much available energy as possible, initially in the form of glycogen that is ultimately sent to muscles, but also as body fat.
When you’re only consuming very minimal amounts of carbohydrates, less insulin is available and therefore far less extra energy is able to be stored for later use. Because the central nervous system will run out of extra glucose after three to four days without carbohydrate consumption, it goes looking for an alternative energy source. This is how low-carb diets force your body to tap into existing fat stores, breaking down fat into a fuel source called ketones, in order to keep you energized.
2. Reduced Risk for Chronic Conditions
Research suggests that low-carbohydrate diets tend to result in improvements in risk factors for diabetes or metabolic syndrome, including poor blood sugar management, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, high triglycerides and unhealthy cholesterol levels.
[See: The 12 Best Heart-Healthy Diets.]
That’s why a very low-carb diet has particular advantages for people diagnosed with diabetes, or those who have pre-diabetes and are at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes down the road. In addition to lowering the body’s demand for insulin, the ketogenic diet also helps to restore a healthier body weight. This is very important when addressing chronic disease risk, as obesity is a major risk factor for diabetes, heart disease, cancer and other conditions.
3. Enhanced Brain Health
Studies conducted over the past several decades have found evidence that the ketogenic diet can offer long-lasting therapeutic benefits for patients with epilepsy, as well as protection from various other neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, traumatic brain injury and stroke. Certain studies have also found that ketone bodies seem to have positive affects on diverse types of cellular injuries that can lead to death of brain neurons.
Researchers state that there’s still a lot more to learn about how a ketogenic diet helps protect the brain, but for now, it’s speculated that the diet may work by enhancing neuronal energy reserves, improving the ability of neurons to resist metabolic challenges and improving antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Is the Ketogenic Diet right for you?
That said, the ketogenic diet isn’t risk-free, nor are other low-carb diets that are not quite as extreme. This is especially the case during the initial “adaptation period” when the body transitions into ketosis. But even after this phase is complete, still not everyone will feel energized, happy and leaner from following a ketogenic diet. Overall, women and those with a history of chronic metabolic diseases seem to be most susceptible to unwanted side effects due to low-carb eating, including irregular menstrual cycles, trouble sleeping, brain fog, gastrointestinal symptoms, moodiness and fatigue.
Some people have found that certain “hacks” can help them avoid these pitfalls, including carb cycling (increasing carbohydrate intake one or two days per week), consuming more salt and fiber, or slowly transitioning into a moderate keto diet, which allows for more daily carbs and only derives about 40 to 60 percent of calories from fat.
The ketogenic diet also isn’t for everyone. People with diabetes (both those taking medications and those managing the condition on their own), pregnant or nursing women, people who are already underweight (typically considered to be anyone with a BMI less than 18.5), anyone with heart disease who hasn’t first consulted a doctor and women with a history of eating disorders or irregular menstrual cycles should not try the diet. Experts recommend that children following this diet for health reasons be very closely monitored, as should those who have who are taking medications for existing conditions.
A ketogenic diet also often has a drastic effect on health markers, including blood sugar levels and reproductive hormones, which isn’t necessarily a good thing for everyone. Some of the most dangerous and unexpected reactions have occurred in people with a history of diabetes or cardiovascular disease, or in children being treated for epilepsy.
[See: Was That a Seizure?]
Ultimately, though, if you’re not in a high-risk group and are looking to lose weight and improve overall wellness, I recommend giving the ketogenic diet a try. And if you begin to experience side effects like fatigue, constipation, trouble sleeping or mood swings, simply add in more carbs (about 20 grams at a time) to find an amount that works for you and still gives you results.
More from U.S. News
5 Extreme Diets You Shouldn’t Try
8 Food Trends Nutrition Experts Pray Will Never Return
Should You Try the Ketogenic Diet? originally appeared on usnews.com
