The Keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that strictly limits the number of carbohydrates to 5-10% and replaces them with a large amount of fat. What do the keto diet benefits?
The principle of the keto diet is that when we reduce carbohydrate intake and the body is deficient in glucose, the liver will begin to burn fat and produce “ketone bodies” as an alternative energy source for the body. The carbohydrate intake provides the body with energy to burn, but too much carbohydrate consumption can damage the organs.
Early research suggests that this high-fat, very low-carb diet may be beneficial for a variety of health conditions. Here are 7 health conditions that may benefit from a keto diet:
Keto Diet Helps with Weight Loss
The components consumed in a keto diet can help with weight loss by reducing the production of hunger hormones, boosting metabolism, and reducing appetite. Studies have shown that after 6 months on a keto diet, people lose about 2.26 kg more than on a low-fat diet; in 2013, the British Journal of Nutrition analyzed the literature and found that up to 1 year on a keto diet can help people lose an average of 0.9 kg more than on a low-fat diet.
Keto Diet Benefits: Improves Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a disease that causes seizures due to an overactive brain. Of all the disorders that may benefit from a keto diet, epilepsy is by far the one with the most evidence to support it. There are dozens of studies on this topic.
Studies have shown that about 50% of people with epilepsy who follow a classical keto diet during seizures usually improve. This is also known as the 4:1 keto diet because it provides four times more fat than protein and carbohydrates combined.
Keto Diet Benefits: Improve Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome sometimes referred to as prodromal diabetes, is characterized by insulin resistance. Metabolic syndrome can be diagnosed if you meet any 3 of the following criteria
- Large waist circumference: 35 inches (89 cm) or taller for women and 40 inches (102 cm) or taller for men.
- Elevated triglycerides: 150 mg/dL (1.7 mmol/L) or higher.
- Low HDL cholesterol: less than 40 mg/dL (1.04 mmol/L) in men and less than 50 mg/dL (1.3 mmol/L) in women
- Hypertension: 130/85 mmHg or higher
- Elevated fasting glucose: 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) or higher
People with metabolic syndrome are at increased risk for diabetes, heart disease, and other serious conditions related to insulin resistance. Fortunately, following a keto diet can improve many features of metabolic syndrome. Improvements may include better cholesterol values, as well as lower blood sugar and blood pressure.
In a 12-week controlled study, patients with metabolic syndrome on a calorie-restricted keto diet had a 14 percent reduction in body fat. They lowered triglycerides by more than 50% and showed improvements in several other health indicators.
Keto Diet Benefits: Improvement in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a disorder characterized by hormonal dysfunction that often leads to irregular menstruation and infertility. One of its characteristics is insulin resistance, and many women with polycystic ovary syndrome are obese and have difficulty losing weight. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome also have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
In a 6-month study, 11 women with polycystic ovary syndrome lost 12% of their body weight after adopting a keto diet. Fasting insulin was also reduced by 54%, and reproductive hormone levels improved.
Keto Diet Improves Diabetes
Patients with diabetes often experience impressive reductions in blood glucose levels after adopting a keto diet. This is true for both type 1 and types 2 diabetes. Dozens of controlled studies have shown that very low-carbohydrate diets help control blood sugar and may also provide other health benefits.
The Keto diets have been shown to lower blood sugar in people with diabetes. In some cases, values return to the normal range and medication can be stopped or reduced.
Keto Diet Improves Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is progressive dementia that is characterized by plaques and tangles in the brain that impair memory. Interestingly, Alzheimer’s disease appears to share characteristics with epilepsy and type 2 diabetes: seizures, the brain’s inability to use glucose properly, and the inflammation associated with insulin resistance.
Studies have shown that a keto diet improves homeostasis and coordination but does not affect amyloid plaques, a hallmark of the disease. However, supplementation with ketone bodies appears to reduce amyloid plaque. In addition, adding ketone bodies or MCT oil to people’s diets to increase ketone levels has been shown to improve various Alzheimer’s symptoms.
Keto Diet Helps Fight Cancer
Research has found that a keto diet can slow tumor growth and protect healthy cells from chemotherapy or radiation; it can also promote the effects of anti-cancer drugs, reduce inflammation, and prevent patients from gaining weight during treatment. This is because cancer cells consume glucose in the body for energy, and consuming large amounts of sugar while suffering from cancer can encourage cancer cell growth. The keto diet produces ketone bodies that can be used by the body but cannot be digested by certain cancer cells and will not become nutritious for cancer cells.
Who is the Keto Diet For?
The keto diet is not suitable for everyone. The keto diet is medically recommended for patients with epilepsy and is effective in the short term for patients who want to lose weight, reduce cardiovascular risk, and lower blood sugar. However, the keto diet is not recommended for developing children and adolescents. The keto diet is also not suitable for patients with severe kidney disease.
How to Eat a Keto Diet?
The diet composition of the keto diet consists of 70% fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-10% sugar. Sugar intake is limited to 20 to 50 grams per day. In other words, with a keto diet, up to 60-80% of the daily calorie source will come from fats and oils. Supplementation of other nutrients is also important.
