![]() Previous research shows good evidence of a faster weight loss when patients go on a ketogenic or very low carbohydrate diet compared to participants on a more traditional low-fat diet, or even a Mediterranean diet. Weight loss is the primary reason my patients use the ketogenic diet. However, there are no human studies to support recommending ketosis to treat these conditions. Because of these neuroprotective effects, questions have been raised about the possible benefits for other brain disorders such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, sleep disorders, autism, and even brain cancer. We have solid evidence showing that a ketogenic diet reduces seizures in children, sometimes as effectively as medication. Additionally, some patients may feel a little tired in the beginning, while some may have bad breath, nausea, vomiting, constipation, and sleep problems. Patients with kidney disease need to be cautious because this diet could worsen their condition. One of the main criticisms of this diet is that many people tend to eat too much protein and poor-quality fats from processed foods, with very few fruits and vegetables. Carbohydrates normally account for at least 50% of the typical American diet. Because it is so restrictive, it is really hard to follow over the long run. It typically includes plenty of meats, eggs, processed meats, sausages, cheeses, fish, nuts, butter, oils, seeds, and fibrous vegetables. ![]() Keep in mind that this is a highly individualized process, and some people need a more restricted diet to start producing enough ketones.īecause it lacks carbohydrates, a ketogenic diet is rich in proteins and fats. The shift, from using circulating glucose to breaking down stored fat as a source of energy, usually happens over two to four days of eating fewer than 20 to 50 grams of carbohydrates per day. Once you reach ketosis, most cells will use ketone bodies to generate energy until we start eating carbohydrates again. In the absence of circulating blood sugar from food, we start breaking down stored fat into molecules called ketone bodies (the process is called ketosis). ![]() Most cells prefer to use blood sugar, which comes from carbohydrates, as the body’s main source of energy. In essence, it is a diet that causes the body to release ketones into the bloodstream. Over the years, other fad diets incorporated a similar approach for weight loss. ![]() Atkins popularized his very-low-carbohydrate diet for weight loss that began with a very strict two-week ketogenic phase. In medicine, we have been using it for almost 100 years to treat drug-resistant epilepsy, especially in children. Is a ketogenic diet safe? Would you recommend it? Despite the recent hype, a ketogenic diet is not something new. Recently, many of my patients have been asking about a ketogenic diet. ![]()
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