Is the keto diet good for you? The ketogenic diet, or keto diet, strictly limits carbohydrates while increasing the amount of fat that a person eats.
A common short-term side effect of the keto diet is keto flu, which includes symptoms such as tiredness, nausea, and many more. Is the keto diet good for you?
Researchers do not know a lot about the long-term effects of following the keto diet. However, it may cause health issues for some people.
Is the keto diet good for you? In this article, we look at what the keto diet involves, its possible risks and side effects, and who it may benefit.
What is the keto diet?
The keto diet limits a person’s daily carbohydrate intake while increasing the amount of fat. The aim is to encourage the body to burn fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.
This metabolic change puts the body into a state of ketosis. Ketosis occurs when the body starts to break down fat due to a lack of blood sugar circulating the body.
The body turns the fat into ketones, which provide it with energy.
It takes about 2-4 days for a person to reach the state of ketosis after starting the diet.
Many people begin the keto diet because they wish to lose weight. However, others use it to help manage certain health conditions, such as diabetes.
Most keto diet plans limit the daily carbohydrate intake to 50 gms or less. They also require people to stick to the following
- 55–60% calories from fat
- 30–35% calories from protein
- 5–10% calories from carbohydrates
Keto flu
The keto diet is a drastic change for many people. More than half of the population of the United States eat at least the recommended amount of total grains each day.
And about 70% eat more than the recommended amount of added sugars each day.
As a result, a sudden change to a low carbohydrate diet may cause side effects for some people. While transitioning into ketosis, people may experience “keto flu.” Keto flu include:
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Nausea and vomiting
- Endurance issues when exercising
- Headaches
- Constipation
- Dizziness
For most people, keto flu is a short-term side effect that should improve within a few days to a few weeks.
Drinking enough fluids and electrolytes may help ease the symptoms. If they do not improve, a person should speak to their doctor.
Long-term health risks
However, the potential risks of any restrictive diet include vitamin or mineral deficiencies.
A person on the keto diet needs to monitor their carbohydrate intake from all potential sources, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
As a result, they may need to cut back on foods that previously provided them with beneficial nutrients.
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can cause a variety of symptoms, ranging from mild to severe.
A person following the keto diet will need to ensure that they do not miss out on any nutrients as a result of changing their diet.
Other potential risks of a high fat, high protein diet include:
- Kidney Stones
- hepatic steatosis (fatty liver)
- hypoproteinemia, or low levels of protein in the blood
Other considerations
The keto diet has some other limitations that a person may wish to consider before they try it, such as:
- Varying results: In terms of weight loss, the keto diet may work more effectively for some people than others. Therefore, the diet will affect individuals differently.
- Difficult to follow: The keto diet strictly limits what a person can eat. As a result, it may be challenging to follow the diet for an extended period. If a person stops limiting carbohydrates, they may regain any weight that they had lost.
- Saturated fat: As a person can remain in ketosis regardless of the type of fat that they consume, this may lead to a heavy reliance on animal fats or saturated fats, which have associated long-term health risks.
People can reduce the potential risks of the keto diet by:
Ensuring that they get enough vitamins and minerals from their food
Eating more healthful fats, such as olive oil, oily fish, and avocados, than saturated fats
Avoiding processed foods that contain saturated fat
Reintroducing some carbohydrates slowly once they reach a moderate weight, if weight loss is their goal
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Who should try the keto diet?
The keto diet may be an effective way for some people to manage their weight. This eating pattern may also improve certain health conditions.
However, people with other health conditions should not follow the keto diet or should discuss it with a doctor first.
According to the academy of Nutrition and Diebetics, these people include those living with the following conditions:
- pancreatic disease
- thyroid conditions
- liver conditions
- gallbladder disease or removal
- a history of eating disorders
If a person wishes to try the keto diet, they should consider discussing their diet plan with a registered dietitian to determine whether it is the right option for them.
Summary
Short-term keto diet side effects include keto flu, which may cause fatigue, nausea, and dizziness, among other symptoms.
In the long term, the keto diet may increase the risk of a person developing vitamin or mineral deficiencies if they do not get enough nutrients.
They may also be at higher risk for conditions such as heart disease if they eat a lot of saturated fat.
People with some chronic conditions should not follow the keto diet. A person should talk to a doctor or dietitian before significantly restricting their diet in any way.
Why is the keto diet good for you?
A keto diet is an eating plan that focuses on foods that provide a lot of healthful fats, adequate amounts of protein, and very few carbohydrates.
The goal is to get more calories from fat than from carbs.
The diet works by depleting the body of its sugar reserves. As a result, it will start to break down fat for energy.
This results in the production of molecules called ketones that the body uses for fuel. When the body burns fats, it can also lead to weight loss.
There are several types of keto diet, including the Standard Ketogenic Diet and the Cyclical Ketogenic Diet.
In this article, we explain the benefits of the keto diet, as well as its risks.
1. Supports weight loss
The ketogenic diet may help promote weight loss in several ways, including boosting metabolism and reducing appetite.
Ketogenic diets consist of foods that fill a person up and may reduce hunger stimulating hormones.
For these reasons, following a keto diet may reduce appetite and promote weight loss.
2. Improves acne
Acne has several different causes and may have links to diet and blood sugar in some people.
Eating a diet high in processed and refined carbohydrates may alter the balance of gut bacteria and cause blood sugar to rise and fall significantly, both of which can adversely affect skin health.
According to sources, by decreasing carb intake, a ketogenic diet could reduce acne symptoms in some people.
3. May reduce risk of certain cancers
Researchers have examined the effects of the ketogenic diet in helping prevent or even treat certain cancers.
A more recent study trusted source from 2018 suggests that because the ketogenic diet reduces blood sugar, it could also lower the risk of insulin complications.
Insulin is a hormone that controls blood sugar that may have links to some cancers.
Although some research trusted source indicates that the ketogenic diet may have some benefit in cancer treatment, studies in this area are limited.
Researchers need to carry out more studies to fully understand the potential benefits of the ketogenic diet in cancer prevention and treatment.
4. May improve heart health
When a person follows the ketogenic diet, it is important that they choose healthful foods.
Some evidence shows that eating healthful fats, such as avocados instead of less healthful fats, such as pork rinds, can help improve heart health by reducing cholesterol.
High levels of cholesterol can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
A keto diet’s reducing effect on cholesterol may, therefore, reduce a person’s risk of heart complications.
However, the review concluded that the positive effects of the diet on heart health depend on diet quality.
Therefore, it’s important to eat healthful, nutritionally balanced food while following the keto diet.
5. May protect brain function
Some studies, such as this 2019 review trusted source
Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health
As suggest the ketones that generate during the keto diet provide neuroprotective benefits, which means they can strengthen and protect the brain and nerve cells.
For this reason, a keto diet may help a person prevent or manage conditions such as Alxheimer’s disease.
However, more research is necessary into a keto diet’s effects on the brain.
6. Potentially reduces seizures
The ratio of fat, protein, and carbs in a keto diet alters the way the body uses energy, resulting in ketosis.
Ketosis is a metabolic process during which the body uses ketone bodies for fuel.
The Epilepsy Foundation suggest that ketosis can reduce seizures in people with epilepsy — especially those who have not responded to other treatment methods.
More research is necessary on how effective this is, though it seems to have the most effect on children who have focal seizures.
A 2019 review trusted source supports the hypothesis that a keto diet can support people with epilepsy.
The ketogenic diet may reduce epilepsy symptoms by several different mechanisms.
7. Improves PCOS symptoms
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a Hormonal Disorder Trusted Source that can lead to excess male hormones, ovulatory dysfunction, and polycystic ovaries. A high-carbohydrate diet can cause adverse effects in people with PCOS, such as skin problems and weight gain.
The researchers found that a ketogenic diet improved several markers of PCOS, including:
- weight loss
- hormone balance
- ratios of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
- levels of fasting insulin
A different review of studies from 2019 Trusted source found that a keto diet had beneficial effects for people with hormonal disorders, including PCOS and type2 diabetes.
However, they did also caution that the studies were too diverse to recommend a keto diet as a general treatment for PCOS.
Learn which foods people with PCOS should eat and avoid.
Risks and complications
The ketogenic diet may have a range of health benefits.
However, staying on the ketogenic diet long-term can have an adverse effect Trusted source on health, including an increased risk of the following health problems:
- Kidney Stones
- Excess protein in the blood
- Mineral and Vitamin deficiencies
- A build up of fat in the liver
The keto diet can cause adverse side effects that many people know as keto flu. These adverse effects may include:
- Constipation
- Fatigue
- Low blood sugar
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Headaches
- A low tolerance for exercise
These symptoms are especially common at the beginning of the diet as the body adjusts to its new energy source.
Some populations should avoid the keto diet, including:
- People with diabetes who are insulin-dependent
- People who have eating disorders
- Those with kidney disease or pancreatitis.
- Women during pregnancy and breastfeeding
People who take a type of medication called sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors for type 2 diabetes should also not follow a keto diet.
This medication increases the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis, a dangerous condition that increases acidity in the blood. Is the keto diet good for you?
Read more on reasons a person might not lose weight on a keto diet.
Takeaway
It is important to discuss any intended diet plan with a doctor, dietitian, or trusted healthcare provider, especially for people who are trying to manage a health problem or disease.
People looking to start the keto diet should seek consultation with a doctor and check if they have diabetes, hypoglycemia, heart disease, or any other health conditions to ensure the keto diet is a safe eating pattern.
Keep in mind that studies on the long-term benefits of the ketogenic diet are lacking.
It is unclear whether maintaining this diet over more extended periods is more beneficial than less restrictive healthful eating patterns.
A ketogenic diet restricts or severely limits carbohydrates. However, some carbohydrates provide health benefits. Is the keto diet good for you?
For a less restrictive dietary approach, people should consume a diet that includes a variety of nutrient-dense, fibrous carbs, such as fruits and vegetables, alongside nutritious protein sources, and healthful fats.
