The Ketogenic Diet – Benefits and Drawbacks.

The Ketogenic Diet – Benefits and Drawbacks

Dieticians and researchers have discovered a myriad of diet plans over the past few years. One of the more recent ones is the ketogenic diet plan. The keto diet, as it is more commonly referred to, continues to gain increasing popularity amongst nutritionists, fitness trainers and the general public. Famous personalities such as Halle Berry, LeBron James and Mick Jagger, amongst others, swear by the keto diet. The various health benefits have inspired others to implement it too. However, as with all health diets, the keto diet has some drawbacks which makes it unsuitable for certain people who suffer from specific conditions.

About the Ketogenic Diet

Originally founded as a therapeutic diet for patients suffering from seizures, the keto diet has recently become more renowned as a health plan for weight loss. It was also considered as an effective way to cure paedriatic epilepsy in children and promote the healthy growth of proteins. Thereby, we see that this diet aims to eradicate the traditional idea that fatty foods are harmful for weight loss, by making use of good fats instead. The carbohydrate intake is reduced, which essentially means that instead of breaking down carbs into glucose, fats are broken down into fatty acids and ketones. The high percentage of ketones in the blood leads to a metabolic state known as ketosis, which allows the body to rapidly burn fat and lose weight.

Benefits

There are several health benefits associated with the keto diet.

The cure to epilepsy is still one of the most important reasons why this diet is used today. Excess ketones in the body are very helpful in reducing the frequency of epileptic seizures. For about 30-40% of patients suffering from epilepsy, drugs and medication prove to be inefficient. In such cases, the keto diet serves as a more beneficial alternative. The diet plan can also be altered depending on every individual’s needs, making it a far better option. Moreover, once the person is cured, the effects of this diet continue to show beneficial results.

Furthermore, the keto diet is commonly followed by people with obesity, or even if they are simply trying to lose a few extra pounds. In a very short span of time, the body adjusts to the lack of carbohydrates, and in trying to produce an energy source other than glucose, excess fat burns to form fatty acids and ketones.

Since this diet can be modified for every person, it is easy to follow and shows drastic results in a short time span.

Moreover, the reduction in carbohydrates is compensated for by increased consumption of fats. Therefore, the body does not crave high-carb foods and the body remains satisfied.

Drawbacks

Although the keto diet has shown promising results for many, it comes with some drawbacks and side-effects too.

Firstly, the lack of glucose from carbohydrates can initially cause weakness or fatigue, as the body is deprived of an instant energy source. This effect is known as the “keto flu”, and causes symptoms such as nausea, headaches, cramps and diarrhea. The person would also lose muscle weight and experience extreme fatigue. When the body has adjusted to the decrease in carbs, the effects do wear off but the initial stages of the diet make it a difficult plan to follow for many people.

Furthermore, this diet is only effective short term, and may be risky to follow for longer periods of time, because most of the weight lost is water weight. For people with underlying kidney or liver problems, the diet can be seriously dangerous as these organs will need to do more work to overcome the changes. In rare cases the diet may also damage the heart, which itself is a muscle.

Therefore it is necessary to follow this diet with caution, and not for too long. As it was designed for patients with epilepsy, it may be more useful for them to follow. As with all other diets, any person interested in the ketogenic diet for weight loss must consult a *doctor before starting it, as it can have several unwanted effects in the body.

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