Overview
Ketogenic diet therapy is an established form of treatment for both pediatric and adult patients with intractable epilepsy. In this diet therapy metabolism of body shifts to ketosis state, in which body burns fat for energy instead of glucose.
Keto diet is a term that refers to any diet therapy in which dietary composition would result in in ketogenic state of human metabolism.
It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. The keto diet is a low carb, high fat diet. The goal of keto diet is to reduce or eliminate seizures, but may also have benefits against diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease.
HOW IT WORKS?
In absence of significant carbohydrate in diet, liver generate large quantities of ketones, which the brain can readily use as an energy source in absence of glucose.
The premise of the ketogenic diet for weight loss is that if you deprive the body of glucose the main source of energy for all cells in the body, which is obtained by eating carbohydrate foods—an alternative fuel called ketones is produced from stored fat.
The brain demands the most glucose in a steady supply, about 120 grams daily, because it cannot store glucose. During fasting, or when very little carbohydrate is eaten, the body first pulls stored glucose from the liver and temporarily breaks down muscle to release glucose. If this continues for 3-4 days and stored glucose is fully depleted, blood levels of a hormone called insulin decrease, and the body begins to use fat as its primary fuel. The liver produces ketone bodies from fat, which can be used in the absence of glucose.
Standard ketogenic diet (SKD): This is a very low carb, moderate protein and high fat diet. The calorie distribution on a keto diet is 75% from fat, 20% from protein and 5% from carbohydrate.
People on a ketogenic diet initially experience rapid weight loss up to 10 lbs in 2 weeks or less. This diet has a diuretic effect, and some early weight loss is due to water weight loss followed by a fat loss.
Available research on the ketogenic diet for weight loss is still limited. Most of the studies so far have had a small number of participants, were short-term (12 weeks or less), and did not include control groups. A ketogenic diet has been shown to provide short-term benefits in some people including weight loss and improvements in total cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure. However, these effects after one year when compared with the effects of conventional weight loss diets are not significantly different.
NEGATIVE IMPACT OF KETO DIET
Long-term compliance is low and can be a big issue, which includes increased risk of kidney stones and osteoporosis, and increased blood levels of uric acid (a risk factor for gout). Possible nutrient deficiencies may arise if a variety of recommended foods on the ketogenic diet are not included.
It is important to not solely focus on eating high-fat foods, but to include a daily variety of the allowed vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds to ensure adequate intakes of fiber, B vitamins, and minerals (iron, magnesium, zinc)—nutrients typically found in foods like whole grains that are restricted from the diet. Because whole food groups are excluded, assistance from a registered dietitian may be beneficial in creating a ketogenic diet that minimizes nutrient deficiencies.
Conclusion
A ketogenic diet may be followed for a minimum of 2 to 3 weeks up to 6 to 12 months. Close monitoring of renal functions while on a ketogenic diet is imperative, and the transition from a ketogenic diet to a standard diet should be gradual and well-controlled.
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