So you’ve heard about the Keto Diet. Now you’re wondering if what you have been hearing is true. I want to give you the facts versus the myths that you’ve possibly been hearing! First and foremost, NO the Keto diet isn’t dangerous. Secondly, it’s not a trend. You have to be committed; but once you see the results, you’ll thank yourself later!
If you want to read more information on the KETO diet & it’s benefits, please click this link -> Understanding Keto.
The shorthand information is that KETO is a high fat, low carb, moderate protein diet. It’s called “Ketogenic,” because people on this diet shift from using glucose as their main fuel to ketone bodies, which are derived from fat. In other words, people on the ketogenic diet can use their bodies’ fat stores as fuel- and this is why many studies show that this diet is superior for sustainable weight loss.
Disclosure: I’ve been eating a Keto Lifestyle since Feb of 2018. I can attest to the effects that the Keto diet has had on my life. Within 3-5 months, I was down 30-40 lbs and feeling better that I ever have. My health improved and my blood pressure lowered (extensively). To be clear, I am not suggesting a ketogenic diet for all. However, this diet is clearly a safe and highly effective option for people with metabolic diseases (obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc.), and therefore should not be falsely portrayed as a dangerous fad.
I’m going to address the top 10 claims for the Keto Diet.
Claim #1. Keto is bad for athletes
“This Keto diet can definitely help one lose fat, but the resulting lack of carb fuel makes one tired and unable to perform at desired levels.”
Response:
Numerous studies show that the ketogenic diet has helped athletes improve their body composition, trim fat, maintain performance and improve recovery. These studies have included marathon runners, triathlon competitors, CrossFit athletes, gymnasts, and other athletes performing high intensity and interval exercises. One study found that after 12 weeks eating a ketogenic diet, endurance athletes cut body fat, increased oxidation and sprint power, and performed better overall on a critical power test compared to athletes on high-carb diets.
Claim #2. Keto is dangerous if you have diabetes
“New research published in the Journal of Physiology indicates that ketogenic diets, which are low carbohydrate high fat eating plans that are known to lead to weight loss, may cause an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes in the early stage of the diet.”
Response:
First, that study, which was reported upon widely, was on mice. Mice are not like humans in the way they fatten or contract metabolic diseases. Journalists/media should stop reporting on mice stories as if they were applicable to humans, especially when there is such a large body of clinical trial data on humans. Let’s be clear: rigorous clinical trial data on humans trumps any data on mice. Every time. And what does the rigorous data on humans say?
The ketogenic diet is actually the most promising diet for people with Type 2 diabetes. Some studies have shown that extreme caloric restriction can reverse diabetes, but continued starvation is largely unsustainable.
The other nutritional remedy for T2 diabetes is carbohydrate restriction. In a large, ongoing university-based study, 60% of patients with Type 2 diabetes reversed their diagnosis of diabetes after just one year on a ketogenic diet, supplemented by support via a mobile phone app.11 On this protocol, 94% of participants reduced or eliminated their need for insulin medications while improving the vast majority of cardiovascular risk factors.
No other diet has demonstrated such promising results for Type 2 diabetes.
Moreover, upwards of 17 scientific studies support the idea that carbohydrate restriction works to manage blood sugar, or glycemia, in patients with diabetes.
Claim #3. Keto causes fatigue and flu-like symptoms
“That totally miserable feeling is actually called the ‘keto flu’ and it’s basically a bunch of flu-like symptoms that often appear at the beginning of a keto diet overhaul.”
Response:
Upon starting the diet, some patients report symptoms like fatigue, headaches, and muscle aches. However, these short-lived symptoms are, in fact, a sign that the diet is working, and the body is switching over from burning glucose as fuel to burning fat. This transition involves upregulating certain enzymes and down-regulating others; it is a profound shift for the human body that can have uncomfortable symptoms. However, these side effect usually last only 3-4 weeks. They can be ameliorated in most cases, by drinking several cups of bouillon broth during the day until the transition is completed.
The idea of the “keto flu,” which used to be previously known as the “Atkins flu,” is an old concept that has been addressed, in the scientific literature and in practice, for more than two decades now.
Claim #4. Keto is bad for heart health and will raise your cholesterol
“However, saturated fat has long been lauded as a heart-harming macronutrient; the American Heart Association recommends no more than 13 grams of saturated fat per day. In fact, saturated fats can increase bad cholesterol.”
Response:
One meta-analysis incorporating data from 447 participants found that low-carbohydrate diets not only helped individuals lose weight, but also improved their cholesterol. And another meta-analysis, citing 17 clinical trials, found that low-carb diets protected against major cardiovascular risk factors. A third study including 119 participants found that low-carbohydrate dieters had lower cholesterol than low-fat dieters after one year.
While it’s true that low-carb diets do raise the so-called bad LDL-cholesterol in some people, it’s important to note that LDL-C, when influenced by diet, has never been shown to have any effect on cardiovascular risk. Large clinical trials and observational studies show that one’s level of LDL-C and the lowering of LDL-C through diet is not reliably linked to cardiovascular outcomes.
Moreover, the ketogenic diet also reliably raise the “good” HDL-cholesterol, while also improving most other cardiovascular markers, including blood pressure, as this study shows. Thus, the overall effect on cholesterol and other markers for heart disease is positive. In some lean hyper-responders, a keto diet will increase LDL particle number, and this effect needs further investigation.
Claim #5. Keto will make you break out
“The skin is a temperamental beast. Any change in your diet, but particularly one that turns our usual percentages of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins upside down, can be inflaming.”
Response:
One study found carbs to be the “main culprit” in causing acne. And another study found that low-glycemic diets lessened acne.
What’s more, a review conducted by Italian researchers suggested that the keto diet could target acne by reducing inflammation and levels of insulin and IGF-1 — all known causes of acne.
Claim #6. Keto is not good for your gut
“Most ketogenic diets are very low in fiber, and fiber is usually integral for gut health, as it is the food that good bacteria eat.”
Response:
In fact, patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been shown to improve after eating very low carbohydrate diets. Another study found increased carb-intake worsened GERD, while a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet reduced symptoms. And two studies have linked esophageal diseases, including Barrett’s esophagus (BE) and GERD, to sugar and carbohydrate intake.
Claim #7. Keto causes, or worsens, fatty liver disease
“Keto is not desirable for people with most stages of diabetes, kidney disease, or other liver conditions,”
Response:
The European Association for the Study of the Liver actually cites a low-carbohydrate diet as a way to treat the disease. Studies show that cutting carbohydrates and particularly fructose, or sugar from plants, works to improve liver fat metabolism.
What’s more, high-carbohydrate diets have been associated with worsening non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Find evidence here, here and here.
Claim #8. You’ll lose sleep on a ketogenic diet
“…May also lead to health problems, including insomnia or poor-quality sleep.”
Response:
There seems to be no foundation for this claim. People eating diets very low in carbohydrates and high in fats and proteins have been found, in one study, to enjoy better sleep quality, meaning they spent more time in deep sleep than those on high-carbohydrate, low-fat diets.
A survey of 1,580 low-carb consumers published in late 2017 by the Journal of Insulin Resistance found that while more than 11% of respondents reported using sleep-aids before beginning their low-carb diet, less than 5% reported using them after their diet. Moreover, nearly seven in 10 reported improved quality of sleep after dieting while only 3.4% said their sleep quality had worsened.
Claim #9. Keto causes gallbladder problems
“The ketogenic diet can affect the gallbladder in a few ways. Frequent fasting has the effect of slowing bile production and usage. This leads to stagnant bile that eventually turns to sludge and gallstones.”
Response:
Multiple studies have found that diets higher in fat prevent gallstone formation. Examples are here and here. Meanwhile, diets low in fat actually increase gallbladder volume and may increase the risk of gallstone development, as do diets high in sugar and carbohydrates.
Claim #10. It reduces lean body mass
“We generally see greater lean body mass (LBM) loss in ketogenic diet groups”
Response:
A three-month trial found the keto diet had no impact on the lean body mass of CrossFit participants.