KETO DIET
Source: The Indian Express
Keto Diet:
- Atkins's diet, which rapidly gained popularity is the base for the keto diet.
- The Atkins diet is especially popular among the non-vegetarian western population.
- The Atkins diet follows this:
Breakfast: Greasy ham, Bacon, eggs
Lunch: Steak with plenty of cheese
Dinner: Fish, Crab, and Chicken cooked in a lot of butter.
- This diet leads to rapid weight loss in many individuals.
- The low amount of carbohydrates(<30gram/day) makes the body find alternative routes of energy generation from acidic ketone bodies & hence the name Keto diet.
- These ketone bodies efficiently provide energy & suppress appetite.
- After the popularity of the Atkins diet, several similar diets have emerged.
- As it is difficult to consistently consume very low-carb, high-fat & high-protein items daily, the quantity of carbs per day has been increased in the modified diets.
- As vegetarians can't follow the Atkins diet, items like ghee and coconut oil were added to them.
Low-Carb Diet:
- Several advantages were reported with this low-carb diet.
- Rapid weight loss can be achieved, often more than what is seen in usual calorie-restrictive diets.
- In people with diabetes, blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity improve, and the need for anti-diabetic medication decreases.
- The diet may also help people with polycystic ovaries by improving their metabolic environment.
- This diet decreases seizures in children who are resistant to high-dose medications.
- There is persuasive evidence that it also affects acne.
- There are no clear benefits in cases of cancer, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's.
- Many scientists are not ready to accept this diet because of the uncertainty regarding benefits & harms.
- The short-term weight loss is slightly superior to conventional weight-loss diets, long-term results are not known yet.
- In animals, this diet is known to increase the density of fat in the liver.
- No enough data is available on humans.
- Recent studies show that this diet increases bad LDL cholesterol, which could adversely impact heart health.
- No good studies are available concerning Indians, who have bad liver & LDL cholesterol.
| LDL-Low Density Lipoproteins are often called bad cholesterol because it collects in the walls of blood vessels, raising the chances of health problems like heart attack/stroke. |
Avoiding Keto Diet:
- Keto diet should never be followed by patients with heart issues and irregular heart rhythms
- Patients with disturbed functions of kithe kidney, liver, and hand story of pancreatic inflammation should also this diet.
- Patients with diabetes should take extra precautions while adopting this diet.
- Those with Type-1 ddiabetesdiabetesuring pregnancy should not try at all.
- Many diabetic patients who are on SGLT2 inhibitors, should be careful since the keto diet, along with these drugs will have an additive effect on ketogenesis, which could reach dangerous levels.
- Those who are on blood thinners(Vitamin-K dependant anticoagulation) should also avoid keto diets.
Short-term Gain:
- The low-carbohydrate Keto diet is a reasonable option for rapid weight loss among young obese individuals with no organ dysfunction.
- But it should be tried for 3-6 months only under the supervision of nutritionists & physicians.
- Before taking up the diet, a complete cholesterol & liver profile should be done to check for any extreme responses.
- In young, obese patients who have recently been detected with diabetes and are not on SGLT2i, this is a reasonable option to check the surge of sugars or even for reversal of diabetes.
Epilogue:
The effect of very low-carb Ketogenic diets on longevity is unknown and one study suggests these are not favourable.
