Most of us have information regarding the keto diet, but when it comes to the benefits of the ketogenic diet, the most common reply is:
A Diet plan that is effective for weight loss, and celebs mostly prefer it to look slim and trim.
That’s it, then what about its medical benefits? We are completely unaware of it.
The ketogenic diet has been used to treat epilepsy for decades in patients unresponsive to other therapies.
We are treating cancer, brain dysfunction diseases like Alzheimer’s, seizures and many cardiovascular problems.
The Keto diet is an eating plan focusing on healthy fat, moderate protein and low carb intake. Our body gain energy from fats in the form of ketone bodies (synthesized by the liver from fats) rather than the glucose from carbohydrates.
For detailed information on the ketogenic diet, Check out this article: Keto Diet: A Route Towards A Healthy Life.
Benefits Of Ketogenic Diet: Learn Its Positive Impact on Health
Now let’s discuss the advantages of the keto diet on human health and its role in treating diseases.
- A Treatment Plan For Diabetes
One of the major benefits of the ketogenic diet is its role in treating and preventing diabetes.
Diabetes is the disturbance in the body’s metabolic function associated with a high level of blood glucose level.
A higher level of glucose is mainly due to the low level of insulin (a hormone responsible for converting glucose into energy form) production.
So, in the ketogenic diet, a person is already taking a low-carb diet, reducing his blood glucose level and increasing insulin efficacy(sensitivity).
The utilization of fat for energy in the keto diet also prevents the conversion of fat into glucose; as a result, the blood glucose level falls.
Hence, the major gain of the ketogenic diet is that a diabetic person may follow it to keep their sugar under control and reduce medication.
Checkpoint: diabetic person should inform their physician before starting a keto diet so that adjustments in prescription occur to prevent the occurrence of hypoglycemia (low blood glucose level) in the patient.
- Reduce The Onset Of Heart Problems
Have you ever pondered that all cardiovascular problems are somehow connected?
It does not matter if you suffer from high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack or ischemia (low blood flow or oxygen level); the cause remains the same.
It all occurs due to the blockage in blood vessels because of high cholesterol levels in the body. Basically, in our body, there are three types of cholesterol:
HDL: high-density lipoprotein or good cholesterol
LDL: low-density lipoprotein or bad cholesterol
Triglycerides: store form of fat in our body
In the ketogenic diet, our body increases the amount of good cholesterol (HDL) and reduces the production of bad cholesterol (LDL) or triglyceride.
Hence no clot formation, no blood vessel blockage, and improved heart health is the significant benefit of the ketogenic diet.
- Helps To Treat Acne
Some physicians link skin problems like acne with high sugar intake. According to them, Breakouts in the skin are the result of processed and refined carbohydrates.
In the ketogenic diet, low carbohydrate intake improves our skin’s texture and helps us fight other skin-related problems.
The Keto diet can also negatively impact our skin because inflammation occurs due to the higher level of ketone bodies.
In the end, the thing matter is your food items. Opt for nutritional keto-friendly food products to treat acne and dermatitis.
- Reduce The Risk Of Different Types Of Cancer
An uncontrolled division of cells in our body leads to the formation of a tumour, termed cancer.
The ketogenic diet has proven to be effective in cancer treatment in the following ways:
- It slows tumour growth as cancerous cells cannot use ketone bodies as their energy source.
- It increases the oxidative stress in cancerous cells compared to the normal cell that becomes the cause of their death.
- The ketogenic diet also lowers insulin levels due to low blood glucose levels in the body and reduces the onset of those types of cancer due to insulin.
Thus, the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiotherapy may also increase with the aid of the ketogenic diet.
- Improves PCOS Symptoms
A polycystic syndrome is a hormonal disorder that disrupts the ovaries’ function.
A female body produces more male hormones, leading to ovary dysfunction, polycystic ovaries, and irregular menstruation.
PCOS is a serious disease as if left untreated, may become a source of weight gain, diabetes type 2, elevated blood pressure, heart problems, skin diseases and infertility.
Thus, researchers have shown that ketogenic has proven effective in reducing the onset of the symptoms of the polycystic syndrome.
In 2005 a pilot study was conducted on 5 women suffering from PCOS for over 24 weeks. The improvement in their PCOS markers due to the ketogenic diet is as follows:
- Weight loss
- Hormonal balance
- The ratio of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone improves.
- The level of fasting insulin reduces
- Regular menstruation
Moreover, research studies in 2019 also stated that a ketogenic diet helps treat hormonal disorders like PCOS and type 2 diabetes.
Thus, lowering the onset of specific symptoms in PCOS is also a significant benefit of the ketogenic diet.
- Effective For Weight Loss
Now let’s discuss the most famous advantage of the ketogenic diet.
We all know that obesity s the root of all other diseases.
That is why physicians always recommend their patients maintain a healthy lifestyle and reduce their weight to increase the efficacy of the medication.
But do you think it is easy to lose weight?
Absolutely no, you have to follow a strict diet plan and strenuous exercise, but in the ketogenic diet, you can enjoy all the food items and reduce weight.
How is it possible?
Mainly keto-friendly food gives the feeling of fullness, thus lowering the production of the appetite-stimulating hormone to support weight loss.
Moreover, low carb intake tends to increase the utilization of stored fat in our body, eventually leading to weight loss.
Also, the ketogenic diet has proven more effective in weight loss than other low-fat diet plans.
In 2013 a meta-analysis of 13 random people showed the researchers that those on a ketogenic diet reduced 2 pounds weight than those on a low-fat diet.
- Help To Treat Several Brain Diseases
The ratio of carb, protein and fat intake tends to shift our energy source from glucose to ketone bodies in the ketogenic diet.
Ketone bodies synthesized have neuroprotective benefits that strengthen and protect the brain and nerve cells.
Hence it is used to treat epilepsy, Parkison’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and several brain injuries.
According to the epilepsy foundation, a ketogenic diet plan effectively reduces seizures in children unresponsive to other medications.
Research has shown that over half of the children on a ketogenic diet have a 50% reduction in seizures, and 16% became seizure-free.
Conclusion
Once we know about the pros and cons of the diet plan, we can introduce it to our lifestyle more easily and take advantage of it.
After reading this article, I expect you to know about the benefits of the ketogenic diet other than weight loss.
