What are the benefits of the keto diet?

Sometimes an adequate amount of exercise may not be enough to resolve the issue of being a little overweight or obese. You may also need a strict diet plan carefully drawn out by a professional dietician. One of the diet plans most popularly opted by people worldwide is the keto diet. In this diet, you will focus on three things: intake healthy unsaturated fats (avoid saturated fats), avoid carbohydrates as much as possible, and have an adequate protein intake. The primary goal of this diet is to have more calories from the fat intake rather than the carbohydrate intake.

The keto diet aims at draining the sugar reserves in your body. Then, your body starts breaking down the fat to provide you with energy by producing molecules called ketones. Your body uses these molecules as fuel, and the fat-burning results in weight loss.

There are several kinds of keto diets, common among which are cyclical ketogenic diets and standard ketogenic diets.

With this article, you will understand the keto diet benefits and risks so that you can decide whether it would be a suitable weight loss option for you.

Benefits Of the Keto Diet

Here are a few benefits of the keto diet:

• Reduce acne: One of the most common skin problems faced by men and women worldwide is acne. Although there are several causes of acne, some people commonly encounter this issue due to unhealthy diets and increased blood sugar. Regular consumption of processed and refined carbohydrates can increase and decrease blood sugar and result in a gut bacteria imbalance, which may cause acne. But since a person following a keto diet will need to stay off the carbohydrates as much as possible, the chances of gut imbalance and increased blood sugar will be low. That’s why the keto diet is considered beneficial in reducing the symptoms of acne.

• Better cardiovascular health: As mentioned before, the primary aim of a keto diet is to have more healthy foods. According to several pieces of research, having more healthy fats like avocados rather than unhealthy fats like pork, beef, etc., can help reduce cholesterol, thereby improving your cardiovascular health. A study was conducted in 2017, which showed that some people following a keto diet saw a significant drop in their LDL or bad cholesterol levels and an increase in their HDL or good cholesterol levels. That’s why the keto diet is considered beneficial for your cardiovascular health.

• Improve the PCOS: PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome is a hormonal disorder in which the patient may experience an increase in male hormones, polycystic ovaries and ovulatory dysfunction. If you suffer from PCOS and consume a high-carbohydrate diet, it may result in weight gain and skin problems.

Although there isn’t much research available on the relation between the keto diet and PCOS, a pilot study was conducted in 2005. In this study, the experts observed 5 women suffering from PCOS and following a keto diet for 24 weeks. They found that the ketogenic diet improved several symptoms of PCOS, including hormonal imbalance, levels of fasting insulin, weight loss and the ratio of FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone). Moreover, research came out in 2019 which showed that the keto diet is advantageous for people suffering from hormonal disorders like PCOS, type-2 diabetes, etc. But still, you may not want to consider this diet as a wholesome treatment for these disorders.

• Promotes weight loss: Given that the keto diet focuses on healthy unsaturated fats, avoiding carbs, and having adequate-protein, it should be no surprise that it can help in weight loss. Keto diets reduce the hunger-stimulating hormones making you feel full, promoting weight loss. In 13 different random controlled trials conducted in 2013, the experts found that people following keto diets lost 2 pounds or 900g more than those following low-fat diets over a year. Then, there was another review that took 11 studies into account. This review showed that people following a ketogenic diet lost around 5 lbs or 2.25 Kg more than those following a low-fat diet over 6 months.

• Improves brain function: According to diet experts, the ketones or molecules produced by the keto diet provide neuroprotective advantages. They can help strengthen and protect the nerve and brain cells. This diet can be especially beneficial for people suffering from conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. But there is still a need for more research on keto’s effects on your neurological system.

• Reduces the risk of cancer: A recent study found that following a ketogenic diet alongside treatments like radiation therapy and chemotherapy may prove to be safe and suitable for some cancer patients. That is because this diet causes more oxidative stress on the cancerous cells than on the benign ones, causing the former to die. But still, the research on the effects of the keto diet on cancer patients is limited. So you may get in touch with your doctor and dietician about it.

If you want more information on the benefits of the keto diet, get in touch with the experts at Ujala Cygnus Central Hospital.

Risks And Complication Of Keto Diet

Although the keto diet is quite advantageous for the reasons mentioned above, following it for a long time can have severe health effects. A keto diet can result in an increased risk of the following diseases and conditions:

• Excess protein in your blood
• A fat build-up in your liver
• Kidney stones
• Vitamins and mineral deficiencies

Moreover, this diet can result in keto flu, some of the adverse effects of which are as follows:

• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Lower tolerance to exercises
• Constipation
• Headaches
• Low blood sugar
• Vomiting

These symptoms may be apparent, especially at the start, since it takes time for the body to adjust to the diet.

In order to avoid the complications, the following people should avoid the keto diet:

• People with an eating disorder
• Women during the pregnancy or breastfeeding
• People suffering from diabetes and are dependent on insulin
• People suffering from pancreatitis or kidney disease

Additionally, people consuming type-2 diabetes should not go for a keto diet as it may result in a condition called ketoacidosis, which results in increased acidity in the blood.
So if you are looking for more information on keto diet benefits and risks, you may want to get in touch with the experts at Ujala Cygnus Central Hospital. We can help you understand the best approaches to following the keto diet.