Benefits and Risks of The Keto Diet

Benefits and Risks of The Keto Diet
The Keto diet calls for consuming high amounts of fat, a moderate amount of protein, and a very
limited amount of carbs. It’s usually broken down to 75, 20, and 5 percent of your daily calories,
respectively. After you follow the diet for a few days, your body enters ketosis, which means it
has started to use fat for energy. So, the keto diet is all about increasing calories from fat and
going very low carb.
Health Benefit of Keto

Treating Epilepsy in Children
The keto diet has a massive fan base that has grown at least in part due to the popular Netflix
documentary The Magic Pill, which touts a trove of promising keto health benefits. But the fact
of the matter is that most of the studies on the keto diet are premature. The only clear and
proven health benefit of the keto diet is reducing epileptic seizures in children. In fact, doctors
have been using keto therapeutically for this purpose since the 1920s. The keto diet may also
be beneficial for adults with epilepsy, though the Epilepsy Foundation notes that it’s less
frequently recommended for this group because it is so restrictive and difficult to stick with.
Weight Loss
But the No. 1 reason people adopt the keto diet nowadays? The answer is Weight loss. Initially,
the weight loss comes from loss of water because you cut down on carbs in your diet and your
body uses up the carbohydrates stored in the liver, which hold onto water. The diet results in
further weight loss because it encourages you to load up on whole, high-fat foods. Once their
bodies are used to the diet, “The first thing people report is, ‘Oh my gosh, I have this steady
energy and I don’t have the need to snack at 3 p.m. because my energy is waning.’”
Disease Prevention and Treatment

Besides weight loss, the keto diet may play a role in treatment or prevention of diseases other
than epilepsy, including:
Metabolic Syndrome:
Limited research suggested that adults with metabolic disease following keto shed more weight
and body fat compared with low fat diet.
Type 2 Diabetes
Research suggested the diet could help people with type 2 diabetes and can lead to
improvements in HbA1c levels.
Bipolar Disorder
In people with type 2 bipolar disorder, keto may be a mood stabilizer, suggested one early
study.
Obesity
Compared with those on a typical low-calorie diet, obese individuals on a very-low-calorie
ketogenic diet lost more weight and inflammatory visceral (belly) fat.
Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

A small study found that older higher-risk adults on a keto diet experienced better memory
functioning after just six weeks.
Parkinson’s Disease
Because these patients are at a higher risk for dementia, nutritional ketosis may be used to
preserve cognitive functioning.
Certain Cancers
Keto may be used in combination with chemotherapy and radiation. But more studies are
needed to determine if keto can play a role in cancer therapy, and patients should not use it as
a stand-alone treatment or without a doctor’s consent.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Because women with the infertility condition PCOS are at a greater risk for diabetes and
obesity, some clinicians recommend the keto diet. But PCOS is no different from most health
conditions mentioned here: Long-term research on the safety is needed.
Potential Health Risks Associated with the Keto Diet?

The possible benefits of the diet are impressive, but there are a few potential downsides to note
also. One is it’s tough to stick to. It’s also common for people starting the diet to experience flu-
like symptoms, such as headaches and fatigue. You shed a ton of water weight at first, which
can lead to dehydration. Other potential risks include kidney stones, several vitamin and mineral
deficiencies, decreased bone mineral density, and gastrointestinal distress. In order to avoid
some of these risks, the diet needs to be well planned to ensure you’re hitting all of your
nutritional bases. Unfortunately, a restrictive diet makes this planning a challenge, especially if
you’re not working with a registered dietitian who is knowledgeable in keto.
Despite claims that the keto diet can help the following groups, experts say the plan may be
risky for the:
 People with Type 1 Diabetes

 People with a History of Eating Disorders
 People who Have Had Their Gallbladder Removed
 People with Thyroid Disease
 People with Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Considering these risks, people who have kidney damage (including those with type 2
diabetes), plus individuals with or at risk for heart disease, and pregnant or breastfeeding
women, shouldn’t try the keto diet. If you’re looking to lose weight, keep in mind that the diet
likely requires a complete overhaul to the way you normally eat. But it may be worth it if you’re
looking to lose weight or have one of the health conditions it’s been shown to help with. To be
on the safe side, be sure to discuss with your doctor whether the keto diet is right for you before
you drastically change your eating habits.

Benefits and Risks of The Keto Diet

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Benefits and Risks of The Keto Diet

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Benefits and Risks of The Keto Diet

Health Benefit of Keto

Disease Prevention and Treatment

Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Potential Health Risks Associated with the Keto Diet?

 People with Type 1 Diabetes

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