The keto diet was first developed in the 1920s by endocrinologist Dr. Henry Rawle Geyelin to treat epilepsy. In 1921, Geyelin recognized that therapeutic fasting did something peculiar to the body, changing the way it processed nutrients. This change led to fewer seizures in his patients.
When Geyelin investigated further, he found that during these fasting periods glucose levels in the blood fell. At the same time, levels of fat metabolites, called ketones, increased. The burning of ketones instead of glucose was evidently easier on the brain, reducing the likelihood of seizures.
Geyelin needed to figure out how to maintain this state over long periods of time. So, over the following decade, he devised a new diet regimen. His initial version of the keto diet was used widely to treat epilepsy in children into the 1930s, but once new effective medications called anticonvulsants entered the drug market, its popularity waned.
Since its creation nearly a century ago, weight loss programs like the Atkins diet and the Dukan diet (though the Dukan diet takes an alternate approach by being low fat) have made use of the core tenets of the ketogenic diet. The first step of Atkins, referred to as the induction phase, is essentially a keto diet.
SO HOW DOES IT WORK?
Normally, the carbohydrates in food are converted to glucose, which is then used to power the body and brain by circulating through the bloodstream and providing immediate energy to cells. However, if the body is in ketosis, the liver converts fats into fatty acids and ketone bodies to be used for the same purpose.
The idea of the ketone diet is to get your body into a process called Ketosis where you stop burning carbohydrates as fuel and instead turn to the burning of what are known as ketones.
On the ketogenic diet, the body is starved of carbs (no more than 50 g a day) and is forced to utilize fats instead. The science is still out on how exactly the keto diet works so well in changing the body’s natural processes, but it has been shown to help with a number of neurological disorders, not just epilepsy.
When this happens, your body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy. It also turns fat into ketones in the liver, which can supply energy for the brain.
Ketogenic diets can cause massive reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels. This, along with the increased ketones, has numerous health benefits.
Bottom Line
The ketogenic diet (keto) is a low-carb, high-fat diet. It lowers blood sugar and insulin levels, and shifts the body’s metabolism away from carbs and towards fat and ketones.
There are several versions of the ketogenic diet, including:
- Standard ketogenic diet (SKD): This is a very low-carb, moderate-protein and high-fat diet. It typically contains 75% fat, 20% protein and only 5% carbs.
- Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD): This diet involves periods of higher-carb refeeds, such as 5 ketogenic days followed by 2 high-carb days.
- Targeted ketogenic diet (TKD): This diet allows you to add carbs around workouts.
- High-protein ketogenic diet: This is similar to a standard ketogenic diet, but includes more protein. The ratio is often 60% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbs.
However, only the standard and high-protein ketogenic diets have been studied extensively. Cyclical or targeted ketogenic diets are more advanced methods, and primarily used by bodybuilders or athletes.
Learn more about cyclical or targeted ketogenic diets HERE
HOW A KETO DIET HELPS YOU LOSE WEIGHT
Research shows that the ketogenic diet is far superior to the recommended low-fat diet. One study found that people on a ketogenic diet lost 2.2 times more weight than those on a calorie-restricted low-fat diet. Triglyceride and HDL cholesterol levels also improved.
Another study compared a low-carb diet to the Diabetes UK’s dietary guidelines. It found the low-carb group lost 15.2 lbs (6.9 kg), while the low-fat group lost only 4.6 lbs (2.1 kg). Over 3 months, the low-carb diet caused 3 times more weight loss.
Other ketogenic diet studies have found that people can lose fat when food intake is not controlled or restricted. This is extremely important when applying the research to a real-life setting.
If you dislike counting calories, the data suggests a ketogenic diet is a great option for you. You can simply eliminate certain foods and don’t have to track calories.
THE MECHANICS OF A KETO DIET
Here’s how ketogenic diets promote weight loss:
- Higher protein intake: Some ketogenic diets lead to an increase in protein intake, which has many weight loss benefits.
- Food elimination: Limiting your carb intake also limits your food options. This can noticeably reduce calorie intake, which is key for fat loss.
- Gluconeogensis: Your body converts fat and protein into carbs for fuel. This process may burn many additional calories each day.
- Appetite suppressant: Ketogenic diets help you feel full. This is supported by positive changes in hunger hormones, including leptin and ghrelin.
- Improved insulin sensitivity: Ketogenic diets can drastically improve insulin sensitivity, which can help improve fuel utilization and metabolism.
- Decreased fat storage: Some research suggests ketogenic diets may reduce lipogenesis, the process of converting sugar into fat.
- Increased fat burning: Ketogenic diets rapidly increase the amount of fat you burn during rest, daily activity and exercise.
RESOURCES: Authority Nutrition, Body Building, Nutrition Secrets
