The ketogenic diet, or simply the keto diet, is a low-carb, high-fat diet. Recently, it is rapidly gaining popularity.
The ketogenic diet has been shown to offer tremendous health benefits, including weight loss. So many people follow this diet to achieve their weight loss goals.
Despite the fact that studies show that the ketogenic diet can help you get rid of excess body fat, there are no long-term studies to prove its effectiveness.
This article looks at the effectiveness of the keto diet for weight loss.
Does it promote weight loss?
When following a traditional ketogenic diet, carbohydrate intake is limited to less than 5-10% of total daily calories.
This helps the body reach a state of ketosis, a state in which the body switches to using fats instead of carbohydrates as its main source of energy. Ketones are produced in the liver.
Carbohydrate deficiencies are often compensated by increasing fat intake up to about 80% of calories, which is 155-200 grams for a 2000 calorie diet.
Low protein intake - usually around 20% calories, or 100 grams for a 2000 calorie diet.
Although long-term studies have never been performed, there are several known mechanisms for ketogenic diet-induced weight loss.
Reduce the feeling of hunger
One of the main weight loss mechanisms associated with the ketogenic diet is the ability to reduce hunger.
Following the keto diet reduces the level of ghrelin, one of the main hormones in the human body that increases the feeling of hunger.
Reducing ghrelin production and reducing hunger can lead to the fact that a person will consume fewer calories throughout the day, and this will inevitably lead to weight loss.
A study done on a group of 20 obese people following the keto diet confirmed a link between this eating pattern and reduced cravings for food and alcohol.
The keto diet can be an effective tool for reducing hunger levels. However, its long-term safety must be considered.
Support weight loss
Another possible mechanism for weight loss on the keto diet is dehydration, which is caused by a measurable reduction in carbohydrate intake.
This is because carbohydrates accumulate in the human body retaining water.
When carb intake is reduced, such as during the early stages of a keto diet, carb stores are released along with retained fluid and this leads to weight loss.
Calorie balance
To understand whether the ketogenic diet can help shed those unwanted pounds, it's important to look at how weight loss is typically achieved.
To lose weight, you must consume fewer calories than your body burns. In other words, a calorie deficit is the main condition for weight loss.
A study of 17 obese or overweight men found that the keto diet modestly increased calorie burn. However, this did not lead to an increase or decrease in body fat compared with the results of the traditional basal diet.
These results suggest that the ketogenic diet is not always superior to the traditional diet for weight loss, with the same amount of calories consumed.
Thus, the weight loss effect of the keto diet is most likely the result of eating fewer calories due to the reduced hunger sensation associated with a high-fat, very low-carb diet in the daily diet.
Inference: The Keto diet helps to lose extra pounds, although the exact mechanism by which this effect is achieved is still unclear. Studies show that the weight loss caused by the keto diet can be attributed to a lack of calories, reduced hunger levels, and reduced water weight.
Keto Supplements
Since the keto diet has grown in popularity, there have been many supplements on the market designed for the keto diet, and some of them can help with weight loss.
List of the best keto supplements with description of their features:
- MCT oil (MCT oil). This medium-chain triglyceride oil helps people following the ketogenic diet add more fat to their diet and maintain a state of ketosis. This type of oil is absorbed faster than traditional fats, but can have side effects affecting the digestive system.
- Exogenous Ketones (Exogenous Ketones). Food supplements are an external source of ketones that supplement the endogenous ketones that are produced naturally in the body. They help to increase the level of ketones in the blood, thereby speeding up the process of achieving a ketone state.
- Keto Protein Powder (Koto Protein Powder). These protein powders are characterized by a reduced carbohydrate content.
- Keto Electrolytes (Keto Electrolytes). Electrolyte deficiencies are common in the early stages of the keto diet. This is due to a decrease in the amount of fluid in the body. Keto electrolytes can help avoid deficiencies in common electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
- Digestive enzymes (digestive enzymes). Due to eating a lot of fatty foods on the keto diet, some people may experience digestive problems. Supplementing with digestive enzymes, especially lipase, helps break down fats.
It should be noted that research on the effects of ketogenic supplements on weight loss is limited.
One rat study examined the viability of exogenous ketones as a weight loss supplement. As a result, several exogenous ketones as well as MCT oils have been found to promote weight loss by reducing hunger and continuing to consume fewer calories.
However, human studies to support these claims are lacking.
While keto supplements are optional, they can help keto dieters seamlessly transition to this rather restrictive diet and increase their adaptability to the diet.
However, the use of these supplements is worth considering due to limited research, which does not allow conclusions about their safety in the long term.
Inference: MCT oils and exogenous ketones can help you reach ketosis faster and avoid many of the side effects associated with keto. However, despite the fact that they also reduce feelings of hunger, they should not be used as a weight loss supplement.
Other factors that may affect weight loss
To achieve the best results when following the keto diet for weight loss, you need to keep a few factors in mind.
Exact amount of carbohydrates consumed
Tracking exactly how many carbs you eat on a daily basis can make the transition to a ketogenic diet easier.
This will help ensure that you reach ketosis relatively quickly and prevent some of the symptoms associated with the so-called "keto flu, " which is a group of symptoms, including headaches and confusion, relatedto starting the keto diet.
If you eat a lot of carbohydrates, you won't reach a state of ketosis and the possible benefits of the diet, including weight loss, will be diminished.
Consuming less than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day is sufficient to induce ketosis in any individual.
Aren't you sleeping enough?
Sleep is an often overlooked aspect of any diet. Research shows that sleep deprivation and ongoing stress can negatively impact weight loss results. This also applies to the keto diet.
Research shows that sleep deprivation can negatively impact hunger hormones like ghrelin and leptin. This can therefore lead to increased cravings, which counteracts the hunger-reducing effects of the keto diet.
Making sure you have at least 7 hours a day of rest and sleep can help support the positive results of following a ketogenic diet.
Do you live an active lifestyle?
Although the keto diet can lead to weight loss, combining it with the right exercise program can enhance the effect.
While adapting to the diet, the body is able to use fat as the main source of energy for exercise. Studies show that the most fat is burned during endurance training.
It's important to note that you must be well acclimatized to the keto diet before starting any moderate-intensity exercise. This will prevent unwanted side effects.
Inference: When it comes to weight loss with the keto diet, there are a number of additional factors to consider, such as the correct carb intake, sleep regimen, and exercise.
Strict adherence to the keto diet
One of the main disadvantages of the keto diet is the need to strictly follow an established diet over a long period of time.
The fact that this strict diet is quite restrictive, some people find it difficult to follow.
This is especially problematic when you are going out to dinner or gathering with family and friends during the holidays and being forced to switch to a different diet can lead to reduced weight loss results.
Also, don't forget the lack of research on the long-term health effects of the keto diet.
You should definitely take these factors into account before starting the keto diet.
Inference: You may have trouble following the keto diet long-term due to its restrictive nature. Dining out and other situations may require special patience and preparation.
Result
The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. It has been found to provide various health benefits, including weight loss.
Although the exact mechanisms of weight loss directly related to this way of eating are still being studied, it has been shown that weight loss is caused by a lack of calories, hunger, and dehydration.
Keto supplements can reduce hunger and help you reach ketosis in a short period of time. However, it is not recommended to use them for weight loss.
While the benefits of the keto diet for weight loss may reassure you, it's important to consider its potential side effects, downsides, and lack of long-term research.