Long-Term Perspectives on the Keto Diet: Is It a Yes or No?

What Is the Rationale of Keto Diet Causing Weight Loss?

The ketogenic diet, commonly known as the ‘keto diet,’ has gained widespread popularity for its perceived ability to facilitate rapid weight loss. Despite its popularity, there is conflicting evidence regarding its effectiveness for weight loss and concerns about its long-term impact on health. Athletes have also adopted the keto diet, but research on its effects in this population has yielded mixed results. Nutrition experts express apprehension about the sustainability of this dietary approach and its potential long-term consequences on cardiovascular health.

The initial weeks and months of the keto diet are associated with rapid weight loss due to several factors. Firstly, appetite reduction and altered hunger hormones play a role in the early stages. Secondly, the diet promotes weight loss by decreasing fat storage and increasing fat utilization. Thirdly, the keto diet enhances fat-burning efficiency through an increase in the thermic effect. Lastly, the increased calorie utilization for breaking down protein, the primary fuel source, contributes to weight loss by reducing the conversion of glucose and fat.

What Are the Advantages of Keto Diet?

• Recent research indicates that the keto diet surpasses low-calorie diets, commonly recommended by nutritionists and healthcare providers before weight loss surgeries. In a comprehensive case comparison study, individuals following the keto diet experienced a significantly greater reduction in body mass index (BMI) and shorter hospital stays post-surgery compared to those adhering to other weight loss methods or low-calorie diets.

• The keto diet offers a distinct advantage by positively influencing hunger hormones and appetite reduction. The slow digestion of protein over time plays a crucial role in managing hunger and suppressing the urge to eat. This effect is attributed to increased ketone bodies in the blood, a byproduct of ketosis, which subsequently lowers ghrelin (a hormone that plays a crucial role in regulating hunger and appetite) levels and helps control appetite.

• While it is challenging to target specific areas for fat loss despite following a validated diet plan recommended by a registered nutritionist or healthcare provider, preliminary research suggests that the keto diet may preferentially target abdominal fat, potentially aiding in its reduction.

• Preliminary research suggests that keto diets can be particularly beneficial for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. These diets not only help control body weight gain and reduce body fat but also efficiently maintain muscle mass, especially when combined with high-intensity workouts or endurance training. The increased rate of fat oxidation and glycogen return makes keto diets advantageous for athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts, supporting healthy weight control and sustainability.

What Are the Drawbacks of Keto Diet?

1. While incorporating fiber-rich foods is essential in any balanced diet, the keto diet presents a notable limitation by requiring strict restrictions on such foods. Fiber-rich choices not only aid in preventing unhealthy cravings but also contribute to prolonged satiety.

2. Despite the keto diet's reduction of alcohol and added sugars, it eliminates a wide range of foods, including grains, legumes, most fresh fruits, and certain dairy products, as well as some healthy monounsaturated fats. This underscores a highly restrictive eating pattern focused solely on caloric intake and lacking in essential fiber.

What Happens When One Cannot Adjust to a Keto Diet: Keto Flu?

Some individuals, as previously mentioned, may be susceptible to side effects due to the restrictive nature of the diet, particularly if they were accustomed to a moderate to higher carbohydrate intake before transitioning to the keto diet. The body's inability to adapt to ketosis (the production of ketones from protein metabolism) can lead to the experience of 'keto flu,' characterized by adverse effects such as headaches, insomnia, light-headedness, mild irritability, nausea, weakness, exercise intolerance, fatigue, and gastrointestinal symptoms.

When Should One Avoid Keto Diets?

Nutritionists advise against considering the keto diet as nutritious, beneficial, or appropriate for individuals with certain medical conditions. For any of the following reported medical conditions, it is advisable to consult with a registered healthcare provider regarding the dietary plan. In these cases, individuals should refrain from the keto diet:

• Pregnancy.

• Carnitine palmitoyltransferase deficiency.

• Carnitine translocase deficiency.

• Porphyria.

• Pancreatitis.

• Liver failure.

• Disorders of fat metabolism.

• Primary carnitine deficiency.

• Pyruvate kinase deficiency.

Conclusion:

It is important to acknowledge that while keto diets can be highly effective for weight loss and particularly advantageous for fitness enthusiasts and bodybuilders, prolonged adherence to a restrictive diet may lead to nutritional deficiencies and have implications for overall systemic health. The exclusion of vital nutrients, fiber, and essential elements such as vitamin C (crucial for immune function) from grains, legumes, most fruits, and certain vegetables, as well as the omission of dairy products (a source of calcium) and vitamin D-rich foods, can potentially have detrimental effects on long-term systemic health.