The ketogenic diet, or simply the ketogenic diet, is a low-carb, high-fat diet. Recently, it is rapidly gaining popularity.
The ketogenic diet has been proven to provide tremendous health benefits, including weight loss. So many people follow this way of eating to achieve their weight loss goals.
Despite the fact that studies show that the ketogenic diet can help you lose excess body fat, there have been no long-term studies to support its effectiveness.
This article looks at the effectiveness of the ketogenic 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 caloric intake.
This helps the body reach ketosis, a state during which it switches to using fat instead of carbohydrates as its main source of energy. Ketones are produced in the liver.
The lack of carbs is usually offset by increasing fat intake to about 80% of calories, which is 155 to 200 grams for a 2, 000 calorie diet.
Protein intake is low - usually around 20% of calories, which is 100 grams for a 2, 000-calorie diet.
Although long-term studies have never been done, there are several known mechanisms for weight loss caused by the ketogenic diet.
Reduction of the feeling of hunger
One of the main weight loss mechanisms associated with the ketogenic diet is likely its ability to reduce hunger.
Following a ketogenic diet causes a decrease in the level of ghrelin, which is one of the main hormones in the human body that increases the feeling of hunger.
Reducing ghrelin production and dulling the feeling of hunger can lead to a person consuming fewer calories throughout the day, and this will certainly trigger weight loss.
A study conducted on a group of 20 obese people on a keto diet confirmed the connection between this way of eating and decreased food and alcohol cravings.
The ketogenic diet can be an effective tool to reduce hunger levels. However, its long-term safety must be considered.
weight loss support
Another possible mechanism for weight loss on a ketogenic diet is water loss, which is caused by a measurable reduction in carbohydrate intake.
This is because the carbohydrates accumulated in the human body retain water.
When carbohydrate intake is reduced, as during the initial phase of the ketogenic diet, stored carbohydrates are released along with retained fluid and this leads to weight loss.
Calorie balance
To understand whether a ketogenic diet can help you shed those unwanted pounds, it's important to consider how weight loss is usually achieved.
To lose weight, you must consume fewer calories than your body burns. In other words, a caloric deficit is the main condition for losing excess weight.
A study of 17 obese or overweight men found that the ketogenic diet resulted in a modest increase in calories burned. However, this did not lead to an increase in body fat loss compared to the results of the traditional staple diet.
These results show that the ketogenic diet is not always superior to the traditional weight loss diet, given the same amount of calories consumed.
Thus, the weight loss effect of the ketogenic diet is likely the result of eating fewer calories due to the dulling of hunger associated with the high-fat, very low-carb daily diet.
Conclusion: The Keto diet helps you shed extra pounds, although the exact mechanisms by which this effect is achieved remain unclear. Studies show that the weight loss caused by the ketogenic diet is likely due to a lack of calories, reduced hunger levels, and water weight loss.
Keto supplements
Since the rise in popularity of the ketogenic diet, there are many supplements on the market designed for ketogenic diets, and some of them can help with weight loss.
List of the best keto supplements with a description of their features:
- MCT oil (MCT oil). This medium-chain triglyceride oil helps people on a ketogenic diet add more fat to their diet and stay in ketosis. This oil is absorbed more quickly than traditional fats, but it can have side effects that affect the digestive system.
- Exogenous ketones (exogenous ketones). The supplement is an external source of ketones that supplement the endogenous ketones naturally produced in the body. They help to increase the level of ketones in the blood, thus accelerating the achievement of a state of ketosis.
- Keto protein powders (keto protein powders). These protein powders are characterized by a reduced carbohydrate content.
- Keto electrolytes (keto electrolytes). A lack of electrolytes is common during the initial phase of the ketogenic diet. It is caused by a decrease in the fluid content in the body. Ketogenic electrolytes can help prevent deficiencies in common electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
- Digestive enzymes (digestive enzymes). Due to the high intake of fatty foods during the ketogenic diet, some people may experience digestive problems. Digestive enzyme supplements, specifically lipase, help break down fats.
It's worth noting that research on the effects of ketogenic supplements on weight loss is limited.
A study in mice looked at the feasibility of exogenous ketones as a weight loss supplement. As a result, certain exogenous ketones, as well as MCT oil, promote weight loss by reducing hunger and continuing to consume fewer calories.
However, human studies are lacking to support these claims.
While keto supplements are optional, they can help keto dieters seamlessly transition to this very restrictive diet and increase their diet adaptability.
However, it is worth considering using these supplements due to limited research, which does not allow conclusions about their long-term safety.
Conclusion: MCT oil and exogenous ketones can help you reach ketosis faster and avoid many of the side effects associated with ketosis. However, although they also reduce hunger, it is not recommended to use them as a weight loss supplement.
Other factors that can affect weight loss
For the best results when following a ketogenic diet for weight loss, you need to take the following number of factors into consideration.
The exact amount of carbohydrates consumed
Keeping track of the exact amount of daily carbs you eat can make switching to a ketogenic diet easier.
This will help ensure you reach ketosis relatively quickly and avoid a number of symptoms related to the so-called "keto flu", which is a cluster of symptoms, including headaches and confusion, associated with starting a ketogenic diet.
If you eat too many carbs, you won't reach ketosis and the potential benefits of the diet, including weight loss, will be reduced.
Consuming less than 50 grams of carbohydrates daily is enough to induce ketosis in any individual.
are you sleeping enough
Sleep is an often overlooked aspect of any diet. Research shows that sleep deprivation and constant stress can have a negative impact on weight loss outcomes. This also applies to the ketogenic diet.
Research shows that sleep deprivation can negatively affect hunger hormones such as ghrelin and leptin. This, in turn, can lead to increased appetite, counteracting the hunger-reducing effects of the keto diet.
Ensuring you get at least 7 hours a day of rest and sleep can help support the positive results that come with a ketogenic diet.
You lead an active lifestyle
While the keto diet alone can lead to weight loss, pairing it with the right exercise program can increase the effect.
By adapting to the diet, the body can use fat as the main source of energy for exercise. Studies show that the greatest amount of fat is burned during resistance exercise.
It is important to note that you must be well adapted to the ketogenic diet before starting any moderately intense exercise. This will avoid unwanted side effects.
Conclusion: When it comes to losing weight on the ketogenic diet, there are a number of additional factors to consider, such as accurate carbohydrate intake, sleep patterns, and exercise.
Strict adherence to the ketogenic diet
One of the main disadvantages of the ketogenic diet is the need to strictly follow the established diet for a long period of time.
Since this strict diet is quite restrictive, some people find it difficult to stick to it.
This is especially problematic when you are dining out or gathering with family and friends for the holidays and are forced to switch to a different diet which can lead to reduced weight loss results.
Also, don't forget about the lack of research on the long-term health effects of the ketogenic diet.
You should definitely take these factors into account before starting a ketogenic diet.
Conclusion: You may have difficulty following the ketogenic diet long-term due to its restrictive nature. Eating out and other situations may require special perseverance and preparation.
Result
The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. It has been found to provide several health benefits including weight loss.
While the exact mechanisms of weight loss that are directly related to this way of eating are still under study, it has been established that weight loss is brought about by lack of calories, dulling of hunger, and loss of water.
Keto supplements can curb hunger and help you hit ketosis in a short amount of time. However, it is not recommended to use them for weight loss.
While the benefits of the ketogenic diet for weight loss may seem reassuring, it's important to consider its possible side effects, downsides, and lack of long-term research.