by The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carbohydrate eating pattern that was originally developed to treat epileptic children by mimicking a state of starvation.
Rather than using glucose – from sugars and carbohydrates in the diet – for energy, a ketogenic diet forces the body to use ketones made from dietary fat in the liver.
Critics say the diet is high fat, low fiber, high cholesterol, bad for gut health, and unsuitable for women, especially before menopause, who need carbohydrates to make hormones such as progesterone.
But nutritional therapist Moira Newiss said News Week that she agrees. After being on the ketogenic diet for more than five years, she said that it was completely suitable for women.
“As someone with severe burnout, chronic fatigue and a number of mental health issues, a ketogenic diet has effectively nourished my brain and body so that all my health issues have remained in remission,” she said.
“Although I started to feel much better by going low-carb and introducing stress management strategies, I only regained 100 percent of my energy and mental clarity when I went ketogenic.
“Then, I could climb mountains and race my bike, and I got rid of all my brain fog.”
One of the benefits of the ketogenic diet is that it eliminates the body’s reliance on glucose for energy, so some people find that they have more stable energy levels – or, in Newiss’s case, more energy on the whole.
“I gave it a try because I wanted to feel like a teenager again,” she said. “I wanted to have boundless energy and a complete sense of vitality.”
She said that in ketosis—when the liver is producing ketones from fat for energy—the mitochondria in cells can make adenosine triphosphate (ATP) more efficiently: the fuel the body runs on , made from glucose or ketones.
Not everyone agrees that this process is more efficient with ketones than glucose, but Newiss said it is, especially for the brain.
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Newiss also said that the ketogenic diet was more anti-inflammatory than eating glucose-based, and produced more energy – and that some other nutrition experts dispute.
Another source of debate in the nutrition world, addressed by Newiss, is the suitability of the ketogenic diet for women.
Some nutrition experts, especially those who specialize in women’s health, warn that certain hormones such as progesterone – the main female sex hormone, along with estrogen – depend on carbohydrates.
“I think there are a lot of misconceptions and myths out there about ketogenic diets,” Newiss said. “It’s just a myth that it will harm women’s hormones, and that’s exactly what it is: a myth.”
She explained that research was still developing in that area, but some evidence on the female thyroid – which produces hormones – suggested that the ketogenic diet could reduce hormone demand and increase thyroid sensitivity, suggesting that the body adapts to a ketogenic diet in a diet. positive way.
“There are also other myths, such as a ketogenic diet that adversely affects the gut microbiome,” said Newiss. “The gut microbiome is very complex, and we are still discovering and understanding how all the different microbes work together and interact with the gut lining and our immune system.
“Yes, the ketogenic diet will change the gut microbiome, but it changes all the time. This doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing.”
Newiss said that many of the studies that showed negative effects of ketogenic diets were flawed, because they were done by feeding mice lots of bad quality fats, high in omega 6, which is widely believed to be inflammatory.
“Many studies using the ketogenic type of diet find that it promotes inflammation, which is not surprising!” she said. “If you eat natural fats, then inflammation decreases.”
Newiss recommended following a ketogenic diet consisting of fat from eggs, avocados, coconut, meat, dairy, nuts, seeds, fish and olive oil; protein from meat, dairy and legumes; and less than 50 grams (1.7 ounces) of carbohydrates, from low-starchy vegetables, such as kale, and low-sugar fruits, such as berries.
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She said that many people think that ketogenic diets are nutritionally poor, but this was only true if one ate poorly; after it well, she said, could provide many nutrients.
Saturated fat is another talking point for reasons to avoid a ketogenic diet, but Newiss said the evidence showed: “there is no scientific basis to demonize saturated fat as a cause of heart disease.”
This is an ongoing debate about nutrition; does saturated fat cause heart disease, or is sugar and ultra-processed food really to blame?
“Even today, many people continue to think that fat is the problem, despite the mountains of evidence that are growing that sugar and carbohydrates are the most likely villain,” said Newiss.
“Cholesterol and the heart health hypothesis that cholesterol from saturated fat was caused by cholesterol from saturated fat.
“Increased total cholesterol is not associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Not only that, but cholesterol is also critical to your health especially as you age, and higher cholesterol is associated with longevity.”
However, Newiss said that ketogenic diets are not for everyone, and she does not recommend them to all of her nutrition clients.
“I would always advise that women seek professional help before starting a ketogenic diet if they are taking medication,” she said.
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