Keto diet: what is it and what effects can it have?

In recent years, the keto diet (from English ketogenic) began to have a boom and to be talked about more as something to lose weight. However, it began a little over a century ago with a different purpose. What is it and how did it come about? Does it prolong life? Does it help you lose weight? What is the keto flu?

(Photo: La Cueva Fitness Center)

In 1921, Dr. Russell Wilder (an American clinician) designed this diet to treat patients suffering from epilepsy. Thanks to this, scientific evidence supports that the keto diet significantly helps people with refractory epilepsy have fewer seizures and are milder. This is due to ketones that contain a natural anticonvulsant effect. But, at present, the reality of this diet is reflected in another area.

Currently, the keto diet is used for people who want to lose weight. It is low in carbohydrates, moderate in protein and high in fat, when compared to a balanced diet. So it can be said that it is unbalanced, since it has 5% carbohydrates, 20% proteins (different types of meat) and 75% fats (avocados, almonds, cheeses, oils).

According to health professionals, this type of diet must be for a maximum of 14 days and must always be prescribed by a doctor. In the middle of this type, 7 days after starting, what is called "keto flu" appears due to the fact that fatigue arises because the body uses its reserves of fats and sugars.

According to Stanford University, California, the Keto diet lengthens life expectancy. Researchers found that following this diet trains the body to be efficient at burning fat for energy. Also, within Cell Metabolism, they pointed out that this diet provides as many positive effects on the cells as a person who fasts.

In turn, it has another advantage, which is the decrease in blood glucose levels and postprandial insulinemia in people with type 2 diabetes. But it is important to check it with your doctor and do it with caution, since it can cause diabetic ketoacidosis and increase blood cholesterol levels.

But not everything is rosy, as we saw earlier. In addition to the contraindications mentioned above, some doctors name some counterproductive issues. Among these, professionals mention that this diet can cause bad breath, constipation and formation of kidney clots, which endangers if a person follows this diet for more than usual.

In conclusion, the keto diet is good for improving health and leading a better lifestyle. However, despite being healthy, it has to be regulated by doctors as it can have side effects on the body of the person who follows this diet.