A ketogenic diet or simply a keto diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet. Lately, it is rapidly gaining in popularity.
A ketogenic diet has been shown to provide tremendous health benefits, including weight loss. Therefore, many people follow this diet to achieve their weight loss goals.
Despite the fact that studies show that a ketogenic diet can help get rid of excess body fat, there have been no long-term studies to confirm its effectiveness.
This article discusses 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 caloric intake.
This helps the body reach ketosis, a condition during which it switches to using fats instead of carbohydrates as the main source of energy. Ketones are produced in the liver.
Carbohydrate deficiency is usually compensated by increased fat intake of up to about 80% of calories, which is 155-200 grams for a 2000-calorie diet.
Protein intake is low - usually about 20% of calories, which is 100 grams for a 2000 calorie diet.
Although long-term studies have never been done, there are several known mechanisms for weight loss caused by a ketogenic diet.
Reduced feeling of hunger
One of the main weight loss mechanisms associated with a ketogenic diet is probably its ability to reduce hunger.
Monitoring the keto diet causes a decrease in the levels of ghrelin, 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 during the day, and this will certainly cause weight loss.
A study conducted on a group of 20 obese people on a keto diet confirmed the link between this diet and a reduction in cravings for food and alcohol.
The keto diet can be an effective tool for reducing hunger levels. However, its long-term safety must be taken into account.
Weight loss support
Another possible mechanism for weight loss on a keto diet is water loss, which is caused by a measurable reduction in carbohydrate intake.
This is because carbohydrates accumulated in the human body retain water.
When carbohydrate intake is reduced, such as during the initial phase of a keto 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 lose those unwanted pounds, it is important to consider how weight loss is usually achieved.
To lose weight, you need to ingest fewer calories than your body burns. In other words, calorie deficit is the main condition for losing extra pounds.
A study on 17 obese or obese men found that the keto diet resulted in a moderate increase in calories burned. However, this did not lead to an increase in body fat loss compared to the results of the traditional basic diet.
These results show that a ketogenic diet is not always better than a traditional weight loss diet, given the same amount of calories consumed.
Thus, the weight loss effect of the keto diet is most likely the result of lower calorie intake due to the numbness of hunger associated with a high fat diet and very few carbohydrates in the daily diet.
Conclusion: The keto diet helps to lose weight, although the exact mechanisms by which this effect is achieved are still unclear. Research shows that weight loss caused by the keto diet is probably due to a lack of calories, reduced hunger levels and weight loss.
Keto supplements
Since the rise in popularity of the keto diet, 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 a description of their characteristics:
- MCT oil (MCT oil). This medium chain triglyceride oil helps people on a ketogenic diet to add more fat to their diet and stay in ketosis. This oil is absorbed faster 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 endogenous ketones that are naturally produced in the body. They help increase the level of ketones in the blood, which accelerates the achievement of the state of ketosis.
- Keto protein powders (keto protein powders). These protein powders are characterized by reduced carbohydrate content.
- Keto electrolytes (keto electrolytes). Electrolyte deficiency is common during the initial phase of a keto diet. This is caused by a decrease in fluid content in the body. Keto electrolytes can help avoid deficiencies in common electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and magnesium.
- Digestive enzymes (Digestive enzymes). Due to the high intake of fatty foods during the keto diet, some people may have problems with digestion. Digestive enzyme supplements, especially lipase, help break down fat.
It is worth noting that research on the effects of ketogenic supplements on weight loss is limited.
One study in mice considered the viability of exogenous ketones as a weight loss supplement. As a result, certain exogenous ketones as well as MCT oil have been found to promote weight loss by reducing hunger and continuing to consume fewer calories.
However, there is a lack of human studies that would confirm these claims.
Although keto supplements are optional, they can help people on a keto diet to imperceptibly switch to this rather restrictive diet and increase their adaptability to the diet.
However, it is worth considering the use of these supplements due to limited research, which does not allow conclusions to be drawn about their safety in the long run.
Conclusion: MCT oil and exogenous ketones can help you achieve ketosis faster and avoid many of the side effects associated with going to keto. However, despite the fact that they also reduce hunger, it is not recommended to use it as a weight loss supplement.
Other factors that can affect weight loss
To achieve the best results when following a keto diet for weight loss, you need to consider the following number of factors.
Exact amount of carbohydrates ingested
Keeping track of the exact amount of carbohydrates you eat daily can make it easier to switch to a ketogenic diet.
This will help you achieve ketosis relatively quickly and prevent a range of symptoms associated with the so-called "keto flu", which is a set of symptoms, including headaches and confusion, associated with starting a keto diet.
If you eat a lot of carbohydrates, you will not get ketosis and the possible benefits of dieting, including weight loss, will be reduced.
Consuming less than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day is enough to cause ketosis in each individual.
Do you get enough sleep
Sleep is often a neglected aspect of every child. Research shows that lack of sleep and constant stress can have a negative impact on weight loss results. This also applies to the keto diet.
Research shows that lack of sleep can negatively affect hunger hormones such as ghrelin and leptin. This in turn can lead to increased appetite, counteracting the effects of the keto diet on reducing hunger.
Make sure you rest and sleep at least 7 hours a day, it can help support the positive results that come with a ketogenic diet.
Do you lead an active lifestyle
While a keto diet alone can lead to weight loss, pairing with the right exercise program can improve performance.
As it adjusts to its diet, the body can use fats as its main source of energy for exercise. Research shows that the largest amount of fat is burned during endurance training.
It is important to note that you need to be well-adjusted to the keto diet before you start any moderate-intensity exercise. This will prevent unwanted side effects.
Conclusion: When it comes to losing weight with the help of a keto diet, there are a number of additional factors to consider, such as accurate carbohydrate intake, sleep patterns and exercise.
Strict adherence to the keto diet
One of the main disadvantages of the keto diet is the need to strictly adhere to a regular diet for a long period of time.
Due to the fact that this strict diet is quite restrictive, some find it difficult to adhere to it.
This is especially problematic when you dine out or gather with family and friends for the holidays and are forced to switch to a different diet that can lead to reduced weight loss results.
Also, don’t forget the lack of research on the health effects of a long-term keto diet.
You should definitely consider these factors before starting a keto diet.
Conclusion: You may have difficulty with long-term monitoring of the keto diet due to its restrictive nature. Eating out and other situations may require special perseverance and preparation.
Outcome
The keto diet is a diet low in carbohydrates and high in fat. It has been found to provide a variety of health benefits, including weight loss.
Although the exact mechanisms of weight loss that are directly related to this diet are still being studied, it has been found that weight loss is caused by lack of calories, suppression of hunger and water loss.
Keto supplements can reduce hunger and help you achieve ketosis in a short time. However, it is not recommended to use them for weight loss.
While the benefits of a keto diet for weight loss may seem encouraging, it is important to consider its potential side effects, drawbacks, and lack of long-term research.