Keto Diet For Brain Health 2024 – How Does Ketogenic Diet Boost Brain Health?

Have you ever come across the ketogenic diet? It’s a diet that requires you to take not more than 30 grams of carbohydrates (carbs) each day. It means your plate goes from having loads of carbs to having more fats.

This article teaches the benefits of the ketogenic diet for the brain and body. You will get to know some of the foods to eat to improve brain health and the side effects of the diet.

What Are Keto Diet Benefits For Brain Health?

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s Disease is a condition that affects brain health. This form of dementia causes the brain to develop tangles and plaques. As it progresses, you continue to experience memory loss. The brain becomes insulin resistant^[2] and can’t utilize glucose as before.

A study^[3] shows that increased energy metabolism benefits the brain by boosting cognitive functions and memory. The study which took three months included patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease. They went on the Ketogenic diet and also took an MCT oil supplement. The study group on the ketogenic diet gained 4.1 points on the Alzheimer’s Assessment scale during the diet but reverted back to normal after discontinuing the Ketogenic diet.

With continuous research on the health benefits^[4] of ketogenic diets, it’s evident that it helps older adults with Alzheimer’s Disease. They experience better memory, improved brain function, and in some cases, relief from migraine symptoms^[5] after reducing dietary carbohydrates. Plus, they shed body weight, which is quite healthy for most well-nourished adults.

Epilepsy

Certain brain disorders can have devastating consequences on your well-being. Such illnesses include epilepsy which causes you to experience seizures^[6]. These seizures cause your body to experience uncontrollable jerking movements. One such form of epilepsy particularly responsive to ketogenic diets is drug-resistant epilepsy.

Here is where ketogenic diets^[7] come in handy. The most popular is the Classic Ketogenic Diet used in many epilepsy centers. This low-carb intake shows evidence of reduced seizures, especially among children^[8].

In 2009, a study^[9] was conducted among children with epilepsy. The results were quite encouraging as 90% of the children experienced fewer seizures after they began the low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet.

But, the Classic Ketogenic Diet needs to be administered under a doctor’s supervision. This is crucial even with the diet working to maintain better brain function.

Parkinson’s Disease (PD)

The ketogenic diet may play a role in the mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation found in PD. A randomized, controlled 8-week study^[10] conducted where a ketogenic diet was provided to a group of PD patients showed decreased day-time fatigue and an increase in cognitive functioning compared to a group following a low-fat diet. While more research is needed, the role of ketone diets in PD is encouraging.

What Is A Ketogenic Diet?

The human body and brain require a source of energy to function. A popular belief is that the only energy source for the brain is glucose. However, with the ketogenic diets, it’s evident that ketone bodies are another source^[11].

Ketone bodies come about when the body begins to digest the fatty acids you have. The body normally tends to store fat to use later in a high-calorie or high-carb diet. However, when you choose a low-carb intake such as found in the keto diet, the body uses the extra fat for fuel.

Many who turn to the diet do so because ketogenic diets affect weight loss^[12]. However, there are numerous other benefits that you can derive from such a low-carb diet.

The diet limits the number of carbs you take to less than 15-30 grams each day or 5-10% of total calories. A stricter form of the ketogenic diet is the zero-carb diet

The goal is to ensure the body goes through ketosis. Ketosis is an energy metabolism state during which your tissues have a higher level of ketone bodies. Ketogenic diets differ from the standard low-carb diet that requires the body to still rely on glucose for energy.

What Are The Health Benefits Of Keto Diet?

Apart from improving brain function, numerous other benefits come with Ketogenic diets. These include:

Weight Loss

Perhaps the reason why keto diets are quite popular is because of weight loss. By reducing carb intake, you effectively enable the body to burn body fat. Low-carb diets work to reduce^[13] your water weight and fat levels.

Lower Insulin Levels

Having high glucose and insulin levels can be quite dangerous. Such situations cause the body to develop ailments like type 2 diabetes, heart problems, and obesity. That’s why it’s crucial to find a way to lower insulin levels in the body.

The keto diet is among the safest and most effective ways to achieve this goal. The keto diet is proving quite useful^[14] for people with diabetes or insulin resistance. By reducing the number of carbs you eat, you can lower insulin levels and maintain low blood sugar at the same time. 

Combat PCOS Symptoms

Some women suffer from a hormonal imbalance condition known as PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome). It means they have an excess of the male hormone and experience ovary dysfunction. 

Getting a PCOS diagnosis is important for women who have these symptoms and aren’t sure of the cause. After the diagnosis, you can use a low-carb, high-fat diet to manage these symptoms. 

A study^[15] done in 2005 showed how effective this diet can be for women with PCOS. Being on a Keto diet helped these women in many ways, including:

• Balanced hormones in the body
• Body fat reduction
• Better insulin levels

Better Heart Health

People with heart disease are cautious about the food they eat. Heart disease affects people with lots of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the body. However, good cholesterol is quite essential for certain body functions, such as building healthy cells.

However, when you have loads of LDL cholesterol^[16] in the body, you are at risk of developing heart disease. It so happens that the bad cholesterol that your body stores ends up in your blood vessels. As more fat accumulates in this area, it becomes hard for your heart to pump blood.

By relying on a keto diet, you can eat healthier foods. As a result, you get to lower the LDL^[17] in your blood vessels. You can work with your dietician and doctor to develop the best foods to eat to improve your heart health.

Improve Metabolic Syndrome

Adults with metabolic syndrome experience many health issues such as high blood pressure. Going on a keto diet improves their chances of experiencing better health and wellness. When you develop metabolic syndrome, it’s a sign of poor health.

As a result, you tend to gain weight and risk developing type 2 diabetes. But, when you lower carbs and increase fats, you can shed weight^[18]. You experience better health and reduce the chances of developing these chronic illnesses.

Foods To Eat On A Ketogenic Diet

A keto diet means you lower the number of carbs you take in and increase fats. There are certain foods you can eat that suit this change, including:

Non-Starchy Vegetables

While vegetables are good for you, some contain lots of starch. It’s best to steer clear of them and eat foods high in veggies like bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms, spinach, and green beans.

Cheese

A Keto diet is all about increasing healthy fats in your meals. Cheese is among the best options to improve the levels of fatty acids you take. It has loads of benefits, such as increasing calcium^[19] in your body. The downside is that it is also full of saturated fat.

Eggs

Many keto recipes have eggs in them due to their versatility. This food is low in carbs and high in protein which your body needs.

Olive Oil

Drizzle some healthy olive oil on salads or cook your keto meals with it. Olive oil is a wonderful source of healthy fats and contains loads of oleic acid. Oleic acid is quite effective^[20] in preventing heart disease. This is an example of increasing healthy fats in your Ketogenic diet so that saturated fats do not take over the diet.

Berries

There are many berries, including strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries. These berries are excellent because they’re fruits with fewer carbs. They suit a keto diet and help in controlling metabolic syndrome^[21].

MCT (Medium Chain Triglyceride)

You can use a fat supplement with medium-chain triglycerides to increase your intake of healthy fats. MCT oil is much better at producing ketones in your body. 

Side Effects Of Ketogenic Diets

The ketogenic diet affects the body in many ways. Some are positive, while others are negative. It’s always worth it to note the side effects^[22] of the keto diet.

Keto Flu

One of the most common side effects of ketogenic diets is the keto flu. The moment your body enters a state of ketosis, you trigger the keto flu. This low-carb flu causes you to experience symptoms such as:

• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Fatigue

Only after the body learns to rely on the ketone body will you start to feel much better.

Mood Swings

It’s quite normal for your mood to be all over the place when you take in fewer carbs. The brain requires carbohydrates to produce serotonin. This is a brain chemical responsible for being in a good mood and feeling happy.

Constipation

Brace yourself for bouts of constipation, especially as your body adjusts to the keto diet. Carbs mean having loads of fiber in your meals which helps with regular bowel movements. But, the minute you lower the carb consumption, you also reduce the amount of fiber you eat per meal.

Diarrhea

Foods with healthy fats are crucial for the ketogenic diet. The body requires the liver to produce lots of bile to break down the fat for fuel. 

However, it would help if you got rid of all the extra bile, which works as a natural laxative resulting in diarrhea. Cooked leafy greens, lime/lemon juice, grapefruit, and aloe vera are excellent in flushing out the bile. 

Keto Breath

Yeah, there are moments when you’ll wish to switch out your mouth for another. When the body enters ketosis, it produces ketone bodies. These ketones get released from the body through breath which doesn’t smell so great. Some say it gives your breath a “fruity” smell.

Intense Cravings

Cutting carbs requires lots of self-control as you’ll tend to experience increased cravings. The body does need carbs for certain functions. That’s why reducing carb consumption is better than completely cutting it out of your normal diet.

Final Takeaway

Ketogenic diets are quite effective and can benefit the human body in many ways compared to a normal diet. Studies show that eating fewer carbs and more fats can help people with Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s, and epilepsy. The meals you eat help to improve memory and cognitive function. ‘

Apart from better brain health, a keto diet can have numerous other benefits to the body. You can shed excess weight leaving you lean and fit. In addition, the keto diet leads to lowered blood sugar and insulin levels in the body.

Other benefits include combating PCOS symptoms, better heart health, and tackling metabolic stress. However, there are some side effects worth noting as you contemplate starting the diet. It’s better to consult your physician before you begin going on keto.

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