5 Signs You Should Try a Ketogenic Diet
Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is often caused by inflammation or nerve damage and is defined as anything that lasts longer than three months.
A few common examples include:
Back Pain
Neck Pain
Headaches
Joint Pain (arthritis)
Neurogenic Pain
A study published in the American Academy of Pain Medicine shows that a 12-week ketogenic diet can help reduce chronic pain.
These positive effects may be attributed to reduced inflammation and oxidative stress. When we Consume a high amount of fat and a low amount of carbs, our body starts producing a ketone BHB (beta-hydroxybutyrate) which activates genes that stimulate the antioxidant system (NRF2) and also decrease inflammation and oxidative stress (NF-kB).
Struggling With Acne
Acne can be caused when the pores of the skin (oil pores and sweat pores) become blocked or clogged with oil, hair, bacteria, or dead skin cells.
What effects this into motion can include genes, hormones, inflammation, and environmental factors.
Diet can influence the expression of genes, hormones, and inflammation, making it one of the most effective acne treatments.
A study in The American Journal Of Clinical Dermatology demonstrated that individuals who tend to have acne and consume a diet with a low glycemic load had reduced acne lesions compared to those on a high glycemic load diet.
Glycemic load is mainly affected by the type and amount of carbohydrates one eats. Therefore, a low-carb or ketogenic diet that drastically reduces the glycemic load, decreases inflammation, and increases gene expression may be beneficial for reducing acne.
Can’t Stop Eating
If you’re the type of person who starts eating a family-size bag of chips or a quart of ice cream and must continue until all of it is gone, then a ketogenic diet may be among the most beneficial for you.
Many people have noted, and research has shown, that ketogenic diets tend to suppress the secretion of the hunger hormone ghrelin and increase the release of satiety peptides such as CCK, GLP-1, and peptide YY along with higher ketone levels.
This may not only lead to eating less and losing more weight but can instill the feeling of self-control, making it easier to regulate food consumption after a ketogenic diet.
A keto diet may further aid self-control by reducing carbohydrates alongside fats. Studies show that these two macronutrients, in combination, light up brain areas associated with reward making it difficult to moderate food quantity.
Frequently Tired
If you find yourself frequently tired and needing to nap, then the ketogenic diet may be for you.
Although there is not much human research on energy increasing during a ketogenic diet, many people have noticed a positive difference in energy which can be the result and culmination of many factors:
1) Weight Loss
2) Gene expression
3) Hormone regulation
4) Reduced Inflammation
5) Lowered Oxidative stress
6) Increased Mitochondrial function
7) Increased Oxygen consumption rate
8) Regulation of glucose and insulin levels
9) Adapted to using BHH (Beta-hydroxybutyrate)
10) Being able to switch from using glucose to ketones
Let's take the 10th one, for example. When we become better adapted and capable of switching from multiple energy sources (high carbs, high fat, or not eating), we can teach our bodies to be more resilient.
Can’t Focus
Everyone has experienced what it's like to be unable to get in a working groove or have brain fog when moving through a slightly demanding activity. Examples include communicating, writing, reading, organizing an event, calculating, studying, etc.
A review of studies show improved learning, memory, and decline in neurodegenerative diseases in mice fed a ketogenic diet. But what about humans?
When we have too many reactive oxygen species, it can increase neuron degeneration and lead to rigidity in brain communication. When different brain regions can’t communicate efficiently, it may lead to problems, such as poor hormone modulation.
A ketogenic diet can reduce reactive oxygen species in the brain, increase energy in the brain, and increase a neurotransmitter associated with improved anxiety, stress, mood, and cognition called GABA.
Bottom Line
A ketogenic diet has been helpful for many people and for many reasons not covered in the article. A few examples include diabetes, epilepsy, and liver disease. If you have any of these diseases or other diseases not mentioned, consult with your primary physician before implementing a change. Each individual is unique, and due to constraints such as genetic predispositions, you may find that a ketogenic diet is not best suited for you. If you are undergoing a ketogenic diet, know that the adaption period can be anywhere from 2-12 weeks and can come with side effects such as tiredness, brain fog, fatigue, lightheadedness, and decreased physical performance. Many of the benefits mentioned and gained are often the result of adapting, which can take as long as 12 weeks.
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