Ketogenic diets have recently gained popularity; early research found this diet to be beneficial in several health conditions.
This diet involves a very low-carb, moderate-protein, and high-fat intake in order to get into full ketosis—a metabolic state in which the body becomes more efficient at relying on fats for energy source, instead of carbs. This metabolic state offers several health benefits, including reduced seizures in epileptic children.
Transitioning into ketosis can lead to some side effects of keto diet, also referred to as the “keto flu.” Common keto flu symptoms include headache and digestive issues. While these symptoms usually subside in just a few days, some may last longer.
Although some evidence on the diet’s potential health benefits come from animal studies, there are also promising results from human controlled studies.
Here are 16 health conditions that may improve due to your diet.
1. Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a disease in which brain activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures.
People with epilepsy are often given anti-seizure medications, but others can’t tolerate the side effects or don’t even respond to the drugs.
This neurological condition may benefit from a keto diet. In fact, several dozen studies on the topic are available.
Research found that about 50% of epilepsy patients who adhere to the classic keto diet, or the 4:1 ketogenic diet, experienced improvement in seizure intensity. This type of keto diet provides 4 grams of fat for every gram of carbs and protein combined.
In addition, studies found the modified Atkins diet (MAD) to be equally effective for seizure control in most adults and children aged two years old and above. This diet is based on a considerably less restrictive 1:1 ratio of fat to carbs and protein.
The keto diet may also be beneficial on the brain beyond seizure control. For example, researchers found that 65% of children with epilepsy who followed a keto diet experienced improvements in various brain patterns, regardless of whether or not they had fewer seizures.
2. Parkinson’s Disease
Characterized by low levels of the signaling molecule dopamine, Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that comes with several symptoms, including impaired posture, stiffness, tremor, and difficulty writing and walking.
Meanwhile, the keto diet is being explored as a potential complementary therapy for Parkinson’s Disease considering its protective effects on the brain and nervous system.
A study found that ketogenic diet-fed rats and mice experienced protection against nerve damage, improved motor function, and increased energy production.
An uncontrolled study found that five out of seven people with Parkinson’s disease, who followed a classic 4:1 keto diet, averaged a 43% improvement in symptoms.
However, controlled studies on the effects of the keto diet on Parkinson’s disease are necessary.
3. Alzheimer’s Disease
Characterized by tangles and plaques in the brain impairing memory, Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive form of dementia that appears to share features of both type 2 diabetes and epilepsy, which include inflammation linked to insulin resistance, the inability of the brain to efficiently utilize glucose, and seizures.
Animal studies found this low-carb, high-fat diet to improve balance and coordination but does not affect the amyloid plaque, which is known to play an important role in the pathogenesis of the disease. However, supplementing with ketone esters seems to be helpful in reducing amyloid plaque.
In addition, supplementing with MCT oil or ketone esters to increase ketone levels, and eventually get into full ketosis, has been found to improve several symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
In fact, a controlled study found that people with Alzheimer’s disease who took an MCT compound have shown improvements in mental function.
Controlled studies testing the MCT oil and modified Atkins diet in people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease are ongoing.
4. Migraine Headaches
Migraine headaches typically involve throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, sensitivity to light, and nausea.
Some studies suggest that keto diets can help improve migraine headache symptoms.
In fact, one observational study reported that people following a keto diet for one month experienced a reduction in migraine frequency and pain medication use.
In addition, a case study of two twin sisters following a cyclical ketogenic diet to achieve weight loss demonstrated that their high-frequency migraine headaches improved during the 4-week ketogenic cycles but returned during the transition diet cycles of 8 weeks.
High-quality studies are, however, necessary to confirm the findings of these reports.
5. Obesity
Several studies have shown that ketogenic diets are a more effective tool to achieve weight loss as compared with calorie-restricted or low-fat diets.
What’s more, these diets were also found to provide other health benefits.
A 24-week study in men who followed a keto diet found that they lost twice as much fat as men who followed a low-fat diet.
In addition, the keto dieters’ HDL (“good”) cholesterol increased, and their triglycerides significantly dropped. The low-fat dieters, on the other hand, experienced a decrease in HDL cholesterol and a smaller drop in triglycerides.
The keto diet’s ability to suppress hunger is the reason behind its effectiveness when it comes to losing weight.
Very low-carb, calorie-restricted ketogenic diets were found to help people feel less hungry, as compared with calorie-restricted diets.
Although keto dieters are allowed to eat all they want, they end up consuming fewer calories because of the appetite-suppressing effects of ketosis.
6. GLUT1 Deficiency Syndrome
Glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) is a protein responsible for the glucose transport from the blood into the brain. Insufficient levels of GLUT1 hinder the body to transport sufficient amounts of glucose across the blood–brain barrier and other cell membranes.
Symptoms of GLUT1 deficiency syndrome, which include developmental delay and sometimes seizures, usually begin shortly after birth.
Meanwhile, ketones, which are a byproduct of fat metabolism, don’t require GLUT1 to cross from the blood to the brain. The keto diet can, therefore, provide an alternative fuel source that the brain can effectively utilize.
The keto diet can indeed potentially improve several symptoms of GLUT1 deficiency syndrome. In fact, researchers reported that children on the keto diets experienced improvement in muscle coordination, concentration, and alertness, as well as decreased seizure frequency.
A study in 10 children with GLUT1 deficiency syndrome who followed the modified Atkins diet showed improvements in seizures. In fact, 3 out of 6 of them became seizure-free after a six-month period.
7. Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a disruption in the normal brain function commonly caused by a blow to the head or a car accident. It can have distressing effects on one’s memory, personality, and physical function. Unfortunately, injured brain cells often recover very little.
The head trauma may impair the body’s ability to use sugar; thus, some researchers believe that the keto diet may be beneficial for people with TBI.
Rat studies demonstrated that following a keto diet right after brain injury may potentially help reduce brain swelling, improve recovery, and increase motor function. However, these positive effects were noticed only in younger rather than older rats.
That said, controlled human studies are necessary before coming up with a conclusion.
8. Multiple Sclerosis
In multiple sclerosis (MS), the immune system damages the protective covering of nerve fibers, leading to communication problems between the brain and the body. MS symptoms vary depending on which nerves are affected: they include numbness and tingling; mobility problems; vision problems; fatigue; muscle spasms, weakness, and stiffness; pain; and depression and anxiety.
As regards other nervous system disorders, this autoimmune disease appears to reduce the ability of the cells to utilize sugar as a fuel source. A 2015 review suggests that this low-carb, fat-rich diet can potentially assist with cell repair and energy production in patients with multiple sclerosis.
More studies on the diet’s effect on multiple sclerosis are currently being conducted.
9. Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is strongly linked to obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. It is, in fact, the most common liver disease in the Western world.
Moreover, there’s evidence that a very low-carb keto diet can also improve NAFLD.
A small study in 14 obese men with NAFLD and metabolic syndrome who followed a 12-week keto diet had found that participants experienced significant decreases in blood pressure, liver enzymes, and weight. Remarkably, 21% of the men achieved complete resolution of NAFLD, and 93% had a reduction in liver fat.
10. Metabolic Syndrome
Sometimes referred to as prediabetes, metabolic syndrome is characterized by insulin resistance.
People with metabolic syndrome are at increased risk of serious insulin resistance-related disorders, including diabetes and heart disease.
Fortunately, a keto diet may help improve many features of metabolic syndrome, including reduced blood sugar and blood pressure, as well as better cholesterol values.
A controlled 12-week study found that people with metabolic syndrome who followed a calorie-restricted keto diet experienced a 14% reduction of their body fat, decreased triglycerides (by > 50%), and several other improvements in health markers.
11. Heart Disease
It turns out that the key driver of increasing triglycerides is excess consumption of excess carbs.
The low-carb, high-healthy fat keto diet can potentially help lower triglyceride levels and keep blood pressure levels in check. What’s more, it helps improve the profile of LDL “bad cholesterol” and raise HDL “good cholesterol”.
12. Glycogen Storage Disease
A form of sugar or glucose stored in the liver, glycogen is the body’s main energy source.
Glycogen storage disease is a rare condition that is typically diagnosed in childhood. This disease changes the way the body uses and stores glycogen. Depending on the type of GSD, symptoms may include enlarged liver, muscle cramps, low blood sugar, poor growth, and fatigue.
So glucose is always available to the body, people with GSD are often advised to eat high-carb foods at frequent intervals.
However, research suggests that a keto diet may be beneficial for people with some forms of GSD, i.e., Forbes-Cori disease (GSD III) affects the liver and muscles. Ketogenic diets provide ketones, which can be used as an alternative fuel source, thereby helping relieve symptoms.
Moreover, characterized by a limited ability to exercise, McArdle disease (GSD V) affects the muscles.
One case showed that a man with GSD V who followed a 1-year ketogenic diet experienced a 3- to 10-fold increase in exercise tolerance, depending on the required level of exertion though.
However, controlled studies are necessary to fully elucidate the keto diet’s potential benefits in people with glycogen storage disease.
13. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Marked by hormonal dysfunction, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a disease that often results in irregular periods and infertility.
Women with PCOS are at an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, and many of them are obese and have a hard time losing weight.
Those who meet the criteria for metabolic syndrome are most likely to have symptoms that affect their appearance, including acne and increased facial hair.
Although several anecdotal evidence can be found online, only a few published studies confirm that low-carb and keto diets are beneficial for women with PCOS.
A 6-month study in eleven women with PCOS who followed a ketogenic diet found that participants experienced an average of 12% weight loss, improved reproductive hormone levels, and 54% reduction in fasting insulin. What’s more, two of them who suffered from infertility became pregnant.
14. Diabetes
People with diabetes (both type 1 and type 2 diabetes) who followed a keto diet often experience impressive reductions in blood sugar levels.
Indeed, several controlled studies demonstrate the low-carb diet’s potential benefits, including blood sugar control.
A 16-week study found that 17 of 21 people on a keto diet were able to reduce or even stop diabetes medication dosage. They also experienced reduced triglycerides and blood pressure levels. What’s more, they lost an average of 19 pounds (8.7 kg).
15. Some Cancers
In recent years, research has found keto diets to help some types of cancer when followed along with traditional treatments, such as radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy.
Many researchers note that obesity, type 2 diabetes, and elevated blood sugar are linked to breast and some cancers. Thus, carb restriction, since it lowers insulin and blood sugar levels, may help prevent the growth of tumors.
Mice studies have shown that keto diets may reduce the progression of some cancers, including cancers that have spread to other parts of the body. Some experts, however, believe that this diet may be particularly beneficial for brain cancer.
Case studies and patient data analyses have shown improvements in some cancers, including the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).
Some researchers report that cancer patients who follow a keto diet, combined with radiation or other anti-cancer therapies, experienced slowed tumor growth and preservation of muscle mass.
Although the keto diet may not have a significant impact on cancer progression, it has been shown to be safe in cancer patients. It can even potentially improve quality of life.
Randomized clinical studies need to examine the effect of keto diets on cancer patients. Several are currently underway.
16. Autism
Autism spectrum disorder is a condition characterized by problems with social interaction, communication, and, sometimes, repetitive behaviors. This condition is treated with therapies, like speech therapy.
Sharing similar features with epilepsy, some people with autism also experience seizures related to the over-excitement of brain cells.
Early research in young rats and mice found keto diets to help improve ASD behavior patterns.
Studies in mouse models of autism have found ketogenic diets to reduce brain cell over-stimulation. Also, the diets appear to be beneficial on behavior regardless of changes in seizure activity.
One case study showed that a young girl with autism who adhered to a gluten- and dairy-free keto diet for several years experienced significant improvements, including a 70-point increase in IQ and resolution of morbid obesity.
Randomized controlled studies on how ketogenic diet affects ASD patients are now in the recruiting process.
Conclusion
Ketogenic diets were found to benefit our metabolic health and the nervous system; thus, they are considered for use in several disorders.
However, further validation through higher-quality research, including randomized controlled trials, is necessary, as many of the impressive results stem from case studies.
When it comes to serious diseases, such as cancer, a keto diet should be undertaken only in combination with the standard therapies under the supervision of a qualified healthcare provider.
Although the keto diet’s potential to improve health is quite promising, it should not be considered as a cure for any disorder or disease on its own.
