Ketogenic diets are a topic of debate, with supporters touting weight loss benefits and opponents highlighting dangers of removing carbohydrates from the diet.
Christopher Gardner, a leading nutritional researcher, explains that the effectiveness of a ketogenic diet depends on the specific diet followed, and it can lead to weight loss due to its restrictive nature.
He opposes the idea of keto as a long-term diet for most people, emphasizing the absence of grains, fruits, and beans, but acknowledges its benefits in eliminating added sugar and refined grains.
Gardner also discourages transient diet patterns and clarifies the misconception that ketogenic diets are high in meat, emphasizing that they are actually high in fat.
He explains the basis of interest in ketogenic diets, particularly in addressing excessive carbohydrate intake and insulin resistance, and highlights the importance of distinguishing between good and bad carbs.
Ketosis, a result of following a ketogenic diet, involves the body burning a combination of carbohydrates and fats, and is a key aspect of the diet's mechanism.
Christopher Gardner explains the process of ketosis, where fats and carbs are broken down to provide energy. When carbohydrate intake is very low, the cycle stops running and fats start to pool up, forming ketones.
Interest in ketogenic diets has grown due to ongoing debates about low-fat diets and the varying definitions of 'low-carb' and 'low-fat'. The movement towards keto has been a result of the question, 'Could we go lower?'
To be on a ketogenic diet, people generally start at about 20 grams of carbs a day, which is extremely low compared to the average 300-400 grams most people consume. Jonathan Wolff expresses the extremity of this by stating, 'There's almost no carbohydrate whatsoever.'
It's hard to get people to change their diet, but rats can be easily controlled in a study. Observational epidemiological studies have limitations due to confounding factors.
Randomized control trials are the gold standard for studying diet and health outcomes. The KetoMed study compared a well-formulated ketogenic diet and a Mediterranean Plus diet.
Both diets resulted in weight loss and improved health markers. The Mediterranean diet led to a decrease in LDL cholesterol, while the ketogenic diet led to a greater decrease in blood triglycerides.
Adherence and sustainability of the diets are important factors to consider. The study is also investigating long-term effects on nutrient intake, microbiome, and inflammatory markers.
On average, both groups scored 7.5 out of 10 in adherence when they were provided with food, but interestingly, some individuals in the keto diet group scored as low as 2, 3, or 4, with some outright rejecting the food.
After 8 weeks on their own, about 5 people in the study excelled in adhering to the keto diet, scoring 9 to 10, while some scored 0 to 2, showing a polarizing effect.
The study revealed that the keto diet was not sustainable long-term, as participants reverted to their old habits after the study, leading to the conclusion that if the benefits of the keto diet cannot be maintained, it may not be worth it.
Christopher Gardner reassures that following a ketogenic diet for a while will not cause permanent damage to the ability to deal with carbs.
He explains that the enzymes for digesting carbs won't go away and compares it to the misconception about veganism affecting the ability to digest meat.
Gardner emphasizes that the body's ability to digest carbs will not be eliminated and there should be no real concern about causing long-term harm by trying a ketogenic diet.
Ketogenic diet may not be recoverable from long-term nutrient deficiencies, but carbohydrate metabolism is not a problem and can bounce back.
Ketogenic diet showed positive impact on weight loss and health measures, but sustainability is significantly harder than a broader Mediterranean diet.
Concerns about ketogenic diet's impact on certain nutrients and microbiome due to the absence of fibers.
Ketogenic diet may work for some individuals, but for most people, it may not be sustainable.
Keto's popularity may be due to misconceptions and clickbait, as it is high fat, not high meat.
Christopher Gardner joined Jonathan Wolff on Zoe's Science and Nutrition. They discussed various studies and analysis. Christopher Gardner may come back for future episodes. Zoe aims to improve health through personalized nutrition programs. Listeners can visit joinzoe.com/podcast for more information and a 10% discount. The podcast is produced by Fascinate Productions with support from Sharon Feder and Alex Jones.