The ketogenic diet is a diet program generally followed by athletes that looks like the low carb diet but with an even more drastic reduction in carbohydrate consumption.
In low carb, carbohydrate intake is between 50 to 150 grams per day, and this food group provides a maximum of 40% of the energy that the body needs. In the ketogenic diet, the daily consumption of carbohydrates is between 30 to 50 grams or 10% of the body’s energy needs.
Our body obtains energy mainly from carbohydrates. However, when they are in short supply, the body goes into ketosis and uses the stored fat. For this, fat is metabolized by the liver, giving rise to ketones.
When the level of ketones rises too much in the blood, the body enters the ketogenic state and may show some changes. Check out:
1. Your insulin level drops
In a normal diet, the level of insulin in the blood rises soon after eating foods rich in carbohydrates. However, when we follow a ketogenic diet, this effect does not happen, as there is not so much sugar in the bloodstream to be stored.
With the fall of insulin, it is believed that fatty acids are released more quickly by adipose tissue, becoming available to be used as fuel by the body. That is, you will use more fat for energy, which favors weight loss.
2. You feel less hungry during the day
The reduction in the sensation of hunger occurs for two reasons related to the ketogenic diet. The first one is that, in this diet, there is an increase in the consumption of proteins, which prolong satiety.
The second reason is that the body understands this diet as a fast and it adapts to consume fat as a fuel source, releasing ketones in the blood. These ketones, in turn, have a suppressing effect on the hunger center in the brain, reducing appetite ( 1 ).
3. You may have a flu-like malaise
Although a ketogenic diet does not cause sneezing or congestion in your nose, it can make you experience headache, nausea, dizziness, muscle cramps and extreme tiredness. These symptoms are known as “low-carb flu”.
Sometimes, these negative effects can prevent the person from continuing with the diet, so it is important to have the support of a nutritionist.
4. Your breath may look different
Some people experience a breath change when they follow a ketogenic diet. This happens due to the metabolism of ketones by the liver, which produces molecules of acetone – the same as the liquid used to remove the enamel.
These acetone molecules have a very characteristic odor and can be exhaled by the person’s breath. Fortunately, not everyone has this effect.
5. You can get your intestines stuck
It is common for people who follow the ketogenic diet to focus too much on proteins and end up leaving fiber intake a little aside. The problem is that this leads to a constipation effect.
The ideal is always to follow a dietary program that includes eating foods rich in fiber, however, if this is not possible, it may be necessary to use a supplement.
6. Your body may be slower at first
A common effect of starting a ketogenic diet is to feel a certain sluggishness in the body, as if it does not respond in the same way to exercise and becomes tired more easily.
However, after the period of adaptation of the organism to ketosis, performance during training returns to normal and may even improve.
Will I have it all if I go on a ketogenic diet?
Not necessarily. Each organism reacts differently to a drastic reduction in carbohydrate intake, so the effects of the diet vary from person to person.
In any case, the most recommended is always to be accompanied by a nutrition professional to ensure that the diet will have the expected results with the minimum of side effects.
The information on this page is for information purposes only. They are not a substitute for advice and support from doctors, nutritionists, psychologists, physical education professionals and other specialists.