Feminine specificities in the ketogenic diet. What changes and what doesn’t for women at Keto? We are driven by cycles and we have to deal with sudden changes in hormones and neurotransmitters all the time. Does nothing change for women in a program as powerful as ketogenic?
Will we eat the same as men? Will we keep the same food throughout the menstrual cycle? What are the challenges that only we, wonderful women, will have to face in this diet?
Stagnant weight loss, PMS, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Menopause, Fatigue, mental disorders and mood swings, fertility… There are so many issues! I needed a doctor to answer us about all of this. In fact, I needed a doctor!
Fortunately, I found Dr. Janaína Koenen. Fortunately, for many reasons. It was she who hugged me when Ketogenic started to go wrong for me. It was Dr. Janaína who guided me in a few hours of conversation exchanged via audio – not just about me, but about myths and facts related to Keto.
I am happy to have an endocrinologist specialized in Ketogenic by my side in the darkest moments of this journey. I bring her here, because I know she will help you too.
This interview, filled with scientific studies, information and clinical experiences, will clarify everything that I (and possibly you) need to know for every minor problem that can happen during your Keto journey.
If you are a woman and are on the Ketogenic Diet, save this content in your browser. Return to it whenever you encounter a problem. The answer will be there, in some of the countless tips provided by Dr. Janaína Koenen.
Dr. Koenen maintains a very active instagram profile and facebook page , where she shares lives and precious and reliable information about the Diet. Do not fail to follow it.
The endocrinologist works in Belo Horizonte, but her heart stretches across Brazil. Visit the doctor’s website to check the office address.
- Official website of Dr. Janaína Koenen
Let’s start by knowing the story not of the doctor, but of the patient Janaína. Her path to Ketogenic is familiar to the stories you share with me …
A general breakdown in the body and several doctors prescribing treatments without result. Check out Dr. Koenen’s speech below and, soon after, read the interview with the endocrinologist.
My deepest thanks to the doctor for the immense time dedicated to us. On behalf of all readers of the Keto Revolution.
Dr. Janaína Koenen: I discovered the ketogenic diet in a personal search for health. In 2014, I had several gastrointestinal disorders (since 2010, with intolerance to red meat, lactose intolerance, malaise, chronic fatigue, anemia without a definite cause). He also had a severe migraine and was gaining weight.
I had already consulted with 2 gastroenterologists, 3 nutritionists and 2 endocrinologists. I was already an endocrinologist at the time. I also had thyroiditis and my antibodies indicated Hashimoto.
I had already cut sugar for more than 3 years. He ate brown bread, brown rice, white meat, lactose-free milk, always lean milk derivatives, cooked with vegetable oil (canola or sunflower). That is, I followed the recommendations that I had learned in college and that were recommended to me by all these specialists.
I decided that I would seek answers on my own and started to study nutrition and microbiota. I went to some nutrition congresses. In one, I attended a class on whole grains causing leaky gut (increased intestinal permeability) and autoimmune processes.
That’s when the plug fell. I cut everything. I heard about Low Carb and ended up going to Dr. Souto’s website . I read the first blog post and bought Gary Taubes’ book on the spot (I bought them all, actually) and read everything. From there, I read everything I found on the subject, in books and in scientific literature.
I started ketogenic and, in 30 days, I had a reversal of all my health problems. That’s right … everyone, without exception.
Needless to say, I fell in love with this lifestyle. I went into ketosis right away and I had no problem with weight loss or menstrual cycles. I adapted immediately.
Diets: differences between men and women in weight loss
Keto Revolution: We know that weight loss in women is less than in men. Are there other female specifics that we should be aware of?
Dr. Janaína Koenen: If you and a man start a diet together, both exercising and following everything to the letter, the man usually manages to lose more weight than the woman and much faster too.
Women are completely different from men hormonally. As, in theory, we should always be biologically “ready” to get pregnant (at least at childbearing age), our body has some extra “defenses” against excessive weight loss:
- We have more body fat than men (reserve!)
- We have less lean mass: lower basal metabolism, that is, we spend less energy at rest than men. The more lean mass, the better the basal metabolism. That is why resistance training (gym) is so important for women in a weight loss program.
- Menstrual cycle: hormones changing all the time, mood swings, PMS, cravings for sweets. This is a disadvantage for women.
- Menopause: the woman begins to have a reduction in basal metabolism after 30 years of age. After menopause, this is striking. There is a great loss of lean mass and an increase in body fat. Women who exercise before and during menopause gain less weight. Hormone replacement, when properly indicated, can help a lot.
- Undiagnosed polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): the least of the problems themselves are cysts on the ovaries. This syndrome is a disease of insulin resistance, which increases the risk of diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome in general, in addition to infertility. 12-21% of women of reproductive age have PCOS and 70% of them don’t even know it! (1)
- If you are the cook at home, this can be difficult, as you will be exposed to temptation always. So, you have to have extra willpower.