The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. It lowers blood sugar and insulin levels, and shifts the body’s metabolism away from carbs and towards fat and ketones.
– Healthline.com
Types of Ketogenic Diets
There are several versions of the ketogenic diet, including:
Standard ketogenic diet (SKD): This is a very low-carb, moderate-protein and high-fat diet. It typically contains 75% fat, 20% protein and only 5% carbs.
Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD): This diet involves periods of higher-carb refeeds, such as 5 ketogenic days followed by 2 high-carb days.
Targeted ketogenic diet (TKD): This diet allows you to add carbs around workouts.
High-protein ketogenic diet: This is similar to a standard ketogenic diet, but includes more protein. The ratio is often 60% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbs.
Most people who are seeking the benefits of a ketogenic diet will try either the standard or the cyclical ketogenic diets as the targeted and high-protein ketogenic diets are utilized mainly by professional athletes and bodybuilders. Additionally, the standard and high-protein ketogenic diets have been studied extensively, and have the most data to support our understanding of how they can benefit the body.
We’ll briefly run through the benefits of a Ketogenic diet. Keep in mind that these benefits can also be experienced through the use of exogenous ketones, like PHK Concentrate.
1. Ketogenic Diets Can Help You Lose Weight
A ketogenic diet is a very effective way to lose weight. A ketogenic diet is superior to a low-fat diet, partly because a ketogenic diet allows for increased protein intake, which is beneficial in itself. Increased ketones, lower blood sugar levels, and improved insulin sensitivity may also play a key role in making the Ketogenic diet so effective. (1), (2)
2. A Ketogenic Diet can Boost Brain Health
The keto diet provides your brain with energy via processes called ketogenesis. While the brain usually uses sugar for fuel, it can use ketones instead. Ketones are produced in the liver when glucose and insulin levels are low. Ketones are produced regularly in small amounts whenever you go for many hours without eating, such as after a full night’s sleep. However, when you undertake a Ketogenic Diet or introduce exogenous ketones like PHK concentrate your brain has an ample source of energy from ketones instead of sugar. (3)
This alternative fuel (ketones) has been found helpful in the following cases:
Memory: Older adults at risk of Alzheimer’s disease have shown improvement in memory with introduction of Ketones. (4)(5)
Brain function: Feeding older and obese rats a ketogenic diet leads to improved brain function. (6)
Migraine headaches: Researchers report that low-carb or ketogenic diets may provide relief to migraine sufferers. (7) (8).
Parkinson’s disease: In a small, uncontrolled study, five out of seven people with Parkinson’s disease who completed a four-week ketogenic diet experienced a 43% improvement in self-reported symptoms. (9)
Traumatic brain injury: Studies that implemented a ketogenic diet both pre and post surgery have demonstrated improved structural and functional outcome in traumatic brain injury. (10)
3. Increased Focus & Energy
Many long-term ketogenic dieters report improved brain function and more stable energy levels, likely due to the rise in ketones and more stable blood sugar levels.(11)
Ketogenic diets appear to affect the brain in a number of positive ways, such as providing a ‘feel good’ effect and bolstering brain power.
Being in a state of ketosis has been shown to increase production of a common neurotransmitter in the brain called GABA. There is evidence that various anxiety disorders result from dysfunctional GABA activity.
Studies conducted on the use of the ketogenic diet in seizure disorders, for example, tend to show that a good balance of GABA leads to better mental focus, reduced stress and anxiety.
4. Keto Diets can Help Manage Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease characterized by changes in metabolism, high blood sugar, and impaired insulin function.
The ketogenic diet can help you lose excess fat, which is closely linked to type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and metabolic syndrome. (12) Indeed, ketones, whether exogenous or created by the body are effective in managing many states that relate to insulin resistance. (13)
Support for Your Keto Lifestyle
If you’re deciding to transition to a ketogenic diet, let us help. Certain supplements can be beneficial on a ketogenic diet. These include exogenous ketones, MCT oil, and minerals. PHK concentrate is an exogenous ketone that can help your body transition into using ketones as fuel. With PHK concentrate, you can experience the benefits of a keto lifestyle without restricting your diet so severely.