The Keto Diet: Benefits, Complications, and Who Should Avoid It

2023-07-29 16:30:18

The keto diet is one of many eating patterns that aid weight loss, and it involves reducing carbohydrate intake to 50 grams per day or less, to help the body burn fat instead of sugar for energy.

Nutritionist Bayan Hamoui explained, in a previous interview with Al-Araby, that the “keto diet” was known in the early twenties of the last century as a therapeutic diet for patients with epilepsy, especially in children, before calls were made to follow it as a diet for weight loss, starting from 15 years old.

The positive effects of adopting the “keto diet” are summarized in weight loss and improvement in blood sugar, good cholesterol and mood.

Despite the benefits of the “keto diet”, it cannot be followed by patients with kidney or liver problems, due to some of the side effects and complications it leaves.

Al-Hamwi warned that the “keto diet” is considered one of the dangerous diets, stressing that it must be followed under the supervision of a nutritionist, and following conducting the necessary blood tests.

What are the complications of the keto diet?

Drastic changes in eating patterns can lead to side effects that go beyond weight manipulation. For people who follow the “keto diet”, adopting it incorrectly or for a long time may increase the risk of side effects, which are:

body dehydration

Explained by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) that one of the possible early side effects of the “ketogenic diet” is dehydration.

Some symptoms of dehydration include: changes in urine, such as dark color, dizziness, dry mouth, thirst and fatigue.

Digestive problems

The Journal of Translational Medicine (translational-medicine.biomedcentral.com) that common side effects of the “keto diet” are gastrointestinal (GI) problems such as constipation, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting.

Among these problems, diarrhea frequently occurs as a result of the body’s difficulty absorbing the high-fat content of foods as part of the diet.

Decreased athletic performance

Researchers found in a study published by the site “minervamedica.itThe athletes performed worse on cycling and sprinting tasks following four days on the keto diet, compared to those who spent four days on a high-carb diet.

“keto flu”

For some people, following the keto diet can lead to keto flu, which is characterized by the following symptoms: constipation, dizziness, difficulty withstanding exercise, fatigue, headache, insomnia, nausea or vomiting.

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, the effects of the “keto flu” can be reduced by drinking plenty of water, increasing electrolyte intake and slowly decreasing carbohydrate intake.

kidney stones

The keto diet can lead to the formation of kidney stones, which are substances made up of minerals in the kidneys.

Weight regain

Because of how restrictive the keto diet is in terms of food intake, people may regain the weight they lost when they return to their initial eating patterns, because it is difficult to follow in the long term.

Nutritionists recommend adopting the “keto diet” for a period of two weeks to 12 months.

Deficiency of vitamins and minerals

Many types of fruits and vegetables may be limited or eliminated on the keto diet.

site explainedeatright.orgThis leads to a reduction in the intake of important nutrients such as: calcium, fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, and other vitamins.

A person on the keto diet may lose folic acid, thiamin, and vitamins A, B6, B12, C, E, and K, which are essential for the body’s function and development in relation to bones and gums, metabolism, and red blood cells.

Who should avoid the keto diet?

According to eatright.org, individuals with the following conditions should avoid the keto diet:

Eating disorders. Fat metabolism disorders. Gallbladder diseases. Liver failure or other liver disease. pancreatitis. Thyroid problems. Diabetics who take insulin.
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