Everyone’s talking about the ketogenic diet and for good reason. There’s evidence the ketogenic diet—also called keto diet, can reduce symptoms of metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and reverse type 2 diabetes. Recent research also shows the benefits of the keto diet in people with type 1 diabetes.
Despite its’ recent popularity, the keto diet is a medical diet that has been used to treat epilepsy for almost 100 years. Today, however, the keto diet is herald primarily for its’ ability to promote rapid weight loss.
A well balanced, keto diet is 70 to 80 percent fat, 5 percent carbohydrate with 20 percent protein. Unlike Atkins, this is not a high protein diet. “The Keto Diet is very low in carbohydrate, and therefore insulin is suppressed. Insulin is needed for glucose metabolism and to store fat.
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Without insulin, you cannot store fat. Hence the weight loss,” says
Lucille Hughes DNP, MSN/Ed, RN, CDE, BC-ADM, FAADE, Director of Diabetes Education, South Nassau Communities Hospital, NY.
The suppression of insulin can also be beneficial in other ways. As explained by Dr. Mark Hyman, director the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine “The keto diet switches you from burning glucose (which carbs provide) to burning ketones (which fat produces) for energy.
When you do this, your metabolism speeds up, hunger goes away, muscle mass increases and your blood pressure and heart disease risk profile improve.”
Moreover, a recent study found the keto diet safely lowered hemoglobin A1C, weight and the need for medication in people with type 2 diabetes. On average patients experienced, lower hemoglobin A1C from 7.6 to 6.3 percent, weight loss of about 30 pounds, and reduced diabetes medicine use.
Ninety-four percent of patients who were on insulin reduced or stopped their
insulin use and oral hypoglycemic meds were eliminated in all patients. And all the changes happened safely.
“Although the keto diet will decrease the amount of insulin a person with diabetes will need to either produce or take, it may also be dangerous for those with type 1 diabetes as this diet puts the individual in a state of ketosis (fat burning), says Hughes. “For a person with type 1 diabetes, it may be hard to determine if they are in fat burning ketosis or in life-threatening diabetic ketoacidosis. The last thing that we ever want is a delay in identifying or treatment of this condition.”
Most diabetes experts agree with Hughes. However, there is an emerging body of evidence that suggests individuals with type 1 diabetes who follow a very low carbohydrate diet may experience glucose control with low rates of adverse events such as ketoacidosis.
While the keto diet has many benefits, it is challenging for most people to follow long term. Additionally, based on your medical history the keto diet may do more harm than good. Hughes advises, before starting a Keto diet you speak to your health care provider, certified diabetes educator, or registered dietitian (RD) to make sure the diet is right for you. Click here to find an RD near you who specializes in diabetes and is familiar with the Keto diet.
Constance Brown-Riggs, is a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator, national speaker and author of the Diabetes Guide to Enjoying Foods of the World, a convenient guide to help people with diabetes enjoy all the flavors of the world while still following a healthy meal plan. Follow Constance on social media @eatingsoulfully
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