Ketogenic Diet: Literature Review on Positives and Negatives of the Dietary Approach

As it contains less amount of carbohydrate, a ketogenic diet is majorly rich in proteins and fats. It particularly includes eggs, meat, sausages, fish, butter, nuts oils, seeds and fibrous vegetables. It is not easy to follow a keto diet for a long run because it is so restricted and consist of some particular items only. However, it there are both positive and negative impacts of ketogenic diet on human body. As one of the major drawback of this diet is that many individuals indulge in having too much of protein and low quality of fats from processed food items, and include very less amount of vegetables and fruits in their diet. It has been examined in the study that ketogenic diet could be very harmful for the patients who are experiencing  kidney diseases. In addition to this, some of the individuals tends to feel little tired in the initial phase of the diet and some of them may experience nausea, bad breath, constipation, vomiting and sleeping issues.

Positive impacts of Ketogenic diet

 A low-carb diet or ketogenic diet has proved to be controversial since many years. A low carbohydrate diet is evidenced to be healthy and beneficial for most of the individuals and has a number of health benefits. For instance, a diet that contains low amount of carbohydrate eventually leads to reduction in appetite of an individual. It has been analysed that when individuals avoid to intake carbohydrate in their diet and consume more amount of fats and proteins mostly ends up eating a lesser amount of calories. As mentioned by Joshi and et.al., (2019), Ketogenic diet eliminate the risk of seizures in children and sometimes presented as an effective medication. The main objective for introducing ketogenic diet is to reduce weight. Some of the previous research studies has determined that ketogenic diet is the most effective way for loosing weight at a faster pace. It also seems to intensify blood sugar regulation for the individuals who are suffering from type 2 diabetes, at least for a shorter period of time. The ketogenic diet basically cuts daily intake of carbohydrate to less than 20 grams.

Thus, it would be an effective remedy for diabetic patients an help them to regulate their blood sugar level. As per the views of Klement (2017), Introducing ketogenic diet into treatment of diabetes  is beneficial to improve their blood sugar control. A low-carb diet is very helpful in to reduce anxiety and depression. It might be due to benefits of taking a  healthier and low level of blood sugar level diet. Accumulation of fats in the liver is linked with occurrence of number of diseases such as diabetes. In many serious circumstances, fatty liver disorders can result in damage of liver. Healthcare professionals test for this condition by analysing the levels of liver enzymes by using number of blood tests. It has been suggested by care professionals that if any of the individuals is at risk of developing fatty liver is need to introduce respective diet in their daily life as it would help them to eliminate the risk factors which may arise. Other than this, there are more benefits of taking selected diet such as many individuals who follow this particular diet plan tends to sleep much deeper rather than the individuals who take high calorie diet. However, at initial phase, individuals tends to feel insomniac and would feel some difficulty in sleeping but it will finish as body will adapt ketosis process and breakdown of stored fat. Get Assignment Examples.Talk to our Experts!

Eventually, there will be improvement in sleeping pattern and individuals automatically tends to sleep deeper, longer and more rested and relaxed. In addition to all such benefits, the most important positive aspect of ketogenic dietary approach is that it might slow down occurrence and growth of cancer tumers in the body. As cells of cancer have a high ratio of insulin receptors on them and makes them to move on environment which is high in blood sugar level and contains insulin. A poor lifestyle would lead to provide cancer cells a source of fuel to grow and feed. Thus, a ketogentic diet would help the body to gain energy without even feeding to tumour cells. Ketogenic diet may result in to boost health conditions of heart. It would reduce the chances of occurring various heart related disorders and will eliminate the chances of heart strokes.

Regulation of blood sugar levels would help an individual to control cravings. Most of the individuals seems to make better food choices who are not on a high sugar diet. As per the perspective of Paoli and et.al., (2019), intermittent fasting is very common practice among ketogenic dieters who have been on the diet for a while. Sugar is a form of energy, and would not keep the mind of an individual at its best. It has been identified that brain functions better on  ketogenic diet rather than on a high sugar diet. Ketones are generally develop to fuel the body in the absence of glucose and functions of brain modifies in a drastic manner on a ketogenic diet.

In could be interpreted from the above graph that individuals who are on a ketogenic diet tends to lose weight faster, besides the fact that their calorie or protein intake is equal to individual who are not on ketogenic diet. Thus, it suggests that low carb diet proved to offer a metabolic advantage over a high sugar or high carbohydrate containing diet.

From the above graph, it can be illustrated that specific diet contains low amount of carbohydrate and low level of fats which could make human body to breakdown fats as a fuel rather than using glucose or carbs as it prior source of energy. 

Some of the conditions under a study with a low carbohydrate or ketogenic diet is described in the table below

Negative impacts of ketogenic diet

In addition to number of positive impacts of ketogenic diet there are few of its side effcts also. Some of the side effects of ketogenic diet is bound to develop while others may be developed if the diet is implemented in a poor manner. Any individual who is following a ketogenic diet for a long term should be careful as it could result in negative consequences that could even be severe when they are overlooked by the person. Keto diet is often termed as a fad diet which means makes no mistake. As mentioned by Oliveira and et.al., (2018), unlike other normal diet, a low-carbohydrate diet is unique as it pushes the body to a natural and alternate metabolic state known as ketosis. People who gets failed in managing the keto diet in an effective manner could experience occurrence of some side effects crucially by consuming a balanced diet, nutrient rich foods as a part of ketogenic diet.

Constipation is one such side effect that may developed due to intake of low-carbohydrate diet. As this particular diet usually cuts out most common sources of fats. Some of the richest sources of fibres include beans, fibres, fruits and whole grains which are totally restricted from the diet. As a consequence dieters of ketogenic diet usually miss out intake of fibre rich food items and its benefits such as micro-biome support and regular laxation. Micro-biome is involved in everything from mental health to immune function. Vitamin deficiency is the another negative consequence or a result of intake of low carbohydrate diet. As it is a diet which restricts an individual to eat many types of vegetables, fruits and other food items which made him vulnerable to deficiency of minerals and vitamins. This is the reason why healthcare professionals advice to follow keto diet for a short period of time only. Order assignment help from our experts!

In addition to this, Diarrhoea is another negative factor that can develop during the period of low carbohydrate diet. It could be due to lack of fibre in the diet. Klement and et.al., (2017) states that it is more often happen with the individuals who cut carbs such as whole grain bread and other vegetables along with fibre rich foods. Another major negative consequence of keto related changes in weight is loss of muscle mass. Individual who is on this particular diet would loose weight but it might actually be a lot of muscle mass. This is because muscle burns more calories in comparison to fat that would effect metabolism process. When a person leaves ketogenic diet and try to regain weight again then there are chances that there are less possibilities of regaining muscle mass again. It could even have a long lasting effect on resting metabolic rate and on individual weight for a long duration. Ask for Nursing Assignment Help from our Qaulified experts!

As per the views of WÅ‚odarek (2019), the diet that contains low amount of carbohydrate and higher amount of fats may result in dehydration and a loss of electrolytes. The most important source of body is glucose which is created from carbohydrate. In a diet that has lesser amount of carbohydrate, body needs to adjust by using ketones which occurs through breakdown of fats for energy. In addition to this situation, kidney starts to release more electrolytes. This results in decrease of total water from body as carbohydrates become low in a keto diet. Keto flu which consist of several symptoms like headache, nausea, constipation, fatigue, cramps, irritability and many others are most likely to appear for the individual who is on low carbohydrate diet since a long period of item. Thus, it is important to drink plenty of water in order to help a body to deal with they occurrence of such symptoms and individual should consult with a healthcare professional if such symptoms become severe.

As per the idea of Sarnyai and et.al., (2019), females who are indulge in intake of ketogenic dietary may result in irregular periods or may completely stops during keto diet. It is more often due to rapid weight loss rather than the quality of diet itself. It is more likely to appear due to drop of gonadotropin releasing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone and progesterone. A long term disturbance in mensuration cycle of female may results in lots of negative consequences including low bone density. It is majorly because such hormones are important for maintaining bone health. It has been identified that mensuration irregularity may result in occurrence of depression, sexual dysfunction, anxiety and cardiovascular diseases.

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