Metabolic Fitness and Cardiovascular Health with Ketogenic Diet

With the increasing number of food chains being established everywhere
worldwide, many people are inclined to eat unhealthy food. These unhealthy
food choices mixed with a sedentary lifestyle often results in obesity, which
invites a myriad of health problems. These health concerns include deranged
cholesterol levels, early onset of diabetes, and increased incidence of stroke.
In order to get rid of the extra weight, people try different weight loss programs. Many of
these weight loss regimens often give slow and unsatisfactory results. Amidst such weightloss regimes, the ketogenic diet has been gaining a lot of popularity in recent years. It has
been a popular choice among fitness buffs as well as those individuals who wish to reduce
weight. The ketogenic diet plan helps reduce weight a lot quicker than any other diet plan,
making it one of the most acclaimed diet plans to exist in today’s fast-paced world.
This article focuses on how the ketogenic diet helps lose weight and its overall effect on the
body.

What is the Ketogenic Diet? And how does it help in losing
weight?

This diet plan consists of a significant intake of fats (almost 75%), an adequate amount of
proteins (20%), and a very negligible amount of carbohydrates (approximately 5%). Many
people find it confusing about how a diet rich in fat can help reduce fat from the body.
Scientifically, it is not that difficult to understand.

Typically, the body consumes carbohydrates as fuel acting as the primary source of energy,
but when high quantities of polyunsaturated fat replace it, the whole machinery that regulates
metabolism takes a turn. This causes it to break down the already stored fat in order to extract
energy for the body to function and carry out its daily tasks. The breaking down and
oxidation of body fat increase lean mass and tone the body by getting rid of all the stored up
unnecessary fat.

Does the Ketogenic diet help with the Metabolic Fitness?

There are many people concerned about their health when opting for a ketogenic diet for
weight loss. Many trials have been conducted to see the effects of this diet plan on the body’s
metabolic fitness and to judge whether it poses any health risks.
Research and numerous clinical trials have shown that the ketogenic diet helps increase
stamina and strength. And, it indirectly helps the body ward off several future health
complications.
A clinical trial was conducted on five cyclists to study the ketogenic diet’s output and the
overall performance of athletes. These cyclists followed the ketogenic diet for four weeks,
with their strength and performance recorded from time to time. It was observed that these
cyclists had less energy in the first week of following the diet plan, but after that, their riding
time improved significantly. This goes on to show that the ketogenic diet helped strengthen
their muscles and gave their bodies more power than usual. [1], [2]
The ketogenic diet has also been widely discussed to help with mental and cognitive
functions of the brain. The fat broken down in the body gets converted to ketones. These
ketones bodies are then used up by the brain cells to improve overall functioning. Many
studies are being carried out to study the positive effects of the ketogenic diet on Alzheimer’s
and epilepsy patients.

Effects of the Ketogenic Diet on Cardiovascular Health

The heart is one of the most vital organs of your body and requires extra care. Reducing
weight through the ketogenic diet is often thought to bring forth harmful changes in the heart
and overall effect the cardiovascular system negatively. It is interesting to know that many
studies conducted on individuals who follow the ketogenic diet have a better functioning of
the cardiovascular system than the rest who do not. [3], [4]
Some of the critical factors that deteriorate the cardiovascular health are high blood glucose
(diabetes), high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels.
These conditions indirectly affect the heart, increasing the incidence of myocardial infarction
as well as stroke.
People who follow the ketogenic diet have shown to have a better glycemic index as well as
healthier cholesterol levels.

The Effect of Ketogenic Diet on Diabetes?

A study conducted in 2013, published in the New England Journal, analyzed insulin levels,
and measured its sensitivity in 132 obese patients. These individuals followed the ketogenic
diet for six months, out of which 39% of them suffered from diabetes, while the rest were
chained to other metabolic disorders. After six months, most of these individuals experienced
significant weight loss and improved insulin levels in their bodies. [2]
Another trial conducted on 69 individuals to assess the difference that ketogenic diet
produced, was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. This study established
a control group that received a high-carbohydrate and low-fat diet, whereas the rest strictly
followed the ketogenic diet (low-carbohydrate & high-fat diet). The aim was to study the
effects of the ketogenic diet on insulin resistance, which could later progress to diabetes
mellitus. The study results concluded that the group following the ketogenic diet had
decreased insulin resistance in the body compared to the control group that did not follow it.
[5]

How does the Ketogenic Diet affect Cholesterol Levels?

Researchers have conducted numerous studies to investigate the effects of a ketogenic diet on
cholesterol levels in individuals who follow it. High cholesterol levels result in the narrowing
of blood vessels, clogging them, and ultimately resulting in high blood pressure. As a result,
it increases the heart’s workload and increases the incidence of a heart attack. Obesity is
directly linked to high cholesterol levels; therefore, strictly following a ketogenic diet for
weight loss can improve overall heart health.
A trial conducted in 2004 on 83 obese individuals who followed the ketogenic diet to lose
weight showed increased HDL (healthy cholesterol) and decreased LDL (unhealthy
cholesterol) in the blood. The results of this study greatly emphasized the positive effects of a
ketogenic diet on improving heart health. [6]

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References:

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Stern L. A low-carbohydrate as compared with a low-fat diet in severe obesity. New England Journal of
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https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/132.7.1879
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