The basis of the ketogenic diet is the elimination of carbohydrates from the daily menu and their replacement with fats. The ketogenic diet is used to treat epilepsy and is primarily recommended for patients in whom pharmacology does not have the expected effects.
The main source of energy is carbohydrates, which is why we consume them the most (around 50%). In addition, fats - 35%, in the daily diet - protein (approx. 15%). When the body is running out of carbohydrates, it needs energy from fats, which form the basis of the ketogenic diet. The fat can be 80 to 90 percent.
While using it gives results quickly, and people who use it will notice a difference after a few days, this change doesn't last long. Very often they are malnourished and lack important nutrients.
Contrary to what it looks like, the ketogenic diet isn't the next "miracle diet. " This particular menu was created with a purpose. Research shows that restricting carbohydrate intake to fat is ideal for people with refractory epilepsy.
Supportive therapy with fats, dieting for autism, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, some types of epilepsy, and encephalopathy are also considered.
The Ketogenic Diet - How Does It Work?
When fats become the body's main fuel as they break down, ketone bodies are formed: acetone, acetoacetate, and beta-hydroxybutyric acid. They reach the nervous system, where instead of glucose they feed nerve cells.
Although the metabolic changes in this diet are similar to those seen in hungry people, they are beneficial in epilepsy. A high concentration of ketone bodies in the blood blocks the occurrence of seizures.