Kylie Gavin

FSHN 199
27 January 2022
Ketogenic Eating Patterns
The ketogenic eating plan seemed to come out of nowhere in the past several years,
despite the extensive research on its effect on the body and health issues that dates back to the
early 1900s. Simply, the “keto” diet is an eating plan in which a person consumes minimal
carbohydrates while consuming large amounts of fats and moderate levels of protein. The main
focus of this diet it is get the body to burn stored fats. For the “typical” diet of consuming carbs,
fats, and proteins, the body uses glucose to give fuel to cells. This glucose or sugar comes from
carbs. When a person eliminates carbs, the body must find a new source of fuel for the cells. The
whole goal of keto is to maintain a state of ketosis. In ketosis, the body produces ketones which
replace the previous energy source of glucose. After several days of limiting glucose, the body
will attempt to pull glucose that is stored in the liver and works to break down muscles to get a
source of glucose. This is because the body demands glucose consistently. Once the stored
glucose is fully depleted, insulin will decrease, and the body will now use fat as fuel. Again,
ketones are produced from fat and ketones become the source of energy.
While the ketogenic eating pattern has become increasingly popular among people
wanting to lose weight, there are also several other populations that could potentially benefit
from this type of lifestyle. To start, the keto diet has seen to help people suffering from seizure
disorders. Roughly a third to half of people who suffer from drug-resistant epilepsy have cut
their seizure frequency in half through living off a keto diet. This reduction in seizures people
experience on this diet can be due to the lack of glucose available in the body during keto. The
less glucose causes less neurons to fire. Next, some theorize that keto can help with Alzheimer’s.
This, however, has only been tested so far in small trials. The results do show that increasing
ketones in the body can help with cognitive function in Alzheimer’s disease (Crosby, et al).
Therefore, keto diets can help individuals who are looking not only to lose weight.
While the keto lifestyle may be helpful for some, it may be harmful for others. For
instance, because keto limits foods, it may not be recommended for people who struggle with
disordered eating. Additionally, those who are easily affected by “flu” symptoms may not want
to be on keto either. Keto has been seen to cause headaches, fatigue, and dizziness. On top of
this, individuals at risk for heart disease are discouraged from trying keto as it may increase a
person’s risk as they may consume too many saturated fats (Helms). Finally, keto is not
recommended for women who are pregnant or are trying to be pregnant. It was found that
consuming a low-carb diet can increase the risk of birth defects on a baby (Crosby, et al). The
ketogenic eating plan is not for everyone.
Overall, keto is a type of diet that aims to burn fat. From limiting carbs, the body cannot
use glucose as fuel anymore. Once the glucose supply runs out, the body will use ketones as fuel
which burns fat in the body. While this may cause a person to lose weight or improve the lives of
people suffering with epilepsy or Alzheimer’s, it is not meant for everyone. Keto has effects. It
can negatively impact pregnant women or increase a person’s risk of heart disease. From our
class discussion, I think many would agree that keto is not worth the risks. Heart disease is the
number one killer. No one should be willing increasing their chances.
 Works Cited

Crosby, L., Davis, B., Joshi, S., Jardine, M., Paul, J., Neola, M., & Barnard, N. D. (1AD, January
1). Ketogenic diets and chronic disease: Weighing the benefits against the risks. Frontiers.
Retrieved January 27, 2022, from
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2021.702802/full 

Harvard School of Public Health. (2019, May 22). Diet Review: Ketogenic Diet for Weight Loss.
The Nutrition Source. Retrieved January 26, 2022, from
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/ketogenic-diet/

Helms, N. (2019, June 20). Is the keto diet safe? what are the risks? Is the Keto Diet Safe? What
are the Risks? - UChicago Medicine. Retrieved January 27, 2022, from
https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/health-and-wellness-articles/ketogenic-diet-
what-are-the-risks

Masood, W. (2021, November 26). Ketogenic Diet. StatPearls [Internet]. Retrieved January 27,
2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499830/

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2021, March 3). The truth behind the
most popular diet trends of the moment. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved January 27, 2022, from
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/the-truth-behind-the-
most-popular-diet-trends-of-the-moment/art-20390062