A new study by researchers in Australia has some sobering findings for endurance runners who are considering an LCHF or keto diet for its presumed benefits to performance. Proponents of such diets argue that the diets enable better fat adaptation over long distances, but the study found found a significant potential downside: it may compromise their bone health.

The study, published in Frontiers in Endocrinology today, took 28 elite race walkers (23 male, five female) who were training for the 2016 Olympics or the 2017 World Championships and put some of them on a high-carbohydrate diet and the rest on a low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet for three and a half weeks, after which the keto group resumed carbohydrate consumption. (Athletes were allowed to choose which group to join.) “Study diets were designed and individualized for each athlete by trained members of the research team including registered sports dietitians, a professional chef, and exercise physiologists,” the study says. Athletes’ blood was tested for markers of bone breakdown and regeneration at rest and after exertion, both before the diet began and after they resumed eating carbs.

(Note that many people distinguish between a strict keto diet and LCHF, in which the restriction on carbohydrate consumption is less extreme, but in this study there is no distinction.)

The study found that markers of bone health were compromised in the keto group, and that the effects were only partially reversed when subjects resumed a high carbohydrate diet. “Long-term effects of such alterations remain unknown, but may be detrimental to bone mineral density (BMD) and bone strength, with major consequences to health and performance,” the authors noted, acknowledging the need for longer-term studies.

The authors noted that while exercise is generally beneficial for bone health, “bone injuries represent a challenge to consistent training and competition in high performance sport.” Bone injuries can be caused by low energy availability, inadequate vitamin D and/or calcium intake. RED-S is a major concern for athletes, and knowledge of how to help those experiencing its effects is growing.

The study notes that carbohydrate availability may also play a role in bone health in athletes. In particular, the authors noted that several studies show that beginning endurance training with low glycogen stores stimluates the release of cytokine interleukin-6 (IL6), which increases bone breakdown. But it also cited another study that found that severely limiting carbohydrate availability in athletes resulted in increased bone breakdown independent of IL6 levels.

The study concludes: “Given the injury risks and long-term outcomes underpinned by poor bone health in later life, in athletes as well as individuals who undertake exercise for health benefits, additional investigations of the ketogenic diet and its role in perturbing bone metabolism are warranted.”

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Get beyond the buzz and the ketogenic diet has made a world of difference in the lives of children with epilepsy.

Through decades of research, we now know that the keto diet can reduce the frequency of seizures in children, especially if medication isn’t working.

Britt A. Schloemer, APRN, a nurse practitioner with UofL Physicians – Child Neurology, breaks down how the keto diet and program works to help kids.

The ketogenic diet is high in fat and low in carbs, and the amount of protein is strictly controlled. The diet prompts the body to switch its fuel supply almost entirely to fat.

At this point, Schloemer explains that it seems to center around replacing sugar as the brain’s primary fuel with ketones generated from fat. Brains that run on fat don’t seem to seize nearly as easily or as frequently as brains that run on sugar.

Most patients have a significant decrease in their seizure frequency and/or intensity, and many become seizure-free.

Parents also report increased alertness and improved development in their children.

Here’s how the program works.

Once the child’s neurologist has identified them as a good candidate, they’ll be referred to a ketogenic dietitian for a consultation and education. If, after the education, the parents are still interested and the dietitian agrees the child is a good candidate, they run tests to make sure the patient doesn’t have any conditions that would cause the diet to be a danger. They also change all medications from liquids, which contain sugar, to tablets.

The child will spend four to five days in the hospital, to be monitored while transitioning from a normal diet to the ketogenic diet. Families also learn how to prepare meals and monitor blood sugar and ketones.

There are some drawbacks.

It’s a lot of work for parents and can be complicated to maintain. It’s a lifestyle change. Plus, there are potential long-term side effects, such as poor growth, kidney stones and osteoporosis- all things that are monitored in the program.

Normally, the goal is to keep the child seizure-free on the diet for two years and then wean them off to avoid some of the potential side effects. But when the diet works well for a patient and family, they often don’t want to wean off. And most of the time, Schloemer says they support the families in that decision.

And yes, there are other diets geared towards epilepsy. Norton and UofL also use the modified Atkins diet, where carbs are restricted but protein is not. The low glycemic index diet has also been shown to positively affect epilepsy. But it’s extremely important that before trying any of these diets, patients and families speak with their neurologist.

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Low carb and keto are the two popular and trending weight loss diets these days. More and more people are opting for these diets to lose weight efficiently. As both limit the carbohydrate intake and claim quick weight loss, it is pretty difficult to differentiate between them. So, here we will review both these diet trends and reveal which is better than the other.

What’s a low carb diet?

Low carb restricts intake of dietary carbohydrates, which mainly comes from grains, sugar-sweetened beverages, and bread. There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to a low-carb diet. It is generally a diet in which only 25 to 45 percent of your daily calorie intake is obtained from carbohydrates, the rest is balanced by protein and other micro-nutrients. So, in simplified terms, if carbs make up 45 to 65 percent of your total daily calories, then you have to bring it down to 10 to 30 percent.

At the same time, you have to increase your intake of protein, healthy fats, and vegetables to stay full. Just by restricting carbs intake, you reduce your overall calorie intake, which ultimately helps you lose weight. This diet trend is considered excellent for people suffering from diabetes, cardiovascular issues and obesity.
Overall there is no harmful effect of following this diet but in the beginning, it may make you feel constipated and weak.

What’s a Keto diet?
Even in a keto diet, you have to restrict your carb intake, but with this, you also have to consume lot more fat. The basic aim is to consume the right amount of fat, carbs, and protein, to force your body to change its source of energy or to reach ketosis. Ketosis is a state in which our body starts to produce ketones from fat deposited in your liver and uses fat as the chief source of energy instead of carbs.

So, basically in this diet, you have to consume less than 50 grams of carbs daily, keeping your protein intake moderate and increase fat consumption drastically. When the body starts to use fat for energy you automatically start to lose weight.

Although, Keto diet is good for weight loss, but there is also a risk of keto flu, which may include headaches and weakness.

Which is better?

Both are good for weight loss, but if you have to choose one out for the two, then there are several factors to consider. They have their own set of pros and cons. So, before following any diet trend consult your nutritionist as there is no one diet that fits all.

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Vinny Guadagnino, 31, has been keeping track of his Keto diet journey on his Instagram, KetoGuido, and the Jersey Shore star’s latest post yesterday boasted his transformation thus far in two selfies of his shirtless body. “The question of ‘how long of time in between these pictures’ is not the important question to ask here in terms of ‘how long did it take to get from left to right’ … I’ve always been able to get from left to right in a matter of months by committing to almost ANY diet and workout plan,” Vinny said.

“But after being done with those miserable diets and workout plans I would always go back from right to left… so the question of ‘how long of time between these pictures’ IS important for the reason of ‘how long I’ve been able to STAY the guy on the right,’” he continued. “The answer to that question is about 4-5 years now. How did I do that? Basically flipping the traditional food pyramid upside down and finding a way of eating that’s enjoyable, satisfying, healthy, and one that never requires me to go on a ‘diet.’”

Vinny has shared photos of meals that he has eaten on his Instagram page while sticking to the Keto diet, including scrambled eggs and bacon tacos, lobster, and steak and asparagus. In a recent post, he talked about how he doesn’t strictly require himself to always be in “ketosis.” Vinny revealed in a caption, “My general way of eating is this: real natural whole foods (plants and animals), sugar free, grain free, processed food free, hydrogenated vegetable oil free, higher fat, moderate protein, low carb mixed with exercise and intermittent fasting.”

“When I follow this way of life, I live freely, don’t count calories or macros, and enjoy delicious varieties of meals and sometimes i am in ketosis and sometimes i am not,” he continued. “If I want to go into fat burning mode and kick it up a notch i will more strictly follow the ratio of the Ketogenic diet with apps and such, but the idea of my life is to not stress about what you eat and how much you eat all year round.” That sounds like a good idea to us! We’re glad that Vinny feels healthy and confident in his body – that’s what’s important, after all!

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