The ketogenic diet , often called the keto diet, is one that is very high in fat, very low in carbohydrates, and low to moderate in protein. It typically supplies 75 to 90 percent of calories from fat, versus a more usual intake of 20 to 35 percent. It is intended to force the body to burn fat for energy rather than glucose—a state known as ketosis. Though many use the diet in order to accelerate weight loss and curb appetite , a growing body of research and anecdotal evidence points to psycholo
How the Brain Benefits From Keto Diets
Glucose is the brain’s preferred source of fuel because it’s fast. But glucose is inefficient; it doesn’t burn clean. Debris accumulates in the mitochondria , the fuel furnaces of cells. And glucose generates free radicals of oxygen, which progressively damage cells. Oxidative stress also leads to the buildup of toxic proteins that are the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. Over time, the processes that power brain cells lose efficiency, setting the stage for cognitive decline . The same processes may contribute to other psychiatric disorders, such as depression .
During periods of ketosis, by contrast, glucose is not available and brain cells must call on fat as their back-up fuel; as a result, they get a more efficient source of energy. Oxidative damage to brain cells is curbed. Turning to ketones intermittently also resets the machinery of glucose utilization and insulin sensitivity, and it stimulates cell-renewal processes. Memory and mental processing speed are maintained.
There is some evidence that the keto diet can help with depressive behaviors ; however, many of these studies have been conducted in animals. Anecdotal evidence points to some mood-boosting effects in humans, but these claims have yet to be fully fleshed out in research.
Evidence is mixed. Some research reports that high-fat diets improve sleep quality; others, however, point to the opposite conclusion. Other studies find that keto diets reduce daytime sleepiness or increase time spent in REM sleep ; some, however, focused specifically on children with epilepsy and may not be generalizable to other populations.
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