The Ketogenic Diet is a high fat, low carbohydrate diet, that has been shown through multiple studies to be a powerful, and natural way to lose weight, and keep weight off.
The Ketogenic Diet is based on a metabolic process known as ketosis, which is the point where your body begins to burn fat as a fuel instead of carbohydrates. When your body is using carbohydrates as its primary fuel source, it stores fat. Eating a Ketogenic Diet allows your body to begin burning its fat stores directly as a fuel source.
Many Studies Have shown the Ketogenic Diet to be a powerful tool for weight loss. Based on the evidence, patients who followed the ketogenic diet not only showed significant signs of weight loss, but an overall increase in health. Many factors play into how quickly, and the amount of weight loss, as every individual have different body requirements, but the studies show that the Ketogenic Diet can be beneficial for most people who want to lose weight.
This article reviews 5 of the studies that show why the Ketogenic Diet is powerful for weight loss.
1. Hussein M. Dashti, et al. Long term effects of a Ketogenic Diet in obese patients
This is a study done to show the long term effects of a twenty-four week Ketogenic Diet on eighty-three obese patients. Thirty-nine men and forty-four women were selected with high glucose and cholesterol levels. The patients were tested and monitored throughout the administration of the Ketogenic Diet on their body weight, body mass index, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting blood sugar, urea and creatine levels.
The study determined that not only after the twenty-four week period, of the Ketogenic Diet, that the body mass index had decreased in significant amounts, but low density lipoprotein cholesterol had significantly dropped as well, along with triglycerides, and the level of blood glucose. The patients where tested at eight, sixteen, and the twenty fourth week for each during the administration of the diet. At each testing interval, the patients showed dramatic losses in body weight, and overall body mass index.
The study determined that based on the results, the Ketogenic Diet was a natural therapy for weight loss in obese patients. Also it showed that the Ketogenic Diet was safe for long term use with no negative side effects. The Ketogenic Diet reduced the weight and body mass index significantly in each of the patients. It also had effects on the decreased level of triglycerides, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and blood glucose. Furthermore it showed an increase in the levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol.
2. Bonnie J. Brehm, et al. A Randomized Trial Comparing a Very Low Carbohydrate Diet and a Calorie-Restricted Low Fat Diet on Body Weight and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Healthy Women
The objective of the study was to compare and assess the differences between a very low carbohydrate diet and a calorie-restricted, low fat diet. The subjects who participated in the study were all obese females, who were selected at random to participate in one of the two diets. They were each tested on total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, glucose, insulin, leptin, β-hydroxybutyrate, and triglycerides. Blood pressure was measured, and Ketosis was assessed in the patients.
The patients who participated in the low carbohydrate diet, lost an average weight of sixteen and a half pounds within the first three months. Those who participated in in the low fat diet lost an average of nine pounds within the first three months. At the six month marker, the women who were on the low carbohydrate diet had lost an average of eighteen to twenty pounds as opposed to the women on the low fat diet who on average lost nine pounds.
Based on the results of the study, which show that a very low carbohydrate diet is extremely effective for weight loss when compared with a low fat diet. The low carbohydrate group showed much more significant signs of weight loss throughout the trial. The women also did not show an increase in blood pressure, glucose, plasma lipids or insulin.
3. Alexandra M. Johnstone, et al. Effects of a high-protein ketogenic diet on hunger, appetite, and weight loss in obese men feeding ad libitum
This study was aimed at assessing a low carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet and how it affected hunger, appetite and weight loss. Seventeen obese men were put on a Ketogenic Diet and were assessed daily on body weight, ketosis and hunger levels. throughout the study, the patients were assessed on their body weight, anthropometric variables, resting metabolic rate, blood pressure, hunger and appetite, and body composition.
The results show that throughout the administration of the Ketogenic Diet, all patients lost a significant amount of body weight. On average, the patients lost around thirteen pounds of body fat. This was achieved during a four week span, and shows how quickly the Ketogenic Diet can work when followed correctly.
4. Pal T. Jabekk, et al. Resistance training in overweight women on a ketogenic diet conserved lean body mass while reducing body fat
This is a study done to analyze and compare how ten weeks of resistance training would differ between a Ketogenic Diet and a regular diet based on body weight and body composition. Each patient was tested and monitored throughout the administration of the study on total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood glucose levels. Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry was used to estimate body composition. Each individual participant would record everything they ate and drank, and their weight on four consecutive days twice during the study. The studies were averaged and used to estimate the dietary intake during this time.
Eighteen of the original twenty successfully completed the study. The results determined that after the ten weeks of diet and training, the women who had not participated in the Ketogenic Diet had an increase in lean body mass, and no significant change to their fat mass. The women who did however participate in the Ketogenic Diet did show a reduction in body fat. So in summary, when the Ketogenic Diet was followed, the results show a reduced body fat and body weight in much larger quantities than when the Ketogenic Diet is not followed.
The concluding factors of the study within the group of overweight women who were on a low carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet lost body fat. The group of overweight women who were not on a low carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet did not lose body fat, and in fact showed an increase in lean body mass. This was a small study where only some of the factors were considered, and it has been determined that the habitual dietary intake of the participants should have been assessed. This study does show, that weight loss can be achieved through a Ketogenic Diet.
5. S. Nymo, et al. Timeline of changes in appetite during weight loss with a ketogenic diet
This study was done to show how appetite may be affected with weight loss. The objective was to see if the Ketogenic Diet could minimize or suppress the increased hunger and reduced fullness feelings in many diet-induced weight loss programs. Along with this, it also shows that the Ketogenic Diet is a way to lose weight. Thirty-one adults, eighteen males and thirteen women who were obese were put on a Ketogenic Diet for eight weeks, and four weeks of weight maintenance.
Significant amounts of weight loss was already shown by day three of the study in all of the participants, both male and female. Body weight was shown to decrease throughout the study. Five percent of weight loss was shown to occur on day twelve through eighteen. Ten percent of weight loss was shown to occur on day thirty two through day forty. Males lost a significantly larger amount of weight compared with the females at weeks nine and thirteen, but at the end of the study, there were no signs of significant weight loss in terms of sex differences.
Through the Ketogenic Diet all patients were shown to lose a significant amount of body fat. Although this is not what the study was specifically designed to assess, there is no question that it demonstrates that the Ketogenic Diet is a great dietary tool for weight loss.
Conclusion
A consistent factor in each study done on the effects of a Ketogenic Diet is that it is an extremely effective tool for weight loss. When followed correctly, every patient lost weight in every study shown. A low fat, low caloric intake diet, which many people once believed to be the most effective diet for weight loss, has shown it cannot come close to the efficiency of the Ketogenic diet. When following a Ketogenic Diet, many people have reported feeling more alert, awake, happy and generally healthier. This coupled with the significant amounts of weight loss make the Ketogenic Diet a popular choice for many people. Read next on How to Lose Weight On A Ketogenic Diet
One Response
The ketogenic diet is the best I have ever been on. I eat healthy, I have lost weight and fat, however, the best part is…I no longer have a sugar addiction. Eating keto is the only way to go for a life long healthy way to eat…it is not a diet per se, it is an eating plan for life.