The basis of the ketogenic diet is to remove carbohydrates from the daily menu and replace them with fats. The ketogenic diet is used to treat epilepsy and is recommended primarily for patients for whom pharmacology has not yielded the expected effect.
The main source of energy is carbohydrates, that's why we consume them the most (about 50%). Besides, there is fat - 35%, in the daily diet - protein (about 15%). When the body gets too few carbohydrates, it needs energy from fat, which forms the basis of the ketogenic diet. Fat can be 80 to 90 percent.
While using it produces results quickly and those who use it after a few days notice a difference, the change does not last long. They are very often malnourished and lack the necessary nutrients.
Contrary to its appearances, the ketogenic diet is not the next "miracle" diet. This special menu was created for a specific purpose. Research shows that limiting carbohydrate intake to fat is ideal for people with intractable epilepsy.
Adjunctive therapy with fat, a diet for autism, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, certain types of epilepsy, and encephalopathy are also being considered.
Ketogenic diet - how does it work?
When fat becomes the body's main fuel during breakdown, 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 occurring in hungry individuals, in the case of epilepsy they have a beneficial effect. High levels of ketone bodies in the blood prevent the onset of seizures.