Benefits of the keto or hyperprotein diet
Beyond losing weight and body fat, gaining muscle mass, and increasing satiety, the keto diet can offer multiple science-backed health benefits. The reduction of cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure, as well as the improvement of the intestinal macrobiota are just some of the additional advantages of this food proposal that was devised more than 100 years ago to treat epilepsy in children. Today we are going to delve into all the benefits of the hyperprotein diet, will you join us?
The keto diet, a medical solution with 100 years of history
Although its origin dates back more than a century ago, when it was devised to help improve the condition of children with epilepsy, the popularity of the high protein diet in recent years is due to its results related to weight control.
However, not only the results support this type of diet: a study published in the journal Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disease shows that this diet is safe and effective for weight loss, highlighting that it improves almost all health parameters and it remains stable for up to 2 years.
Much more than a diet to lose weight and gain muscle mass
In addition to its effectiveness and scientific endorsement, one of the biggest keys to the success of the keto diet is that it increases satiety, which facilitates its monitoring and reduces the abandonment that usually occurs in most diets that are caused by boredom or hunger. It is not its only quality, since it guarantees unbeatable results with respect to some aspects:
- Control your appetite: It is one of the great virtues of low-carbohydrate diets. Reducing carbohydrate intake and increasing protein and fat reduces appetite. Different studies indicate an increase in the sensitivity to leptin (the hormone responsible for the feeling of satiety) and a decrease in the levels of ghrelin (the appetite hormone). This context generates a double benefit: on the one hand, the feeling of satiety that satisfies daily needs, which improves mood and mood; on the other, the reduction of calorie intake by needing less food.
- Generates greater weight loss. Studies show that on the keto diet there is two to three times greater weight loss than on a low-fat diet and, in addition, that loss is maintained for longer.
- Promotes greater fat loss: Allows you to eliminate a greater amount of fat from the abdominal cavity.
- Improves mental clarity and concentration. From the fourth day there is a greater activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the release of adrenaline, norepinephrine and dopamine.
- Increases insulin sensitivity and stabilizes energy level during the day. People with insulin resistance may experience energy crashes after a carbohydrate-rich meal, with effects such as tiredness, hunger, or a need for sugar-rich foods. With the keto diet, by increasing insulin sensitivity and limiting carbohydrate intake, energy levels remain constant throughout the day.
More benefits of the keto diet, backed by science
The well-performed, controlled, and professionally supervised keto diet can have many uses beyond losing weight and fat, increasing muscle mass, and all of its added benefits.
In fact, science supports its different benefits, although remember to do it with proper control and planning. It can improve intestinal flora, reduce the presence of cardiovascular risk factors, delay cognitive decline and dementia symptoms, as well as cognitive enhancement:
- It improves the microbiota, as reflected in a study published in the journal Genes that addresses the relationship of the keto diet with the intestinal biota. The study concludes that this type of diet can improve the intestinal flora, thereby helping to strengthen the body’s defenses and prevent diseases.
- Reduces cardiovascular risk: A 24-week trial comparing patients on a low-carbohydrate diet with those on a low-fat diet found that the keto diet increases variation in blood lipids. This modification can help reduce the level of triglycerides and increase good cholesterol (HDL) in the body, in addition to reducing blood pressure, which translates into a lower presence of cardiovascular risk factors.
- Improvement in dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. After studying its usefulness in the treatment of neurological diseases, recent research highlights its use for the delay or prevention of dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Cognitive and attention increase. The keto diet was used initially to treat epilepsy in children, managing to reduce the frequency and intensity of seizures, even disappearing completely in some cases. As a result of this use, the medical community observed other associated effects such as cognitive and attention improvement, energy and mood.
As you can see, in addition to the effects on weight loss, body fat reduction and increased muscle mass, the keto diet has numerous benefits endorsed by the scientific community in terms of health. What are you wanting to see for yourself all its benefits?
