Ketosis can also offer health benefits that stretch far beyond weight loss. This way of eating can be beneficial for people with mitochondrial dysfunction and cancer1 or for athletes2 looking to increase their athletic performance. Here’s why the ketogenic diet is a good choice for weight loss and overall health: When it comes to most hunger pangs, we’re talking about ghrelin, not leptin. Ghrelin is the main hunger hormone and increases appetite. When you eat, ghrelin levels drop, if you are overweight they won’t drop as much as they should. When you start to lose weight on a non-ketotic diet, your body senses that it’s being starved and ghrelin levels increase. This is one reason regular diets often fail. The good news if you’re on a ketotic diet is ghrelin levels do not increase as you lose weight. I hope I’ve demonstrated why ketosis can help you lose weight, and just a couple of words of caution before we go. If you have type 1 diabetes, or any other chronic medical condition, this is something that should be done only under medical supervision. In addition, it’s important to know that the ketogenic diet can be hard on conditions like leaky gut. I have my patients and clients “break ketosis” every two weeks to protect their gut. In general, this is a very healthy diet, and any symptoms of brain fog and sleep disturbance (if they occur at all) should clear up after the first two weeks. As with all weight-reduction programs, if you’re looking to drop significant weight, it’s best to obtain medical clearance. And of course, listen to your body always. If you ever feel that something is wrong, do have a doctor check it out. Good luck! Here’s how the ketogenic diet can transform your sex life and help you lose unwanted fat.
