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Phebe Hughes
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Can the ketogenic diet really help you lose

weight?

Phebe Hughes Just now · 4 min read

Losing weight while eating fat: this is the surprising promise of the ketogenic diet,
to say the least. Used for almost a centur y against certain forms of epilepsy, the
ketogenic diet has gradually made a place for itself alongside weight-loss diets. For
some time now it has had some success, as evidenced by the twenty or so books
published in recent years and the many press articles which are frequently devoted
to it. How does this diet work? What do we know about its effectiveness? Le Figaro
takes stock.

What is the ketogenic diet?

 Photo by Nadine Primeau on Unsplash

Foods made from cereals (bread, pasta, rice), potatoes, prepared meals, sweets,
cakes, and milk (rich in lactose, which is a carbohydrate) should be avoided. Certain
fruits and vegetables, too rich in carbohydrates (a banana provides about 30 grams
of carbohydrate out of the 50 required), are also to be avoided, as well as legumes.
On the other hand, you should bet on all foods rich in fat and protein such as
vegetable oils, butter, eggs, meats, fatty fish, avocado, coconut, or even oilseeds
(almonds, Hazelnut…). “In practice, it is a ver y difficult diet to follow”, notes Prof.
Luc Cynober, head of the biochemistr y department at Cochin hospital (AP-HP) and
author of Tout sur votre Weight, Do not take risks! (Ed. Michel Lafon).
How it works?
To function, the body has three types of dietar y fuels: carbohydrates, fats, and
proteins. When carbohydrates are ver y low — as is the case with the ketogenic diet
— the liver begins to make ketones from dietar y fat or the body’s fat stores. It is said
that the body is in “ketosis”: it turns into a machine to “burn” fat. Ketone bodies
therefore become the main source of energy for most of our cells. This change
occurs on average between two and four days after adopting the diet.

Can the ketogenic diet help you lose weight?

“A drastic diet of this type definitely makes you lose weight,” says Professor Cynober.
“The individual can lose several pounds in a month. But the problem with these
extreme diets is that there is a rebound effect. Often people gain more weight than
they initially lost ”. The famous “yo-yo” effect, which is found in all diets.

“Research has shown that low-sugar diets allow you to lose weight faster than low-
fat diets. But in the long term, the weight cur ves come together, ”says Dr François
Jornayvaz, head of the diabetology unit at Geneva University Hospitals and author
of several scientific articles on the ketogenic diet.

According to the doctor, this diet — where carbohydrates are almost eliminated —
must be distinguished from low-sugar diets. “We have reason to believe that
moderately low carbohydrate diets, which do not exceed 130 grams of sugars per
day, could be beneficial, especially for diabetic patients,” he says. But you have to be
extremely careful with the type of fats consumed and favor those of plant rather
than animal origin, other wise, there is a risk of developing fatty liver (hepatic
steatosis) and hypercholesterolemia, with harmful effects in the long term. “

For the moment, even if the promises of the ketogenic diet extend (weight loss, but
also cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, etc.), it should be remembered that its
effectiveness has only been scientifically proven in epilepsy.

Are there any side effects?

In the short term, switching from a traditional diet to a ketogenic diet can lead to
nausea, constipation, fatigue, headaches, cramps, bad breath … All these
inconveniences mainly related to dehydration. “With this diet, the body is forced to
use its glucose reser ves,” explains Prof. Luc Cynober. “But in muscle, glucose is
stored with water. Its use therefore results in the elimination of water which
contributes to weight loss but also to dehydration ”.
 This diet, which involves reducing the consumption of fruits and vegetables, can
also lead to deficiencies. “There may be a deficit in vitamins, minerals, and fibers”,
abounds Professor Cynober. Hence the need to take advice from a dietitian or a
nutritionist before embarking on such an enterprise.

In the long term, the consequences are poorly understood. Most of the scientific
work done so far has focused on a small number of participants and/or does not
include a control group to allow comparison. “The strongest data we have come
from children with epilepsy,” says Dr. Jornayvaz. “They show that there is, in the
long term, a risk of developing kidney stones, osteoporosis, and a growth disorder.”

In a report on weight-loss diets published in 2010, the National Food Safety Agency
(ANSES) recalled that “the search for weight loss without formal medical indication
carries risks, in particular when it involves unbalanced and poorly diversified diets ”.
In addition, the Agency stressed that “nothing can replace, in terms of health, a
balanced, diversified diet, ensuring that the daily energy intake does not exceed the
needs.”

“Man is programmed for balanced and omnivorous diets,” recalls Professor Cynober.
“Needless to say, stuffing the body with fat by completely eliminating carbohydrates
is probably not good for your health.”

Learn how to lose weight with a custom keto diet?

Ketogenic Diet Keto Keto Diet Weight Loss Weightloss Foods

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