Low-carb and ketogenic diets have many health benefits.
For example, it is well known that they can cause weight loss and help fight diabetes.
However, they are also beneficial for certain brain disorders.
This article explores how low-carb and ketogenic diets affect the brain.
What Are Low-Carb and Ketogenic Diets?
Although there is a lot of overlap between low-carb and ketogenic diets, there are also a few important differences.
Ketogenic diet:
- Carbs are limited to 50 grams or less per day.
- Protein is often restricted.
- A major goal is to increase blood levels of ketones, molecules that can supply energy for the brain.
Low-carb diet:
- Carbs can vary from 25–150 grams per day.
- Protein is usually not restricted.
- Ketones may or may not rise to high levels in the blood.
On a ketogenic diet, the brain is mainly fueled by ketones. These are produced in the liver when carb intake is very low.
On a standard low-carb diet, the brain will still be largely dependent on glucose, although it may burn more ketones than on a regular diet.
Bottom Line: Low-carb and ketogenic diets are similar in many ways. However, a ketogenic diets contains even fewer carbs, and will lead to a significant rise in blood levels of ketones.
The “130 Grams of Carbs” Myth
You may have heard that your brain needs 130 grams of carbs per day to function properly. This is one of the most common myths about low-carb diets.
In fact, a report by the US Institute of Medicine’s Food and Nutrition Board states:
“The lower limit of dietary carbohydrates compatible with life apparently is zero, provided that adequate amounts of protein and fat are consumed.”
Although a zero-carb diet isn’t recommended because it eliminates many healthy foods, you can definitely eat much less than 130 grams per day and maintain good brain function.
Bottom Line: It is a common myth that you need to eat 130 grams of carbs per day to provide the brain with energy.
How Low-Carb and Ketogenic Diets Supply Energy For The Brain
Low-carb diets have a fascinating way of providing your brain with energy via processes calledketogenesis and gluconeoegenesis.
Ketogenesis
Glucose, the sugar found in your blood, is usually the brain’s main fuel. Unlike muscle, your brain can’t use fat as a fuel source.
However, the brain can use ketones. Your liver produces ketones from fatty acids when glucose and insulin levels are low.
Ketones are actually produced in small amounts whenever you go for many without eating, such as after a full night’s sleep.
However, the liver increases its production of ketones even further during fasting or when carb intake falls below 50 grams per day (1, 2).
When carbs are eliminated or minimized, ketones can provide up to 70% of the brain’s energy needs (3).
Gluconeogenesis
Although most of the brain can use ketones, there are portions that require glucose to function. On a very-low-carb diet, some of this glucose can be supplied by the small amount of carbs consumed.
The rest comes from a process in your body called gluconeogenesis, which means “making new glucose.”
In this process, the liver creates glucose for the brain to use. It manufactures the glucose using amino acids, the building blocks of protein.
The liver can also make glucose from glycerol. This is the backbone that links fatty acids together in triglycerides, the body’s storage form of fat.
Thanks to gluconeogenesis, the portions of the brain that need glucose get a steady supply, even when your carb intake is very low.
Bottom Line: On a very low-carb diet, up to 70% of the brain can be fueled by ketones. The rest can be fueled by glucose produced in the liver.
These Diets Have Powerful Health Benefits
According to the available evidence, ketogenic diets can have powerful benefits for the brain.
The strongest evidence has to do with treating drug-resistant epilepsy in children.
There is also preliminary evidence that ketogenic diets may reduce symptoms of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Research is ongoing about its effects on patients with these and other brain disorders.
Beyond brain health, there are also many studies showing that low-carb and ketogenic diets can cause weight loss and help treat diabetes.
These diets are not for everyone, but can have incredible benefits for a lot of people.
[Edited]
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