Doctor Explains Why She Never Recommends The ‘Ketogenic Diet’
By
Arjun Walia
from Colleciteve Evoltuion
Arjun Walia
from Colleciteve Evoltuion In Brief
- The Facts:Michelle McMacken, an internal medicine physician, shares why she does not recommend the ketogenic diet at all for her patients.
- Reflect On:Why are we so quick to jump on bandwagons, especially when it comes to health topics, without ever really looking into it deeper? The ketogenic diet has many health benefits, but it may not be as healthy as many think.
The ketogenic
diet has gained a tremendous amount of popularity over the past few
years, and it’s become a trend that many people are adopting without
doing their own research first. We’ve written multiple articles on the
ketogenic diet, a diet that promotes a high fat/low carb intake in order
to prolong the production of ketone bodies in one’s blood. The release
of these ketone bodies happens when we fast and deplete our glucose
reserves, which develop from eating carbohydrates that turn into sugar.
One can prolong the production of these ketones by sticking to a low
carbohydrate/high fat diet, and essentially run off of fat instead of
their glucose reserves.
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The ketogenic diet is being used as an
intervention for cancer, and there are multiple studies showing how
ketones can actually kill cancer. It’s becoming well known that cancer
cells cannot efficiently process ketone bodies for energy. Essentially,
the cell starves itself, and ketones help slow the proliferation of
tumor cells. Dietary ketones have been shown to completely halt
metastasis. For example, a study titled “The Ketogenic Diet & Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Prolong Survival in Mice with Systemic Metastatic Cancer” explains
how it’s already known that the ketogenic diet elevates blood ketones
and has been shown to slow cancer progression in both animals and
humans. The study also revealed that the ketogenic diet “significantly
decreased blood glucose, slowed tumor growth, and increased mean
survival time by 56.8 percent in mice with systemic metastatic cancer.”
Fasting (when you fast you produce
ketones) is also being used for cancer intervention, seizure prevention
(epilepsy), and as a potential therapy for alzheimer’s disease,
parkinson’s disease, and other neurodegenerative disorders.
A TEDx talk
given by Mark Mattson, the current Chief of the Laboratory of
Neuroscience, at the National Institute on Aging goes into detail about
fasting, ketones, and how beneficial it is for the brain. He is also a
professor of Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University and one of the
foremost researchers of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying
multiple neurodegenerative disorders.
In 1923, scientist Otto
Warburg hypothesized that cancer was caused by a metabolic
process whereby cancer cells fuel their growth “by swallowing up
enormous amounts of glucose [blood sugar] and breaking it down without
oxygen.” Coined the Warburg Effect, the
theory was considered controversial at the time, but the past few
decades have sparked new interest in it and oncologists now use the
dependence on glucose that cancer cells have to locate tumours within a
patient’s body.
Warburg made his discovery around the
same time the ketogenic diet was found to be beneficial for epilepsy.
Studies have shown that when the body produces ketones, they form a
protective barrier around the brain, which is why more and more
paediatricians are recommending the diet for children with epilepsy. It
has a huge success rate, but since fasting is neither marketable nor
profitable, it receives little mainstream attention.
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All of these are specific interventions for certain diseases, and they can
be healthy. On a personal level, I believe fasting a few times a month
is extremely healthy and can be very beneficial for the body. All of the
studies in human and animal models show nothing but benefits. Keep in
mind that while you fast, you also get the benefits of ketones.
This is far different from continuing on
with a no carb, high fat diet where you are constantly producing
ketones and burning fat. It doesn’t seem normal unless you have to do it
for a specific intervention, like cancer. Despite the potential health
benefits, the ‘ketogenic diet’ has become a fad with potential dangers
that people should also be aware of.
The Five Reasons
Below is a list of points regarding the
ketogenic diet from Michelle McMacken, an internal medicine physician,
Assistant Professor of Medicine at the NYU School of Medicine, and
Director of Bellevue Hospital Weight Management Clinic.
I came across these via her Instagram, which make it clear she does not support the diet:
1. That we know of, no population in
history has ever thrived on a very-low-carb/high-fat diet. There is
exactly zero scientific evidence that a keto diet is conducive to
longevity & longstanding vitality – unlike a plant-centric diet, the
foundation of the longest-lived people on earth.
2. A keto diet may cause short-term
weight loss, but possibly at a serious price. A 2010 review found that
low-carb, animal-based diets increased cardiovascular death by 14%,
cancer death by 28%, & all-cause mortality by 23%- trends confirmed
in other large studies.
3. A keto diet hasn’t been shown to
prevent, control, or reverse type 2 diabetes in the long run. Avoiding
carbs will temporarily lower your blood sugar if you have diabetes. But
this simply masks the underlying problem, which is insulin resistance –
ie. glucose in our blood can’t enter our cells & the liver
overproduces sugar. This is NOT the fault of carbs from healthy foods –
whole grains, legumes, fruit, or even starchy vegetables. In fact, a
high-carb, high-fiber, plant-based diet is exceptionally protective
against diabetes & can actually REVERSE insulin resistance &
lower diabetes complications. In contrast, low-carb diets can promote
diabetes over time, as they foster inflammation & fat buildup in our
cells, causing insulin resistance.
4. Keto diet research is in its infancy,
focusing on short-term blood results & body weight – not actual
rates of disease or death. And some findings are concerning. LDL
cholesterol levels tend to rise (or at best, stay the same) on keto
diets. An overwhelming wealth of research shows that the higher the LDL,
the higher the risk of cardiovascular disease.
5. A keto diet is low in refined grains
& added sugar, which is great. But it also can be low in
phytonutrients, antioxidants, & fiber, all of which have profound
benefits, and it forbids some of the most powerfully health-promoting
foods on earth – whole grains, legumes, & many fruits. To me, that’s
just not good medicine.
Her references:
The Takeaway
It’s great to see the world becoming
more health conscious, it’s one of multiple contributing factors in
raising our vibrational frequency, and feeling more ‘alive.’ That being
said, a lot of ‘fads’ seem to pop up in this field, which are coupled
with a great misunderstanding of how these specific diets, like the
ketogenic diet, is supposed to be used. At the end of the day, balance
is key, and it’s best to incorporate more organic fruits and vegetables
in your diet, and completely cut out all processed foods, and substances
like high fructose corn syrup etc. Being healthy is not hard, and it’s
not complicated. If you’re going to incorporate a specific diet into
your lifestyle, just make sure it’s not one that’s specifically designed
to combat certain diseases, like the ketogenic diet.
Related CE Articles:
Doctor Explains What Happens To The Body When It Goes Into KetosisThe Biggest Misconception About The Ketogenic Diet…You Don’t Actually Have To Follow It
Ending The Debate About The Ketogenic Diet – 9 Studies You Must Be Aware Of
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