The basis of a ketogenic diet is to eliminate carbohydrates from the daily menu and replace them with fats. The ketogenic diet is used to treat epilepsy and is recommended mainly for patients for whom pharmacology has no expected effect.
The main source of energy is carbohydrates, which is why we consume them the most (about 50%). Next to them are fats - 35%, in the daily ration - proteins (about 15%). When the body receives too few carbohydrates, it needs energy from the fats that form the basis of a ketogenic diet. Fat can be from 80 to 90 percent.
Although its use gives fast results and people who use it after a few days notice the difference, this change does not last long. They very often suffer from malnutrition and lack the necessary nutrients.
Contrary to appearances, the ketogenic diet is not the next "miracle" diet. This special menu is designed for a specific purpose. Studies have shown that restricting carbohydrate intake with fats is ideal for people with refractory epilepsy.
Fatty adjuvant therapy, diet for autism, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, some types of epilepsy and encephalopathy are also considered.
Ketogenic Diet - How Does It Work?
When fats become the main fuel of the body during their breakdown, ketone bodies are formed: acetone, acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybutyric acid. They penetrate the nervous system, where they feed on nerve cells instead of glucose.
Although the metabolic changes in this diet are similar in people who are hungry, in the case of epilepsy they have a beneficial effect. The high concentration of ketone bodies in the blood blocks the onset of seizures.