Most people start a ketogenic diet for the sole purpose of losing weight. A ketogenic diet involves eliminating all kinds of sugar, starchy or refined carbs, and fruits. One typically eats nuts, fish, eggs, meat, and some vegetables.
It might be combined with intermittent fasting, where you eat only at specific times during the day. Many people have reported the positive effects of a keto diet. But there is another surprising positive effect as well. This one occurs in your mental health. Many people who opted for a keto diet reported a remarked improvement in their mental health. Let us have a look at this phenomenon in detail.
Impact on mood
Many people have reported experiencing a good mood after following a keto diet. However, some of them have indeed reported mood swings at times. In general, the reported after-effects have been positive.
Research has concluded that keto diets can combat depression too because of their anti-inflammatory properties. A ketogenic diet also enables the body to create reasonable quantities of GABA, which is a neurotransmitter. Ingredients in GABA include glutamate, which is an excitatory neurotransmitter.
Impact on schizophrenia
According to some studies, diets with reduced amounts of carbohydrates and ketogenic diets have displayed a relief in symptoms of schizophrenia. Keto diets help effectively manage the symptoms through the boost in GABA intake and doing away with the need for glucose as an energy source.
Keeps your mental state stable
Ketones are a source of instant energy owing to the fact their metabolism rate is faster than glucose. Ketones are a more stable and longer-lasting energy source. Now, when your body learns the truth that it can go for the stored fat to get more fuel, there is no panic, and your overall state is stable.
Dementia
Research has shown that increased ketone content in the body aids MCI or mild cognitive impairment. MCI is an impairment that increases the likelihood of a person to suffer from dementia. Cognitive impairment might occur due to increased inflammation in the brain area, which happens due to enhanced concentration of amyloid plaques which is also observed in Alzheimer’s disease. To learn more about the effects of Keto diets on mental health, you may consult a professional like health coach Idrees Samih, as he writes extensively about keto and related topics on Bariatric Station.
On inflammation
By following a keto diet, you start eating genuine food and avoid processed and inflammatory foods. When you increase the intake of anti-inflammatory foods, it will have a proportional impact on your mood. When your dietary intake consists of lean protein sources, healthy fats, and clean vegetables, the inflammation reduces automatically.
Adopting a ketogenic diet enables a complex biochemical reaction that has the power to combat inflammation. This reaction reduces and relaxes the chronic inflammation associated with fatigue, anxiety, depression, and more.
On bipolar disorder
The drugs that fight against bipolar disorder have anti-seizure properties. This implies that there is a direct relationship between a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet and its impact on one’s mental health.
There have been several clinical trials that showed promising results related to the positive impacts of a keto diet on bipolar disorder. Some studies also revealed that diet had a greater impact than medication in some cases of bipolar disorder. Improved mood stabilization was also observed.
Conclusion
A keto diet has an indisputable impact on mood swings and depression besides letting one reduce their weight and other conditions such as Diabetes, PCOS, and more. The keto diet was developed to fight the menace of epilepsy but has evolved to combat other issues as well. A keto diet also aids in skin and hair care, keeping blood sugar in check, and better energy levels.
