The ketogenic diet which consists in eliminating almost all the carbohydrates from its diet, especially starchy foods, to favor fatty foods and protein, is very controversial. Some studies have shown that it can control epilepsy, protect against the flu and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, while others have reported very serious side effects such as worsening problems. cardiovascular health, heavy liver, headache, nausea, fatigue, constipation (due to lack of fiber) or kidney stones (due to lack of mineral vitamins and electrolytes). According to new work published on January 20 in the review Nature Metabolism, if it has many positive effects on health in the short term, beyond a week its influence would become negative, even dangerous.
To reach this conclusion, researchers from Yale University in the United States administered the diet to mice. The first few days, they found positive effects on the animals’ bodies.
“A ketogenic diet encourages the body to burn fat. When the body’s glucose levels drop following a low-carbohydrate diet, the body acts like it is going to face hunger, although it is not, and starts burning. fats instead of carbohydrates. This results in the formation of ketones that provide an alternative source of fuel, “said Vishwa Deep Dixit, who led the study. When the body burns these ketone bodies, tissue-protective gamma delta T cells are diffused throughout the body, which led to better metabolism and lower risk of diabetes in the mice at the start of the study.
Conduct clinical studies in humans
However, the first week passed, the mice began to consume more fat than they burned and therefore to store it. Indeed, “their protective gammadelta T cells got lost in fat, ”notes Vishwa Deep Dixit. The mice then started to develop type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Long-term clinical studies must now be carried out on humans to validate these results. “Before such a diet can be prescribed, it is important to carry out a large clinical test under controlled conditions in order to understand the mechanism of metabolic and immunological benefits, as well as the possible harm it could do to overweight and prediabetic people. ”, Warns Vishwa Deep Dixit, whereas in the past, a study recommended to patients with type 2 diabetes to follow this mode of feeding (under the supervision of a doctor).
In conclusion, for Vishwa Deep Dixit, the fact that the ketogenic diet can be followed from time to time over a few days is rather good news, because “who would like to diet all the time?” . Especially since this extremely strict diet is very difficult to maintain. Remember that to reach the ketogenic state and achieve the production of ketones, it is recommended to maintain your carbohydrate intake around 20 grams per day, the equivalent of a small apple.
Fewer new cases of diabetes in France in recent years
In France, in 2017, 3.1 million French people over the age of 45 suffered from type 2 diabetes, i.e. 12.1% of men and 8.4% of women, according to a recent report by Santé publique France. , compared to 11.5% and 7.9% respectively in 2010. According to the researchers, this increase in prevalence rates is not bad news in itself. This could simply be explained by the fact that people with diabetes today receive better treatments and therefore have a longer life expectancy.
In addition, the number of new cases of diabetes diagnosed each year in the territory decreased between 2010 and 2017. Thus, in 2017, 9.7 men over 45 years of age in 1,000 had become diabetic against 11 out of 1,000 in 2010.
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