photograph: Vladimir Bulgar/Science Photo LI
To get the most health benefits from the keto diet, you should take a “break”, says US scientist Professor David Geese.
Gius conducted studies on mice on a ketogenic diet and found that they had significantly more senescent cells, or cells that undergo aging, in their organs compared with mice on a standard diet.
These findings suggest that the keto diet may accelerate organ ageing and increase the risk of diseases such as heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes.
But when the mice were put back on a normal diet, the number of senescent cells decreased.
The key, says Gius, is to take a “keto vacation.”
Zius is a prominent figure in cancer research and the genetics of aging and currently serves as associate director of cancer translational research and associate dean for research at South Texas College.
“I think what this study really shows is that, as with any medical or nutritional intervention, the question isn’t whether it works or not,” he said. Sunday Morning.
“The question is: who does it work for, who doesn’t it work for, and who might potentially not benefit? And I think that’s the real story of our trial of the ketogenic diet and senescent cells in mice.”
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When ketogenesis stops, cells die, either due to aging or old age, he said.
“There seem to be many definitions of the cyclical ketogenic diet, but the most common definition is that you go on a ketogenic diet for four to five days, then take two to three days off, and you don’t see any cellular buildup.
“So I think the key finding in our study is not just that we found senescent cells, cells that exhibit an aging phenotype, but the real finding is that you shouldn’t continue on a ketogenic diet indefinitely.”
When you start a ketogenic diet, you enter a state of ketosis, which means your liver excretes ketones into your serum, he said.
“This is likely responsible for the positive health effects published in studies on diabetes, anti-aging effects and some neurodegenerative diseases.”
“These are due to ketones. But as several other studies have shown, after a week or two, fat and lipids become so high that the beneficial effects of ketones are overwhelmed by the detrimental effects of high lipid levels in the blood.”
He said the results observed in mice could potentially be applied to humans, with some caution, because of human physiological conditions.
“For bodybuilders who are following a ketogenic diet to reduce their fat levels, as long as they are underweight and not consuming too much fat, they are not likely to suffer from the accumulation of senescent cells on a long-term ketogenic diet.”
“If you lose weight and exercise intensely while on a ketogenic diet, these lipids, the so-called toxic lipids, will be less likely to accumulate.”
If you’re on a keto diet, hitting the sweet spot is key, he says.
“There’s an interplay between ketones, which are probably very helpful, and the idea that blood lipids can get too high and cause a pro-inflammatory state. So it’s kind of a yin-yang.”
