JAMA: The keto diet “could be game changing” for chronic disease

January 17 2018 by in Diabetes, Keto, Weight loss

It seems like the tide is turning. The obsolete fear of saturated fat is on the way out, and the scientific interest in the keto diet, for weight loss and type 2 diabetes, is growing rapidly.

Look no further than this excellent new article in the Journal of the American Medical Association:

A diet that lets a person eat fat to satiety – even saturated fat – without relying on calorie counting and still lose substantial weight, treat diabetes into remission, raise HDL levels, and lower triglycerides and blood pressure? It could be game changing for the field of chronic disease…

The JAMA Network: Interest in the ketogenic diet grows for weight loss and type 2 diabetes

Keto

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35 comments

1
Beverly St.Pierre
January 17 2018
Best thing I ever did. I wish I was introduced to this WAY OF EATING (WOE) years ago.

Reply: #36
2
Cristina
January 17 2018
BRASIL
3
Mary Ellen Maguire
January 17 2018
I'm trying so hard. Going on week 3 and No substantial weight loss. I am managing about 20 carbs daily
I seem to be retaining fluid. Help..

Replies: #13, #27, #31
4
Becky
January 17 2018
I completely understand your frustration. Are you eating enough fat, and drinking plenty of water?
5
Kim
January 17 2018
I hear your frustration Mary Ellen. Yhis doea work so hope you hang in there. I was in your shoes for over 2 months until saw change. Look at your macros and consider caloric intake, are you getting enough HQ fat, water consumption, etc. Intermittent fasting might kickstart you. I am so glad I stuck it out..hope you do as well!
6
Amy Brumley
January 17 2018
Has this helped anyone with their diabetes?

Reply: #8
7
Richard
January 17 2018
I was diagnosed with diabetes in June started a diet similar to Keto lost 60 lbs and was off of insulin and metformin in November. I went from a A1C level of 12.8 to a 4.9 in that time frame. I mainly looked at carbs and limit my intake to 20 a day so it does work.
8
Reply to comment #6 by Amy Brumley
Peter Biörck Team Diet Doctor
January 17 2018
Hi Amy!

Yes, read this:
https://www.dietdoctor.com/diabetes

Has this helped anyone with their diabetes?

Reply: #16
1 comment removed
10
Lisa Finnie
January 18 2018
I just started a week ago and lost 9 lbs.
11
John Monks
January 18 2018
Been Keto since Oct 18, about 20 grams carbs a day. Have lost 30 lbs. No sugar and bread was hard for first 2 wks. Im over it now. This is only way for me Keto now Keto forever!
12
Eileen Christensen
January 18 2018
If I fast I put on weight its like my body goes into starvation

Reply: #28
13
Reply to comment #3 by Mary Ellen Maguire
Lori
January 18 2018
Are you weighing all if your food and counting literally everything and logging it? It happens to me as well when I don't weigh and log.
14
Brian
January 18 2018
2 weeks in feel great lost 8 pounds. Eating like all day long though I don't stop eating haha but still lost 8 pounds not bad
15
Bill
January 18 2018
I think you're all nuts saturated fat you'll have heart disease pretty soon guaranteed
16
Reply to comment #8 by Peter Biörck
AJ
January 18 2018
Yes, it has really dropped my numbers. I range between 95-150
17
Pete J
January 18 2018
Bill, the reason we're doing it or at least I am is because I already have heart desease and I'm now pre diabetic. The can reverse both conditions. Due your research. That's old thinking.
18
FG
January 18 2018
You don't absorb the fat you're eating, saturated or not. Your body is using the fat stores and fat you're eating for energy since you aren't providing carbs for energy. It's not nuts. It's science. Cholesterol is a big contributor to heart disease and this diet is proven to lower bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol because your body is burning fat stores and the fat being eaten for energy.

Reply: #29
19
Brian
January 18 2018
I've been doing for about 7 mouths and I lost over 120 lbs. No more sleepless nights I can breathe great and I can enjoy life with my kids. They way I was eating before I would not made to see my kids graduate. Thanks to keto life.
20
RReddy
January 18 2018
Read The Obesity Code by Dr. Jason Fung
21
Gerri
January 18 2018
I have been on this diet since August under the direction of a research study through the University of Michigan for Type 2 diabetics. I have lost 36 pounds, my A1C has gone from 6.8 to 5. I no longer take metformin, lisinopril, a statin or omeprazole. My cholesterol has gone from 188 to 133. It is a miracle! My doctor told me my diabetes is in remission!
22
Helen Graham
January 18 2018
My husband is doing great. Off 2 of his diabetic meds. I'm off sugar now and down 20 pounds in 10 weeks. Keto recipes so good. Not missing anything.
23
Josefa
January 18 2018
Can you drink any alcohol / wine?

Reply: #26
24
Ann
January 18 2018
Is it possible to do these meals and feel satisfied if I have a dairy allergy?

Reply: #25
25
Reply to comment #24 by Ann
Geoff
January 18 2018
Ann, yes, many people adopt a non-dairy ketogenic eating style and do quite well.
26
Reply to comment #23 by Josefa
Peter Biörck Team Diet Doctor
January 18 2018
Hi Josefa!

Recommended reading:
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/alcohol

Can you drink any alcohol / wine?
27
Reply to comment #3 by Mary Ellen Maguire
Karen
January 19 2018
It took a Solid 4 weeks before I started seeing the numbers go down on the scale. It takes time for your body to become keto adapted, so don't give up! You should start to look and FEEL amazing very soon.
28
Reply to comment #12 by Eileen Christensen
Peter Phelps
January 20 2018
Eileen, The same happens with me. I lose while I am fasting but the weight comes back with a vengeance when I refeed and that is not silly refeeding either. I am currently trying 1 meal a day which has been ok so far.
29
Reply to comment #18 by FG
Peter Phelps
January 20 2018
Errr no FG. There is no evidence that cholesterol contributes to heart disease. That is the big myth. Inflamation is a far far bigger contributor to CVD than cholesterol ever was.
30
Kent
January 24 2018
I've been on the diet since October and have lost 25 pounds so far. But my recent bloodwork actually showed a rise in LDL (still healthy) and a decline in HDL (always too low). Trying niacin to help boost the HDL.
31
Reply to comment #3 by Mary Ellen Maguire
Rena
January 24 2018
If you're in Ketosis, just give it some more time.
If not, or you haven't checked, you could be getting more carbs than you think.
Read labels. Food manufacturers put sugar in products you wouldn't expect to have it.
They make the serving size so small that the carbs round to zero which is misleading.
Also watch for too much protein. Your body will convert extra to carbs.
Exercising before breakfast helped me.
Ensure you're getting enough sleep and managing your stress.
If you're in menopause, you may have to take extra steps:
Eating less overall, eating dinner earlier and breakfast later, skipping meals, etc.
It will be slower
32
Troy
January 24 2018
Bill, there are numerous studies coming out that show saturated fat is bad WHEN eaten with carbs. Yes, saturated fats are very bad for your arteries, but only when the insulin levels are elevated.

On a different note, I still have doubts when eating bacon and such. I'm APOE e4/e4, so keto doesn't offer me the same protective benefits.

I'm fortunate enough at 46 to never have been overweight, but as a personal trainer, Rena gave the best advice to those struggling with keto to lose weight. I'll just add try to eat within a 12 hour window, and not within a couple hours of going to bed.
33
Susan
January 24 2018
Foregoing sweets is the hardest for me. How have you all made it past those first few weeks of intense cravings?
34
Bill Wightman
January 25 2018
Susan, try munching on pecans and macadamia nuts. I have slowly started eating the fancy chocolate bars at the level of 85% cacao. You have to work up to it as they are quite bitter at first. Mine sat in a drawer uneaten for a long time. Also remember that if you have some sugary thing, then tomorrow just keep trying. Go for long peaceful walks or ride a bike (watch out for cars) to help bring down your blood glucose levels. I remain borderline ketogenic (around .5 mg/dL ketones) and have settled on a lemon water one-day fast once per week to compensate for foods I really should not eat (and it improves my sleep having an empty stomach). Once you pass the adaptation phase, skipping a meal or taking a short fast is not so bad.
35
Cheryl Haase
January 25 2018
I've been ketogenic for a year. All my health markers are great. I was prediabetic, but no more. I don't worry about the junk science surrounding cholesterol and statins. There are actually studies showing that elderly folks with low cholesterol are developing dementia. Your brain NEEDS cholesterol. Inflammation, free radicals, high sugar, high carb diets are killing us. There are tons of ideas to get around your sweet tooth. Try Sukrin Gold - roast pecans in butter and sprinkle Sukrin Gold... tastes just like brown sugar. Also, don't overdue on nuts. They will make your weight plateau. Yes, you can drink alcohol, but go slowly. Diet doctor has a chart on alcohol, look for that. Don't drink alcohol every day if you're still losing weight. Lots of dessert ideas on Diet Doctor, and TONS on Pinterest. Good luck!
36
Reply to comment #1 by Beverly St.Pierre
Lee Cowell
November 28 2019
tell you what THIS is an absolute incredible way to eat.. forever. 6 months ago I ran into a serious issue.. edema. so bad it was filling my shoes up with "ooze" from my knees on down! so doc sends me to cardio to have an ultrasound on my legs although he already knows I do not have a heart condition (with a total cholesterol of 109 and even though I'm 77yo and weighed 280 pounds at the time?). well that test came back with perfect BP everywhere and NO blockages whatsoever my arteries look like a teenagers. so what's going on? AGE AND OBESITY that's what! I immediately went on KETO because I can't do a thing about age but I can certainly ATTACK obesity with a vengeance! in the first month I lose 24 pounds and in 6 months I'm at 218. yeah. and sometimes now I forget to EAT! not hungry! so I forget! Look. carbs INCREASES your appetite. dramatically. you want MORE carbs when in fact you do NOT need ANY! and in fact should NOT be consuming more than 20 carbs/day.. not the 300+ recommended by AMA! These people should be SHOT for recommended such astronomically HIGH numbers! yeah they're protecting the huge cash cow that eating vast amount of carbs promote. they really DO NOT CARE ABOUT US ONE BIT! not only that WHAT is the source of excess cholesterol?. WHAT YOU EAT! right on.. but is NOT from cholesterol that causes your body to overproduce the stuff (that then KILLS you!). the source? CARBS! So WTF is the AMA doing about it? Killing us! So all those labels that they demand to be on every package.. well it drives UP the price of everything to begin with by requiring these useless tests.. the results are useless unless they print ONE thing. the amount of CARBS! Remember Jack Lalanne? he was a health "nut".. that lived until he was 97yo. he stated that if tasted good? don't eat it. he was talking about carbs, of course. so pay attention to us old farts, people because we probably know WTF we're talking about!

Keto

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