Keto Intermittent Fasting: Combining Two Powerful Approaches for Optimal Weight Loss and Health

27.08.202310.06.2023 by alexxlab

How does intermittent fasting complement the ketogenic diet. What are the potential benefits of combining these two popular dietary approaches. Can keto intermittent fasting accelerate weight loss and improve overall health.

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Understanding the Basics: Keto Diet and Intermittent Fasting

Before diving into the combination of keto and intermittent fasting, it’s crucial to understand each approach individually. The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and low-carbohydrate eating plan that aims to shift the body’s primary fuel source from glucose to ketones. Intermittent fasting, on the other hand, focuses on when you eat rather than what you eat, typically involving periods of fasting and eating within specific time windows.

What is the ketogenic diet?

The ketogenic diet typically consists of:

70-80% of calories from fat
20-25% of calories from protein
5-10% of calories from carbohydrates

This macronutrient distribution forces the body to enter a state of ketosis, where it primarily burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates.

How does intermittent fasting work?

Intermittent fasting can take various forms, including:

16/8 method: Fasting for 16 hours and eating within an 8-hour window
5:2 diet: Eating normally for 5 days and restricting calories to 500-600 for 2 non-consecutive days
Eat-Stop-Eat: 24-hour fasts once or twice a week

These fasting periods can help regulate hormones, improve insulin sensitivity, and promote cellular repair processes.

The Synergy of Keto and Intermittent Fasting

Combining the ketogenic diet with intermittent fasting can potentially enhance the benefits of both approaches. This synergy occurs because both methods aim to lower insulin levels, increase fat burning, and improve metabolic flexibility.

How do keto and intermittent fasting complement each other?

When following a ketogenic diet, the body becomes adapted to using fat for fuel. This fat-adaptation can make fasting periods more manageable, as the body is already accustomed to deriving energy from stored fat. Conversely, intermittent fasting can help individuals reach ketosis more quickly and maintain it more easily, as the fasting periods naturally deplete glycogen stores and encourage ketone production.

Potential Benefits of Keto Intermittent Fasting

The combination of keto and intermittent fasting may offer several advantages over either approach alone. Some potential benefits include:

Accelerated weight loss
Improved insulin sensitivity
Enhanced cognitive function
Increased autophagy (cellular cleanup)
Better hunger control
Reduced inflammation

Can keto intermittent fasting lead to faster weight loss?

While individual results may vary, combining keto and intermittent fasting can potentially accelerate weight loss. The ketogenic diet promotes fat burning, while intermittent fasting can help create a calorie deficit and improve metabolic efficiency. Together, these factors may lead to more rapid and sustainable weight loss compared to either approach alone.

Implementing Keto Intermittent Fasting: Practical Tips and Considerations

If you’re interested in trying keto intermittent fasting, it’s essential to approach it carefully and systematically. Here are some practical tips to get started:

Start with either keto or intermittent fasting separately before combining them
Gradually increase fasting periods to allow your body to adapt
Stay hydrated during fasting periods
Focus on nutrient-dense, high-fat foods during eating windows
Monitor your electrolyte intake, especially during the initial adaptation phase
Listen to your body and adjust as needed

Is keto intermittent fasting suitable for everyone?

While keto intermittent fasting can be beneficial for many individuals, it may not be appropriate for everyone. People with certain medical conditions, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and those with a history of eating disorders should consult with a healthcare professional before attempting this approach. It’s also important to consider individual lifestyle factors and preferences when deciding if this method is sustainable for you.

Potential Challenges and How to Overcome Them

As with any dietary approach, keto intermittent fasting may present some challenges. Being aware of these potential obstacles and having strategies to overcome them can increase your chances of success.

What are common challenges in keto intermittent fasting?

Some common challenges include:

Initial adaptation symptoms (keto flu)
Difficulty adhering to fasting schedules
Social pressures and dining out
Nutrient deficiencies if not properly planned
Plateaus in weight loss

To overcome these challenges, focus on proper hydration, electrolyte balance, and nutrient-dense foods during eating windows. Plan ahead for social situations and be flexible when necessary. If you experience plateaus, consider adjusting your macronutrient ratios or fasting schedule.

The Science Behind Keto Intermittent Fasting

Understanding the physiological mechanisms behind keto intermittent fasting can help you appreciate its potential benefits and make informed decisions about implementing this approach.

How does keto intermittent fasting affect metabolism?

Keto intermittent fasting influences metabolism in several ways:

Increased fat oxidation: Both ketosis and fasting promote the use of stored fat for energy
Improved insulin sensitivity: Reduced carbohydrate intake and fasting periods can enhance insulin function
Mitochondrial biogenesis: Fasting and ketosis may stimulate the creation of new mitochondria, improving cellular energy production
Hormonal changes: Alterations in hormones like ghrelin, leptin, and growth hormone can affect appetite, metabolism, and body composition

These metabolic changes contribute to the potential benefits of keto intermittent fasting, including weight loss and improved overall health.

Comparing Keto Intermittent Fasting to Other Dietary Approaches

To better understand the potential advantages and disadvantages of keto intermittent fasting, it’s helpful to compare it to other popular dietary approaches.

How does keto intermittent fasting compare to traditional calorie restriction?

Keto intermittent fasting differs from traditional calorie restriction in several ways:

Metabolic flexibility: Keto IF promotes the body’s ability to switch between fuel sources
Hunger management: The combination of ketosis and fasting can lead to better appetite control
Muscle preservation: Ketosis and intermittent fasting may help preserve lean muscle mass during weight loss
Hormonal benefits: Both approaches can positively influence hormones related to metabolism and longevity

While traditional calorie restriction can be effective for weight loss, keto intermittent fasting may offer additional metabolic and health benefits beyond simple calorie reduction.

Customizing Keto Intermittent Fasting for Individual Needs

One of the strengths of combining keto and intermittent fasting is the flexibility to customize the approach based on individual needs, preferences, and goals.

How can keto intermittent fasting be tailored to different lifestyles?

Customization options for keto intermittent fasting include:

Adjusting macronutrient ratios within the ketogenic framework
Experimenting with different fasting schedules (e.g., 16/8, 20/4, or alternate-day fasting)
Incorporating “carb cycling” or targeted ketogenic approaches for athletes
Modifying fasting periods based on work schedules or social commitments
Adjusting protein intake based on activity levels and muscle-building goals

By tailoring the approach to your specific needs and lifestyle, you can increase adherence and potentially enhance the benefits of keto intermittent fasting.

Keto intermittent fasting combines two powerful dietary strategies that can potentially enhance weight loss, metabolic health, and overall well-being. By understanding the principles behind this approach and implementing it carefully, individuals may experience benefits beyond what either method could offer alone. However, it’s essential to approach keto intermittent fasting with caution, listen to your body, and consult with healthcare professionals when necessary. As with any significant dietary change, the key to success lies in finding a sustainable approach that works for your unique circumstances and goals.

As research in this area continues to evolve, we may gain further insights into the long-term effects and optimal implementation of keto intermittent fasting. For now, those interested in exploring this approach should focus on education, gradual implementation, and personalization to maximize potential benefits while minimizing risks. Remember that the most effective dietary strategy is one that you can maintain consistently over time, so be prepared to adjust and adapt as you discover what works best for your body and lifestyle.

Intermittent fasting, balanced or a keto diet? Food for thought

General Health NewsMarch 20, 2023

By Nadine A Yehya(SACRAMENTO)

We all know that exercise and a good diet are important for a healthy body. But how much exercise, and what is a good diet?

In a two-part series, we learn from UC Davis molecular exercise physiologist Keith Baar how our bodies respond to physical activity and in what ways different diets affect our metabolism. Baar is a professor in the Departments of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior and of Physiology and Membrane Biology.

In celebration of National Nutrition Month (March), we will start with how balanced, intermittent fasting and keto diets affect our bodies.

What’s more important for weight loss and good health: diet or exercise?

Our bodies will behave differently based on the combination of physical activity and nutrition. It is no secret that it takes a lot of exercise to change our body weight. But nutrition allows us to regulate our body weight better than exercise.

I always tell people that if you run a mile that’s 100 calories. If you then eat a piece of white bread or about 10 tortilla chips, that’s 100 calories. So, it is easier to regulate your weight with your nutrition, but adding more physical activity will help you better regulate your health.

In what ways do our current lifestyle and food choices impact our bodies?

Your body is designed to go through periods of feast and famine. It was programmed through evolution for ups and downs in food and other stresses, like disease or the need to flee.

What has happened over the last 20,000 years, is we’ve gotten more efficient – we produce more food with less work. This has led to what we call hypokinetic diseases, health problems resulting from moving too little. We have also shifted our diet to more frequent eating and more processed foods that are rich in carbohydrates. The result is more stimuli that are not ideal for keeping our muscles and the rest of our body healthy.

Why do they say good food is good medicine?

Our muscles and immune system use very similar signals. They both want to turn on a protein, known as the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), when they need to respond to a stimulus, store calories, grow, or fight an antigen. With our classic over-consumption of processed foods, we get into a chronic level of high mTOR protein activation, and this leads to things like insulin resistance and chronic inflammation.

Then, when your body needs to respond quickly – like when exposed to a high carbohydrate meal or a virus – it is slow to respond because the signal is drowned out in the noise.

This is why a lot of diets that improve lifespan or health – such as low protein and low carbohydrate diets or time-restrictive feeding – target mTOR activity. On these diets, the activity of mTOR is much lower at rest. This is important, for example, in case our body needs to respond to a virus. It has a much greater dynamic range and can rapidly turn on the processes it needs to respond to the threat. When we bring the baseline mTOR activity down, we can also improve how the body generates energy by removing faulty mitochondria (the power engines in the cells), allowing our muscles and brains to work better.

Is a balanced diet ideal for the body?

A balanced diet that includes a variety of carbohydrates, proteins and fat can be great for the body if we allow for periods where calories are low. One option is eating around 10% below your caloric need. Another option is to limit when you eat, having periods of around 17 hours a day when you don’t eat. Both these strategies bring that baseline down, but they can be really hard for many people.

Eating a balanced diet is great, but it might not be enough.

What about the benefits of the ketone (keto) diet?

A keto diet is about eating more fat and protein-rich foods and fewer carbohydrates. The aim is to reach a state of ketosis as your body burns fat for fuel, instead of sugar. This process leads to the production of acids known as ketones.

In our studies on keto diets in mice, we compared a low-carbohydrate group to a ketogenic diet group. The benefits we saw in muscle as far as mitochondria, strength and endurance; in the brain as far as learning in memory; and in lifespan, were all better on the ketogenic diet than on a low carb diet. There is something about those ketones (beta hydroxybutyrate) which is really good for our longevity, muscles and brain. But the keto diet has its own set of risks, including weaker bones and the possibility for increased cholesterol in some people.

It is easier to regulate your weight with your nutrition, but adding more physical activity will help you better regulate your health.” —Keith Baar, UC Davis molecular exercise physiologist

Is intermittent fasting good for the health?

We would think of intermittent fasting more as time restricted feeding. You have periods of fasting then periods of eating.

The work of UCSD Professor Satchin Panda with different individuals and groups clearly shows that time-restricted feeding can really have a beneficial effect. During the fasting part, your body resets the baseline of many things, including mTOR activity.

One of the things that also happens towards the end of a fast is that the body produces ketones, similar to a keto diet. Yet, eating a normal diet but restricting when you eat will not give you all the benefits of the keto diet. When the body is put in periods of longer fasts, it will start producing ketones, but may not get to the levels that you need for therapeutic ketosis.

How do you see the future of dieting?

For our health and longevity, it would be great if we are able to go on a mixed diet, eating all the different things we want, while still getting the cognitive and muscular benefits of a keto diet. One important question is: is it possible to eat a normal diet and get ketones from supplements, like keto esters or keto salt drinks? In other words, can we get the benefits of the keto diet without its problems, like weaker bones and potentially higher cholesterol? Unfortunately, such a diet would not cause weight loss and whether it would improve muscle and brain function is something we don’t know yet.

Note: People with special dietary needs or a medical condition should ask their doctor or a registered dietitian for advice.

Guide to Keto and Intermittent Fasting

Double down on fat loss with these two metabolic firecrackers.

Fast Facts

Both the keto diet and intermittent fasting have been linked to weight loss.
Combining keto and intermittent fasting may lead to greater weight loss as well as reducing inflammation and improving gut health.

Nearly half of Americans report gaining weight since the start of the pandemic (1). Not surprising, given stress (2), and social isolation (3) both may be linked to weight gain. If you’re looking to lose the pandemic pounds, some experts say you may want to combine keto and intermittent fasting.

Why is this a match made in fat-burning heaven? There is some evidence that keto and intermittent fasting both may help reduce inflammation, and improve gut health—and when done in tandem—may have a significant impact on weight loss, in less time than if you opt for just one of the two.

Here’s how to start keto and intermittent fasting to reduce body fat fast.

What Is The Keto Diet And How Does It Work?

A ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carb eating protocol that puts—and keeps—your body in a metabolic state called ketosis. In ketosis, your body switches from burning carbohydrates to fat as its main source of fuel.

Your body normally burns carbohydrates for energy. Those carbs are converted into glucose, a simple sugar that serves as a major fuel source for your organs, tissues, and metabolic functions through a complex process called glycolysis.

During glycolysis (4), glucose is split into smaller molecules (called pyruvate) for use as energy throughout the body. Our bodies can also create glucose from certain non-carbohydrate sources in a process called gluconeogenesis.

Glucose is the body’s first choice for fuel. But when you limit the amount of carbs that you eat, the body taps its stores of ketones—molecules created by the liver from fat—instead.

Think of your body like a hybrid car, which runs on electricity when the gas tank is empty. By limiting how many carbs you eat and increasing your fat intake, your body is forced to turn to fat as a fuel source instead.

When your daily carb intake is low enough—50 grams or less—you can usually get into ketosis in about 3 days.

Thanks to the metabolic switch from utilizing fat for energy instead of glucose, being in ketosis can be a fantastic weight-loss tool.

Studies have also suggested that the ketogenic diet may also have anti-inflammatory properties (5), may help enhance cognitive function, (6) and may help stabilize blood sugar (7).

Keto Facts

Your body normally burns carbohydrates for energy.
On the keto diet, you limit the amount of carbs you eat. This causes your body to burn fat instead.
This switch has been linked to lower inflammation, better cognitive function, weight loss, and stablized blood sugar.

What Is Intermittent fasting (IF) And Why Do People Use It?

Intermittent fasting (IF), is exactly what it sounds like: splitting your 24-hour day into feeding and fasting windows.

Many experts recommend starting with a 12-hour fast to 12-hour eating schedule and gradually working towards a 16:8 or 18:6 fast-to-eat split as you build up a tolerance to longer fasts, says the author of more than a dozen books and creator of Meta-Fasting.com Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., CNS. This is called time-restricted eating.

There are other fasting regimens, including

Alternate-day fasting, where you fast one day and eat normally the next
One meal a day (OMAD), fast for 23 hours a day and eat for just 1
Eat Stop Eat, where you abstain from food up to two days in a week.
5:2 where you eat normally for 5 days and then restrict your caloric intake to around 500 calories for two days.
The Warrior Diet where you eat one main meal, feasting in a four hour window at night, as well as fasting for 20 hours sustained with only small portions of foods such as raw fruits-and-veggies throughout the day.

No matter what fasting regimen you choose, after several hours without eating, a process called metabolic switching kicks in. Your body depletes its sugar stores and starts to burn fat for energy, similar to the shift that occurs when the body enters ketosis.

IF is well known for its potential to accelerate weight loss but studies suggest that IF may also tout a ton of other health benefits, such as:

May help to prevent, treat, and reverse insulin resistance, a condition that may put you at higher risk for a slew of diseases from cancer to Alzheimer’s to heart disease, and more
May help to reduce inflammation in the body, which can lower your risk for many age-related conditions and diseases.

IF At a Glance

Intermittent fasting (IF), involves splitting your 24-hour day into feeding and fasting windows.
There are multiple fasting regimens, based on the length of the eating and fasting windows.
When you fast, your body starts to burn fat for energy.
In addition to weight loss, IF is linked to improved insulin resistance, reduced inflammation, and more.

fasting 101

The Benefits of Pairing Keto Plus Intermittent Fasting

Now that you can see the similarities between keto and intermittent fasting, you’re probably wondering, “What happens when I combine these two metabolic powerhouses?”

“All the benefits of IF are increased if you also pay attention to what you eat during the eating window,” explains Bowden.

“Keto is known to accomplish many of the same goals goals [as IF] so adhering to a keto way of eating during your ‘eating window’ is a terrific way to accelerate your results,” Bowden says. Here’s what you might experience:

Weight Loss

“Clinical experience tells us that doing keto and intermittent fasting at the same time tends to accelerate weight loss, especially if you are very weight-loss resistant,” says Bowden.

The average weight loss on a keto diet alone varies greatly from one person to the next.

“Some people will lose lots of weight, and others will lose none,” explains nephrologist Jason Fung, M. D., a world-leading expert on intermittent fasting and low-carb diets. “During fasting, the average weight loss is half a pound per day,” he adds.

According to Fung, when you combine keto and IF, the results are more predictable. “Weight loss occurs much faster with the combination of keto and IF.

It all depends upon how much fasting one is doing. If you did keto and fasting 16 hours a day, an average may be about one to two pounds per week, faster at the start and then slowing down.”

Lower Insulin Resistance

Insulin resistance, also known as impaired insulin sensitivity, is when cells in the liver, muscles, and fat tissue are unable to respond well to insulin and can’t access glucose from the blood for energy. The pancreas then over-compensates and makes more, which increases blood sugar and eventually may lead to health issues like diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

On a combined keto and intermittent fasting plan, not only are you not consuming any food for extended periods—therefore blood sugar can’t spike during the fasting time—but when you do eat, you’re consuming a very low amount of carbohydrates.

The very low-carb nature of keto means glucose levels remain steadier than on a typical standard or moderate-carb diet.

One study (7) found that people with type 1 diabetes who followed a very low carbohydrate diet had significantly improved blood sugar control.

FUEL YOUR BODY

Lower Inflammation

While acute inflammation is perfectly normal and healthy—think of bumping your elbow and experiencing swelling—the swelling is a protective inflammatory cell response that takes place in order to heal.

Chronic inflammation on the other hand is the kind you want to avoid because it means your body is in a constant state of defense, firing inflammatory cells even when there is no danger.

Chronic inflammation has been associated with conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and more.

Some studies suggest that the keto diet may help reduce inflammation. Being in ketosis means your liver is producing and releasing ketones which in some studies have been linked to a reduction in oxidative stress (8).

Studies also suggest that Intermittent fasting may reduce inflammatory activity. According to a study led by researchers from Mount Sinai, when people fasted for a short period of time, the amount of pro-inflammatory cells called “monocytes” into the bloodstream was reduced (9). During periods of fasting, these inflammatory cells went into sleep mode and were less inflammatory than monocytes found in those who were fed. (10, 11).

Improved Cognitive Health

Research into the brain benefits of IF are beginning to show promising results. Improved learning, memory, mood and mental focus are some of the potential benefits that studies have begun to suggest from fasting (12, 13).

Research (14) suggests that intermittent fasting is a promising, innovative strategy that may help prevent and treat mental health disorders such as depression, as well as sleep disturbances, and cognitive impairment.

One study (15) examining fasting and weight loss revealed that people who practiced IF for eight weeks experienced noteworthy improvements in their emotional well-being and depression compared to the control group.

On the keto side, though research remains preliminary, there’s some evidence to suggest that a ketogenic diet may be beneficial to those with Alzheimer’s disease. Emerging research (16) suggests that being in a state of ketosis may have positive neurological effects on the aging brain.

The ketogenic diet may also help improve mood and well-being (17) by helping to ease depression and stabilizing mood.

Pairing Keto and IF

Combining keto and intermittent fasting may help you lose weight, keep glucose levels stable, ward off conditions related to inflammation, and improve your memory.

The Risks Of IF And Keto

“You should not do keto if you have existing kidney disease,” says Bowden. Check with your health practitioner if you have any condition that might not benefit from either keto or IF, says Bowden.

Who Shouldn’t Consider Intermittent Fasting?

People with diabetes or blood sugar problems
Anyone on blood pressure or heart-health medication
Anyone with a history of an eating disorder
Individuals who are underweight or struggling with weight gain

Expect results fast—in just a matter of weeks—on a combined keto and intermittent fasting plan.

How To Get Started With Keto And Intermittent Fasting

Experts like Fung agree that you can get started with both a keto diet and intermittent fasting at the same time. But some research and easing into fasting should be your first steps.

Step 1: Reduce your meals and eating window and find your keto style

Ahead of officially kicking off an IF plan, spend a couple of days cutting out snacks, delay breakfast time, eat an earlier dinner, and resist eating anything after dinner.

This phase is meant to condense your daily meals into a smaller window, eliminate snacking between meals and gradually extend your non-eating window in order to acclimate your body for longer fasting periods.

At the same time, sort out your keto meal plan. There is no shortage of cookbooks with menu plans to choose from. Determine which one suits your dietary style (some tend to be more meat-heavy than others).

If you prefer a more vegetable-forward plan, consider Ketotarian: The (Mostly) Plant-Based Plan to Burn Fat, Boost Your Energy, Crush Your Cravings and Calm Inflammation. If you’re more of a carnivore, check out Keto Carnivore Cookbook: Low-Carb Recipes, Tips, and a 6-Week Meal Plan to Boost Your Diet Success.

Because IF typically, naturally limits your daily caloric intake, there is no specific calorie guideline when you combine keto with intermittent fasting.

What matters more is the quality of the foods you eat in your feeding window. Eat nutrient-dense, whole foods and aim to eat within your macro mix. According to functional medicine expert Will Cole, IFMCP, DNM, DC, and author of Ketotarian, the most common keto macronutrient breakdown is 75/20/5 (fat, protein, carbohydrates).

Step 2: Start Phase 1 Of Your Meal And Fasting Plan

Now that you’ve determined your keto preferences and picked a meal plan, it’s time to start a fasting schedule.

Bowden recommends starting with a 12:12, where you fast for 12 hours and then have a 12-hour eating window. This means if you wake up in the morning and eat breakfast at 8AM, your last meal of the day should be no later than 8pm.

After a few days or so, move to a 14:10 “brunch fast” window and work your way up to a 16:8 or even 18:6 plan. The key is to ease into it and tune in to how you are feeling on an hourly and daily basis.

For many, fasting is more manageable than expected with many reporting decreased appetites (18) and feeling more energized, clear-headed, and focused (19). The reason for extending the fast window over time is simple: the longer you fast, the more you can restrict your daily caloric intake and allow your digestive system a break allowing reparative functions.

Aim For Long-term Fasting Flexibility

Fung says to expect results fast—in just a matter of weeks—on a combined keto and intermittent fasting plan. Once you’re where you’d like to be weight-wise, you can relax a little on the carb restriction and switch to a low-carb plan that’s less limiting than keto. “The main thing is to eat natural foods, less sugar, and less refined carbohydrates,” he says.

And there’s no need to lock yourself into a fixed fasting schedule. Keep it fluid and shake it up throughout the week, “It doesn’t mean you must do 16 hours every day. If for a little while, you do less, it’s OK, but if your weight goes up, you may want to do some more to compensate,” says Fung.

The Bottom Line

Keto and intermittent fasting both may help reduce inflammation, improve gut health, and encourage weight loss. When combined, the effect may be more pronounced. If you have a medical condition, talk to your doctor before starting keto, IF, or any diet plan.

References:

1. Jagdish Khubchandani, et al (2022) COVID-19 pandemic and weight gain in American adults: A nationwide population-based study.

2. Koski M, Naukkarinen H (2017) The Relationship between Stress and Severe Obesity: A Case-Control Study.

3. Hajek A, Kretzler B, König HH (2021). The Association Between Obesity and Social Isolation as Well as Loneliness in the Adult Population: A Systematic Review.

4. Chaudhry R, Varacallo M. Biochemistry (2021) Glycolysis

5. Xiangjun Dou, et al (2022), Evaluation of the seizure control and the tolerability of ketogenic diet in Chinese children with structural drug-resistant epilepsy.

6. Rusek M,et al (2019). Ketogenic Diet in Alzheimer’s Disease.

7. Lennerz BS, et al (2018) Management of Type 1 Diabetes With a Very Low-Carbohydrate Diet.

8. Youm YH et al (2015). The ketone metabolite β-hydroxybutyrate blocks NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated inflammatory disease.

9. Jordan S et (2019). Dietary Intake Regulates the Circulating Inflammatory Monocyte Pool.

10. Youm YH et al (2015). The ketone metabolite β-hydroxybutyrate blocks NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated inflammatory disease.

11. Inflammation; What Is It, [Fact Sheet]

12. Karin Seidler, Michelle Barrow (2022). Intermittent fasting and cognitive performance – Targeting BDNF as potential strategy to optimise brain health.

13.

Gudden J, et al (2021). The Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Brain and Cognitive Function.

14. Walter Currenti et al, (2021). Time restricted feeding and mental health: a review of possible mechanisms on affective and cognitive disorders.

15. Fitzgerald KC, et al (2018). Effect of intermittent vs. daily calorie restriction on changes in weight and patient-reported outcomes in people with multiple sclerosis.

16. Rusek, Marta et al (2019). Ketogenic Diet in Alzheimer’s Disease.

17. Brietzke E et al (2018). Ketogenic diet as a metabolic therapy for mood disorders.

18. Elizabeth F. Sutton, et al (2018). Early Time-Restricted Feeding Improves Insulin Sensitivity, Blood Pressure, and Oxidative Stress Even without Weight Loss in Men with Prediabetes.

19. de Cabo R, Mattson MP (2020). Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Health, Aging, and Disease.

9 Foods With Taurine, an Amino Acid That Might Help You Live Longer

By Sydney Bueckert, NASM CPT, CES, FNS, GPT

Longevity Experts Swear By These Diets for a Longer, Healthier Life

By Sydney Bueckert, NASM CPT, CES, FNS, GPT

how does this relate to the keto diet – is it keto?

The topics of ketosis and intermittent fasting are closely related and often fall into the same conversation. This is because fasting can be a beneficial practice to help you reach ketosis. But is there such a thing as keto intermittent fasting?

Just as intense long-term exercise (especially HIIT or weight lifting) can help induce a ketogenic state, intermittent fasting can help you get into ketosis faster than fasting. follow the ketogenic diet alone.

There are many more overlaps between intermittent fasting and a low-carbohydrate diet, which you will learn about in this guide.

Contents

What is ketosis?

Ketosis is the process of burning ketone bodies for energy.

With a regular diet, your body burns glucose as its main fuel source. Excess glucose is stored as glycogen. When your body is deprived of glucose (due to exercise, intermittent fasting, or a ketogenic diet), it will use glycogen for energy. Only after glycogen is depleted will your body begin to burn fat.

The Una Ketogenic Diet, a low-carb, high-fat diet, creates a metabolic switch that allows your body to break down fat into ketone bodies in the liver for energy. Three main ketone bodies are found in blood, urine and exhaled air:

Acetoacetate : The first ketone is created. It can be converted to beta-hydroxybutyrate or converted to acetone.
Acetone: Spontaneously created by the decomposition of acetoacetate. It is the most volatile ketone and can often be found in the breath when someone first enters ketosis.
Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB): This is a ketone used for energy and is most abundant in the blood after complete ketosis. This is also the type found in exogenous ketones and what they measure for keto blood tests.

Intermittent fasting and its relation to ketosis

Intermittent fasting This consists of eating only during a certain period of time and not eating during the rest of the day. All people, whether they know it or not, fast all night from dinner to breakfast.

The benefits of fasting have been used for thousands of years in Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine as a way to restore metabolism and support the gastrointestinal tract after overeating.

There are many approaches to intermittent fasting with different time frames:

Fasting duration 16-20 hours.
I fast every other day.
24 hour daily fast.

If you want to start fasting, a popular version is the keto 16/8 intermittent fasting method, where you eat during an 8-hour meal window (e.g. 11-7pm) followed by a 16-hour fasting window.

Other fasting schedules include the 20/4 or 14/10 methods, while some people choose to do a full day of 24-hour fasting once or twice a week.

Intermittent fasting can get you into ketosis faster because your cells quickly use up their glycogen stores and then start using stored fat for fuel. This results in faster fat burning and higher ketone levels.

ketosis vs. Intermittent Fasting: 9 Physical Benefits0011

Both the keto diet and intermittent fasting can be effective tools for:

Healthy weight loss.
Fat loss, not muscle loss.
Balance your cholesterol levels.
Improve insulin sensitivity.
Keep your blood sugar stable.

Keto for Weight Loss, Fat Burning and High Cholesterol

La Keto Diet drastically reduce your carbohydrate intake, causing your body to burn fat instead of glucose. This makes it an effective tool not only for weight loss, but also for the treatment of diabetes, insulin resistance, and even heart disease. ¹ )( ² )( ³ ).

Although individual results vary, the keto diet consistently results in weight loss and body fat percentage reduction in a wide variety of settings.

In a 2017 study, participants who followed a low-carb eating plan significantly reduced body weight, body fat percentage, and fat mass, losing an average of 7.6 pounds and 2.6% body fat, while maintaining dry muscle mass.

Similarly, a 2004 study looking at the long-term effects of a keto diet in obese people found that their weight and body weight dropped dramatically over a two-year period. Those who drastically reduced their carbohydrate intake experienced significant reductions in LDL (bad) cholesterol, triglycerides, and improved sensitivity. a insulin.

In 2012, a study compared a ketogenic diet with fewer calories in obese children and adults. The results showed that children on the keto diet lost significantly more body weight, fat mass, and overall waist circumference. They also showed dramatic decreases in insulin levels, a biomarker for type 2 diabetes. ⁴ ).

Intermittent fasting to burn fat and maintain muscle mass

Research has shown that intermittent fasting can be an effective tool for weight loss, sometimes even more beneficial than simple calorie restriction.

Intermittent fasting has been shown in one study to be as effective as continuous calorie restriction in the fight against obesity. In studies conducted by the NIH, over 84% of participants reported weight loss, no matter which fasting schedule they chose. ⁵ )( ⁶ ).

Like ketosis, intermittent fasting can promote fat loss while maintaining lean muscle mass. In one study, researchers concluded that people who were fasting had better weight loss results (while maintaining muscle mass) than those who ate a low-calorie diet, even though their total calorie intake was lower. same.

ketosis vs. Intermittent fasting: benefits for the psyche

In addition to their physiological benefits, both intermittent fasting and ketosis provide various mental benefits. Both have been scientifically proven ( ⁷ )( ⁸ ).

Memory extension.
Improve mental clarity and concentration.
Prevention of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy.

Keto for improved brain fog and memory

With a carbohydrate-based diet, fluctuations in blood sugar levels can cause fluctuations in energy levels known as sugar spikes and sugar drops. When you’re in ketosis, your brain uses a more constant source of fuel: ketones from your fat stores, resulting in increased productivity and mental performance.

This is because your brain is the most energy intensive organ in your body. When you have a clean, stable supply of ketone energy, it can help your brain function more optimally ( ⁹ ).

In addition, ketones protect your brain better. Research suggests that ketone bodies may have antioxidant properties that protect brain cells from free radical damage. oxidative stress and damage.

In a study of adults with memory problems, an increase in blood BHB ketones helped improve cognition.

If you find it difficult to stay focused, your neurotransmitters may be to blame. There are two main neurotransmitters in your brain: glutamate and GABA.

Glutamate helps you form new memories, learn complex concepts, and helps your brain cells communicate with each other.

GABA helps control glutamate levels. Glutamate can make brain cells scream too much. If this happens too often, it can cause brain cells to stop working and eventually die. GABA is designed to control and slow down glutamate. When GABA levels are low, glutamate predominates and you experience brain fog (¹⁰ ).

Ketone bodies help prevent brain cell damage by converting excess glutamate into GABA. Because ketones increase GABA levels and lower glutamate levels, they help prevent cell damage, prevent cell death, and make you feel better. mental focus.

In other words, ketones help balance GABA and glutamate levels to keep your brain sharp.

Effects of intermittent fasting on stress and cognition

Fasting has been shown to improve memory, reduce oxidative stress and preserve learning ability ( ¹¹ )( ¹² ).

Scientists believe intermittent fasting works by making your cells work better. Since your cells experience moderate stress during fasting, the best cells adapt to this stress, improving their ability to cope with it, while the weaker cells die. This process is called autophagy (¹³ ).

It’s like the stress your body experiences when you go to the gym. Exercise is a form of stress that your body endures to get better and stronger if you get enough rest after your workouts. This also applies to intermittent fasting, and as long as you keep alternating between normal eating habits and fasting, you can continue to benefit from it.

All of which means that the keto-intermittent fasting combination is powerful and can help improve your cognitive function through the protective and tonic effects of ketones, as well as the mild cellular stress caused by fasting.

Link to keto intermittent fasting

The ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting have many health benefits in common because both methods can have the same result: a state of ketosis.

Ketosis has many physical and mental benefits, from weight loss and fat loss to improved stress levels, brain function and longevity.

However, it’s important to note that if you take a more gentle approach to intermittent keto fasting, such as eating within an 8-hour window, you probably won’t get into ketosis (especially if you’re eating a lot of carbs). during this window). ).

Not everyone who tries intermittent fasting tends to get into ketosis. In fact, if someone who is fasting also eats high carb foods, there is a very good chance they will never enter ketosis.

On the other hand, if your goal is ketosis, you can use keto intermittent fasting as a tool to reach your goal and improve your overall health.

If you’re new to keto and need some helpful tips on how to get started, here are some beginner’s guides to help you get started:

The Keto Diet for Beginners: A Complete Guide to the Ketogenic Diet.
Keto Diet: A Complete Keto Diet Menu for Beginners.

If you don’t know what foods to eat on keto, here are some delicious recipes to add to your diet plan:

Keto Salted Caramel Waffle Recipe.
Sugar free avocado brownie recipe.
Smoothie with MCT oil powder and cinnamon.