Live data from Hacker News

Study: Low Carb Diet May Prevent, Reverse Age-Related Effects Within the Brain

news.stonybrook.edu

121–130 of 343 posts

Re: Study: Low Carb Diet May Prevent, Reverse Age-Related Effects Within the Brain

#121
post #29

The title is terrible, it should read ketosis/ketones may prevent, reverse age-related effects within the brain. "Low carb" as the title currently reads does not necessarily result in ketosis and your body/brain running on ketones, which appears to be the scope of this study. There is more to dietary ketosis than low carb, just as an example carnivore or paleo diets are low carb, but those will generally not result i…

I was about to ask if intermittent fasting would have the same effects as I get the impression that its a healthier way of getting into ketosis. (When I look, I don't see negative effects associated with IF, and I do with keto diets. The research changes a lot and the conclusions don't seem definitive, but I thought someone on here might have an educated opinion on the matter).

I do water fasting (rather "bone broth fasting" like Dr. Jason Fung advocates in his talks on youtube and in his books), and also have done and will do keto when I am not fasting.

I am not quite sure about the "health" class. So roughly speaking I am obese and I do think with every 3 kilograms I loose per month, I am healthier. So keto as a tool for loosing weight is really without a doubt healthy. The correlations between being overweight and associated risks are MUCH stronger than the correlations between food and associated risks.

Now, if you dig deeper into books on keto and fasting by doctors, you see how fragile certain conclusions are that are now the consensus opinion in nutritional science. I am a data-scientist, trained biophysicist and I know I am not an epidemiologist and not a biologist, but I can tell "creative statistics" apart from not-suspicious ones, and a lot of central nutritional science studies that triggered the fat-fear seem to be highly deficient from a statistical perspective, hardly proving any causality.

So I tend to be rather sceptical about dietary advice after 1950 unless it has been (a) shown in humans and not just in experiments with animals (b) based on studies that do interventions, i.e. change the behavior of humans rather than just surveying or asking what people do.

What I also find fascinating is, how the fasting community and the keto community often reach similar conclusion while actually being kind of different communities advocating for different "resolutions".

Anyway, what I was trying to say: If keto and fasting helps the normal weight range at steady 3kg/month, I do think it is healthy for me, when I am in a normal weight range, the priorities may change from "weight loss is really important" to other aspects.

Re: Study: Low Carb Diet May Prevent, Reverse Age-Related Effects Within the Brain

#122
post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Drop all starchy carbs and replace with meat, eggs and vegetables. It’s not rocket science.

You need to add some butter, oil and heavy cream, or chances are you are not in ketosis: 80% of you calories intake should come from fat to guarantee ketosis.

Olive oil. Lots of olive oil.

Re: Study: Low Carb Diet May Prevent, Reverse Age-Related Effects Within the Brain

#123
A lot of folks here are using the term "intermittent fasting". This is a term that can make people struggling with eating disorders kinda lose their minds.

May suggest to replace this term with what's probably a better way of saying it anyway, because it's more accurate to what people are really doing when they say IF: Call it "time-restricted eating". You're eating the food you eat for a day in a smaller window. Not really fasting.

Re: Study: Low Carb Diet May Prevent, Reverse Age-Related Effects Within the Brain

#124
post #102

The title is terrible, it should read ketosis/ketones may prevent, reverse age-related effects within the brain. "Low carb" as the title currently reads does not necessarily result in ketosis and your body/brain running on ketones, which appears to be the scope of this study. There is more to dietary ketosis than low carb, just as an example carnivore or paleo diets are low carb, but those will generally not result i…

How does working out at a high intensity work when in a state of Ketosis? I lift weights and/or do HIIT 5x per week and occasionally add running on top of that. I've always been weary of going low carb or trying a keto diet because I feel like I just won't have the energy to continue my training regimen at its current intensity. The typical advice is to eat your allocated carbs 1-2 hours prior to your workout, howeve…

I run marathons and prefer running in ketosis. In ketosis I will follow a long run with some protein for muscle recovery with fats just to maintain ratios rather than carbs to refill depleted glucose stores.

For lifting/HIIT training ketosis may not be ideal. I have done it and its fine, basically I swap whey for hemp protein powder and continue using creatine post workout.

I think for most people unless they are competing or trying to gain mass they would really like the results of ketosis and lifting. You will lean out (both fat loss and less water retention) and maintain muscle mass, don't be afraid of losing your gains. On the down side the adjustment period will probably be a little longer/harder than a relatively inactive person and initially you will likely notice a decline in energy in the gym, but it will be temporary (again your body is learning to use ketones as primary fuel source and that takes time). That said once you adjust you won't find any trouble lifting heavy or running sprints, in fact you will probably be able to go longer. One benefit you really notice is lack of inflammation and soreness following workouts, in my experience the body recovers faster, though this is still about the actual food you consume (healthy omega 3s and green leafy vegetables) and not some automatic benefit of ketosis.

Re: Study: Low Carb Diet May Prevent, Reverse Age-Related Effects Within the Brain

#125
post #118

This is the first time I've seen something reference ingesting or drinking ketones. While I imagine it doesn't have the dietary benefit for losing fat, if this is a thing, and it's safe, I'm surprised it's not made it's way into energy drinks.

I have a fair amount of experience with ketone esters and did some research. They taste terrible, but not as bad as I expected and definitely wasn't a deal breaker for me. I got more used to it over time. They're great for fueling from fat instead of glycogen, especially during exercise, (was very helpful for not having to down a ton of gels during a marathon) and not very helpful for weight loss (as you suggest).

Re: Study: Low Carb Diet May Prevent, Reverse Age-Related Effects Within the Brain

#126
post #119
post #118

This is the first time I've seen something reference ingesting or drinking ketones. While I imagine it doesn't have the dietary benefit for losing fat, if this is a thing, and it's safe, I'm surprised it's not made it's way into energy drinks.

And it has: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=ketones+drink&va=z&t=hk&ia=web Probably should have searched first :)

These are ketone ester drinks, but nothing really mainstream or in energy drinks. Esters are far too expensive and the taste far too bad for that. Most people have never even heard of these, in my experience.

Re: Study: Low Carb Diet May Prevent, Reverse Age-Related Effects Within the Brain

#127
What is the current, best thinking on managing LDL, especially while doing paleo?

I got huge benefits from paleo and partial calorie restriction. The biggest being my very bad psoriasis all but disappeared.

But it also spiked my LDL.

The statins didn't agree with me. I settled on eating every kind of soluble fiber I can find. eg: My morning porridge is steel cut oats, quinoa, chia seeds. I also resumed eating high(est) fiber rice.

Alas, all these seeds and grains have carbs.

I'd like to find strategies for high soluble fiber while reducing carbs. Even better, would be managing LDL directly.

PS- I spotted u/eatmyshorts comments about LDL and misc.

Re: Study: Low Carb Diet May Prevent, Reverse Age-Related Effects Within the Brain

#128
post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>majority of protein sourced from eggs and whey protein). Why eggs and not fungus and seeds (including nuts, legume pulses (beans, lentils, peas)? Hell what about gluten.

Because I like cheesy eggs and protein shakes. Again, I don't fault anyone who decides to adhere to a vegan diet.

Nothing against eggs, I just like birdseed at my desk for grazing. Eggs are basically animal seeds anyway.

Re: Study: Low Carb Diet May Prevent, Reverse Age-Related Effects Within the Brain

#129
post #87

I still don't understand the tech bro fascination with disordered eating.

Many of us suffer from autism or anxiety or some other mental issue and hope to cure it with some strange diet. That's why despite being some of the most intelligent people on the internet people here will latch on to some singular model of human metabolism that's being promoted by the Russians or the Chinese right now (kidding, but only partly) and use it to justify a new "experiment".

Imposter syndrome fits in there. I didn't feel like I was good at my job or any of the things people think I'm good at, so I wanted to be this jack of all trades mad scientist character who uses himself as a guinea pig. Inevitably the low confidence leads to latching onto pseudoscientific theories -- it's a vicious cycle.

Others feel out of control of their lives and try to feel some sense of control through disordered eating (looking at you, "fasting"). I don't think I was really in this camp but I know people who are.

Re: Study: Low Carb Diet May Prevent, Reverse Age-Related Effects Within the Brain

#130
post #113
post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does working out at a high intensity work when in a state of Ketosis? I lift weights and/or do HIIT 5x per week and occasionally add running on top of that. I've always been weary of going low carb or trying a keto diet because I feel like I just won't have the energy to continue my training regimen at its current intensity. The typical advice is to eat your allocated carbs 1-2 hours prior to your workout, howeve…

> How does working out at a high intensity work when in a state of Ketosis? I've done this. You get tired much faster, you will not be able to sprint for nearly as long, your maximum lift significantly decreases, you hit the muscle fatigue point (can't lift again unless you lower the weight) very quickly. The usual solution among keto lifters is to have a carbload cheat day once per week _or_ to carb spike with I thi…

Agreed. The difference was noticeable and as soon as I started eating carbs again, my strength increased in a matter of day or two.
Post reply on HN