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

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

#331
post #313

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Anything calorie dense (and therefore hyperpalatable) is easy to over eat. Fat is twice as energy dense as carbs or protein, so it adds a lot of calories. Put a tablespoon of olive oil into the skillet, and you're adding an empty 120 calories. Typical foods you could eat 4000 calories of combine fat and carbs into a delicious combination: french fries, pizza, cookies, milkshakes. I don't look at those foods and think…

Carbs is not the only fuel. Fats can be used as well. Proteins too, in case of emergency. The rule of thumb is proteins and fats are essential, carbs are not. How much of each is still up for debate.

I'd just say that what's essential to eat (>50-60 g protein/day and a few grams of omega-3s) is different from what's optimal (what ratio of fat/carbs/protein).

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

#332
post #142

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Anything that requires me to radically change my diet to experiment with myself "just to see", that takes a minimum of 2-3 months, is a hard pass. It's just not that interesting to most of us for a vaguely hand-wavey possibly useful experiment.

Full-on keto may not be worth it, but I would highly suggest removing most carbs from your diet (<= 30g per meal). You'll feel completely different within 5 days. This is especially noticeable after the age of 30. I have no scientific backing or research for this, but I've had a number of friends and family make this small change and every single one has not gone back. It's not even that difficult if you already have…

Yeah; I haven't gone low-carb but i track what i eat, and carbs are ~40% of my diet. So, not low, but lower than many. I've definitely played around quite a bit with making sure i up my protein and fat consumption, and it is pretty remarkable how different fuels work differently in your body.

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

#333
post #279

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That's a very reasonable question - for all we know, the numbers might have been even worse!

Indeed- it was about a year prior.

If you are refering to the HbA1c for the characterization of being prediabetic, take into account that it is an estimator that averages over 8-12 weeks.

Don't confuse Keto, etc. as "high protein", its primarily a very low carb diet, "moderate protein" and "high fat". Too much protein also isn't ideal for Type 2 diabetes or the various stages that lead up to it. One thing that surprised me was for example, how Whey protein can also spike up blood sugar (so much for post-workout whey drinks, etc.)

I recommend the books and videos of Dr. Jason Fung on fasting, as I think he makes a compelling case for the layman how fasting varieties can be beneficial. He is a nephrologist, and since kidney issues are common with diabetes patients, he had many diabetes patients in his office and had good succes with them bettering their condition using fasting methods.

Obligatory: I am not a doctor and you should not swap out medical supervision for random internet advice, but Dr. Jason Fung is definitely worth checking out.

Ok, I hope that wasn't too much of unsolicited advice for you. I wish you all the best and hope that you can get on top of things which whatever method works for you.

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

#335

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…

> If you have never entered ketosis and experienced your brain running on ketones, I would suggest you experiment for yourself. I would say a minimum 2-3 months which should be enough time for your microbiome to change and your body/brain to adapt primarily running on ketones. I've been on Keto for about 8 months (before giving up), measuring my blood ketones and being in deep ketosis between meals (over 2 mmol/L). I…

> In spite of popular belief, nothing happens, there's no magic at the end of that rainbow for most people. If you felt anything different, there's a high likelihood it was just self suggestion, aka placebo.

I absolutely noticed a change, and there's no way it's just a placebo. The change I've noticed is that I don't get hungry nearly as quickly as I do when I'm eating carbs, and I don't get "hangry" anymore, either. I do still get hungry, but it's a much more mild effect.

I also used to get headaches quite frequently, especially if I waited too long to eat. That has also stopped since I started doing keto.

> Also the idea that your microbiome has to change and your body/brain to adapt for you to feel any better and that it takes months ... is a complete myth. Your body takes only mere days to adjust to any dietary strategy. Also the dreaded keto flu is just dehydration from all the lost glycogen, which pulls a lot of water on its way out.

Is this something you have a source for, or just something you believe?

> Also most people are in ketosis before eating breakfast in the morning, because the liver's glycogen is partially depleted overnight, enough for the liver to produce significant ketones. And nothing will make you enter ketosis faster like skipping a meal or two (aka starvation ketosis). People with a healthy metabolism cycle in and out of ketosis all the time.

I'm not sure I buy this. Usually if I've been eating carbs for a while, and try to get back into ketosis, it takes me a day or two. If you don't eat for 16 hours, then sure, maybe you enter ketosis near the end, but most people don't go that long without food.

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

#336

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The problem is a claim like the body/brain, the cells themselves needing to adapt to a new fuel source before seeing some benefits, taking months before you get there, actually contradicts the body's physiology. I don't really need to provide any citations, because the onus is on the one making those claims. And even if I provide citations, the goal posts will simply be moved, with lines like — the study was not long…

I have always felt that most of proposed benefits of the keto diet are largely just a result of "giving a shit." People go through lives eating garbage all the time, laying around feeling bloated and crappy. Then jump onto and after a few weeks feel amazing. The secret is they swapped from shoveling garbage into themselves with becoming relatively picky about what they're willing to put in their bodies. Suddenly they…

I think you're probably right, that what you don't eat is probably more important that what you do.

However, I did change my diet to be very selective, and felt great. But changing to keto had some additional benefits, the most prominent being a noticeable change in how hungry I felt during the day. It's much easier to go long periods of time without eating when in ketosis.

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

#337
post #311

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> I don’t understand why limiting carbs makes any sense. Then why go around saying things like: > Yes you will feel like you have no energy during workouts. The primary fuel for muscles is glycogen. Cells use glucose by default. And fats are 9 cal/g, so they’re so easy to overeat.

What I wrote makes perfect sense. Carbs fuel the body. Going low carb is miserable.

> Carbs fuel the body. Going low carb is miserable.

Having been on keto for a few months now, I disagree. I feel way better than when I'm eating carbs, and have so much more energy.

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

#338
post #281

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Curious about your food choices. I've been experimenting with IF. More specifically I'd call it more like timed eating because the bulk of my fasting hours and during sleep. I'm down 20 lbs with solid numbers. As a side note I have some genetic factors as well and trying to counter those.

A lot of lean protein and vegetables; eggs (3 egg-whites + 1 whole egg is a common combination for me), chicken, fish, broccoli, etc. I wasn't trying for low-carb, but low-carb made it easier to stave off cravings. I was paying attention to calories more than anything else. I do drink, however, straight liquor. Rarely to excess, but also rarely fewer than 2 drinks (almost always 2-3 drinks an evening).

Why not just eat the whole eggs? The fat in the yolks is really good, assuming you're getting pasture-raised eggs.

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

#339

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have always felt that most of proposed benefits of the keto diet are largely just a result of "giving a shit." People go through lives eating garbage all the time, laying around feeling bloated and crappy. Then jump onto and after a few weeks feel amazing. The secret is they swapped from shoveling garbage into themselves with becoming relatively picky about what they're willing to put in their bodies. Suddenly they…

I think you're probably right, that what you don't eat is probably more important that what you do. However, I did change my diet to be very selective, and felt great. But changing to keto had some additional benefits, the most prominent being a noticeable change in how hungry I felt during the day. It's much easier to go long periods of time without eating when in ketosis.

I did not find those effects to be specific to keto for me, but I'm glad it's going well for you.

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

#340
post #280

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Given the current state of health in western countries, I would claim the stasus-quo is actually disordered eating.

Current status quo is whatever quick fix is fashionable at the moment, i.e IF, Ketosis, Binge & Purge...

No, that's the current diet fad, which is not at all the same as what most people eat.
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