What are the age-specific benefits of the keto diet?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 45-year-old individual who is considering trying a ketogenic diet to aid in weight loss and possibly slow down the aging process. I have heard about the concept of ketosis and its potential benefits, but I am curious about how this dietary approach might affect aging. Can you provide insights into the relationship between the ketogenic diet, ketosis, weight loss, and aging, and whether this diet could be beneficial for someone in my age group?

Kindly help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Study shows that the keto diet boosts the size and strength of aging muscles, and improves brain health. The ketogenic or keto diet includes eating high-fat, low-carbohydrate foods to reach a state of ketosis. In ketosis, the body burns more fat for fuel, instead of sugar, and produces acids known as ketones.

The keto diet is widely known as a weight-loss diet, but it also has a far-reaching effect on the muscles and the brain. First, there is a difference between what we are doing in our studies and the keto diet used for weight loss. While we give a high-fat, low-carb diet, we provide the same number of calories to maintain weight neutrality (no gain or loss). So, our studies are not looking to control body weight or body fat percentage, but to improve body function by mimicking the effect of exercise with diet.

Naturally, people lose muscle mass and endurance with age. Older muscles lose their mitochondria, the power engines of the cells. Mitochondria not only produce energy, they also help the body break down harmful metabolites known as kynurenines.

Both exercise and a keto diet can increase the number of mitochondria in muscles. The more fit we are, the more muscle mitochondria we have, and the more energy our muscles can make from fat, the better we are at breaking down potential neurotoxins. These are chemicals that destroy the nerve tissues and harm the nervous system.

Our studies show that when we give animals a ketogenic diet, they maintain their muscle strength and their endurance into old age. They also maintain their muscle mass. A keto diet therefore prevents muscle deterioration and even restores muscle function.

I hope this information will help you.

Thank you.