More Exciting research on the Ketogenic Diet
Recent research has shed light on benefits of the ketogenic diet, extending beyond epilepsy and mental health to conditions like chronic pain
A 2022 study examined the effects of the ketogenic diet on reported pain, blood biomarkers, and quality of life in patients with chronic pain.
This study is amazing because it actually compared the ketogenic diet to a whole food, minimally processed diet, unlike most nutrition trials that compare diets to a control group, which could be just the standard American diet (any diet is going to outperform that IMO!).
Participants with chronic musculoskeletal pain were recruited for a 12-week trial. Initially, all participants eliminated processed foods from their diets for three weeks.
After that, they were randomly assigned to either a whole-food, well-formulated ketogenic diet (WFKD) or to continue with the minimally processed whole-food diet (WFD).
Unsurprisingly, both groups experienced improvements in pain and quality of life (thank you minimally processed, WHOLE foods!!!), but the real kicker is that the group who followed the ketogenic diet actually saw even greater improvements in pain, weight, depressive symptoms, anxiety, and inflammation compared to the group who continued the minimally processed, whole food diet.
While any diet based on minimally processed, whole foods is likely to deliver some degree of benefit, this study suggests that even within a minimally processed, whole food diet, a ketogenic diet might provide even more benefits, especially for those with chronic pain.
Super fascinating stuff! Check out the study here.
Header image: Britannica
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