The Ketogenic Diet: Is it the Right Fit for You?

The ketogenic (keto) diet is a very low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet that’s designed to teach the body how to use fat instead of carbohydrates as a primary source of energy. The keto diet is so low in carbohydrates that the brain, which typically uses glucose (blood sugar) for energy, adapts to the use of something known as ketones. As a variation of the old Atkins diet, keto is becoming more widely embraced for its many health benefits which can include weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity (better blood sugar control). In fact, keto is quickly becoming the go-to diet for metabolic syndrome—a variety of symptoms that are all linked to the onset of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. While the diet is often recommended as a strategy for relieving the symptoms of menopause, it may not be the right fit for every woman.

 Why?

Because menopause can be a stressful. And making drastic dietary changes can add even more stress to the equation. In addition, adhering to the keto diet requires some form of regular fasting. Fasting is considered a hormetic stressor—a stressful input (no food) that encourages an adaptive response (like fat loss). Experiencing some hormetic stress can be very beneficial; feeling a little hungry, a little too hot, or a little too cold from time to time is okay. In fact, it can make us stronger and healthier. But when a hormetic stress is too large, it transforms into a more generalized and ultimately harmful form of stress. The size of any hormetic stress is, of course, relative. And there are many different variables affect how much of any given hormetic stressor a person can tolerate. In general, women have a much lower threshold for handling hormetic stress than men.

Fasting on the keto diet might mean postponing breakfast in the morning until you feel hungry. Or it might involve avoiding food for an entire day once a week, once a month or even for multiple, back-to-back days a few times a year. Unfortunately, the vast majority of studies that have confirmed the health benefits of frequent fasting have been done on healthy, young men; there is little information available on how this process of planned deprivation affects menopausal women.

In one of the few studies done on women, researchers found that a two-day fast shifted their nervous system activity toward sympathetic (fight or flight) dominance. While women’s cognitive abilities remained unaffected, they felt anxious and stressed. Male nervous system dominance shifted in the opposite direction—toward parasympathetic (rest and digest) dominance. The men in the study reported feeling well-rested and relaxed; their blood pressure decreased and their cognitive abilities increased.

In addition to weight loss, one of the main benefits of intermittent fasting is increased autophagy (self-digestion), which improves the body’s ability to utilize old and/or damaged cells for the energy it needs to create new ones. The results of research done on intermittent fasting and autophagy, however, has revealed a significant difference between the way men and women respond. While one study showed that male neurons responded to starvation by undergoing autophagy, female neurons respond by resisting it.

Based on the limited research that exists, it appears that menopausal women are less likely to benefit from the ketogenic diet than their male counterparts. There do appear to be some solid therapeutic benefits for those who are obese and have a significant amount of weight to lose, undergoing chemotherapy, and/or being treated for age-related neurodegeneration, however. And there may be a place for an occasional (weekly or bi-weekly) fast in the interest of promoting autophagy. If you’re in the habit of constantly eating or ‘grazing’ throughout the day, your cells won’t have a chance to repair or rid themselves of the metabolic wastes and environmental toxins they have inevitably accumulated. Short periods of fasting can give them an opportunity to take care of those tasks.

Are you following or have you tried following a keto diet? Do you have a personal perspective to share? Please feel free to share your comments and insights below!