Argumentative Essay: Ketogenic Diet

Ketogenic (keto) diets are eating plans that encourage consuming a lot more fats compared to proteins and carbs. The main reason for using a keto diet therapeutically is to treat children with epilepsy who don't respond to medications. Lately, though, it's gotten popular among healthy folks wanting to lose weight. But, there's some debate about whether it's good or bad for people without chronic illnesses to stick to a keto diet. This essay argues that healthy individuals shouldn't follow a keto diet because of the health risks from such a big change in nutrition and metabolism. We'll look at how keto diets affect the body, using studies on people with chronic illnesses, and then examine the negative side effects and what they mean.

Primary Implements

It's well-known in scientific journals that a keto diet helps treat many illnesses like diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer's, and some brain injuries. The most famous use is for treating epilepsy in kids, especially when meds don't work. Recent findings show that adults can benefit too, compared to more invasive treatments like surgery or drugs, which have higher risks. The way a keto diet helps with epilepsy is by changing how the body uses energy, making cells work differently and produce specific molecules. It boosts the action of mitochondria and makes more GABA in the brain, which calms neurons and reduces seizures. These changes also help with other issues. For Alzheimer's, one study showed a big drop in cognitive symptoms using a specific assessment scale, especially in early stages. In obese patients, particularly those with Type 2 diabetes, studies showed a consistent drop in BMI, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels. While current studies show promising results, more research with larger groups is needed to confirm these benefits for each condition.

Adverse Effects

Despite its effectiveness in treating these and other conditions, the keto diet has its downsides. The diet requires drastically cutting carbs, which can lead to a lack of essential nutrients usually found in those foods, increasing the risk of getting sick. Common issues include dehydration, low blood sugar, and digestive problems. Metabolic acidosis, which raises the acidity in body tissues, is a risk for keto dieters. Symptoms include being tired, feeling sick, and heavy breathing. Severe acidosis can cause dangerous changes in vital signs and irregular heartbeats. A lack of vitamin D is also a concern, especially for older people using the diet to manage neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. Plus, eating mainly fats can increase the risk of heart disease. Children, who are the most studied group, seem to be at the highest risk of these side effects.

Counterclaim

According to a study by Paoli et al. (2015), athletes might benefit from keto diets because they help with weight loss and don't cost much. The diet can provide the energy needed for endurance sports but might not be great for building muscle over time. The study also mentioned short-term benefits like reduced depression and fatigue in athletes. However, they said more research is needed for long-term effects on athletes who stick to the diet. The study concluded that weight loss from the diet is mostly fat loss, with little muscle loss, and that the diet is safe because it uses natural metabolic processes.

In Response to the Counterclaim

Keto diets have gained a lot of attention and inspired much research. Most studies show that these diets can significantly affect a person's body and metabolism, especially for weight loss and treating specific diseases. The study mentioned earlier focused on athletes, who are at peak physical performance. It found the diet safe for them and that adverse effects didn't impact performance. But many other studies disagree, arguing that performance is limited by the keto diet (source). Also, most research supports using the diet for those with health issues, not healthy people. So, the counterclaim only applies to a specific group of healthy individuals. Another downside of the keto diet is that it's hard to stick to. While athletes are used to strict lifestyle changes, most people struggle with such a drastic diet change. In medical settings, patients are closely monitored to ensure they follow the diet. But for those doing it for non-medical reasons, self-discipline is often the only motivation. Even if they stick to it, healthy participants are likely to experience side effects and risks when they go back to a regular diet, negating any benefits.

In Conclusion

Although the keto diet offers several benefits for people with chronic illnesses, it's not advisable for healthy individuals due to the avoidable side effects from the drastic metabolic changes. Based on many studies, the general consensus is that unless you're dealing with specific persistent health issues, the benefits of the keto diet can be better achieved with more traditional diets that allow a full range of essential nutrients.