Structured dietary regimens encompassing ketogenic, low-carbohydrate, and/or intermittent fasting periods are becoming more popular for these wellness benefits, as compared to typical low monotonic dietary restriction. With respect to increasing fat oxidation alone, ketosis has definite benefits beyond reducing ketogenic effects. After glycogen depletion, access to an individual’s lipid stores becomes almost unlimited in the keto-adapted state. Likewise, some investigators cite the potential for augmented fat oxidation with high fasting insulin in keto diet for weight loss. Furthermore, enhancing these levels of fat oxidation for a reduction in stored body fat levels, according to bioenergetic laws, can only lead to decreased body weight. A metabolic byproduct of fat oxidation involves iterative consumption of oxygen. Oxygen levels increase during the transition from the non-fasted to the fasted state. The three structured dietary regimens compared in the following section produce this ‘afterburn’ effect to different degrees.
Ketosis occurs when one is not consuming enough glucose to fuel the body, and fats are converted to ketones to be used by cells. Low-carb refers to dietary programs in which most calories come from protein and/or fat, with a small portion of daily intake from low glycemic load carbohydrates. Intermittent fasting weight loss is an umbrella term used for various meal timing protocols, including time-restricted feeding, alternate day fasting, or whole day fasting. Throughout this paper, intermittent fasting will be defined generally as any fasting period of 24 hours or more, and any specific laboratory or human study referred to for intermittent fasting will be described as either time-restricted feeding, alternate day fasting, or whole day fasting. Weight loss is a composite measure of mass reductions in fat and lean body mass. A lower energy availability to tissues occurs during dietary energy restriction, and both lean and fat mass are mobilized to meet regular energy requirements. Reduced insulin and leptin, and increased adiponectin and ghrelin, follow the best diet for weight loss.
The ketogenic diet is most notably defined through increased fat intake in foods and negligible intake of carbohydrates in a try to enter ketosis. Ketosis in humans is a mechanism through high circulating blood ketone concentrations and hepatic ketone body production during times of low availability of glucose. In the past several decades, the ketogenic diet gained consideration not only for its use in therapeutic intervention in a variety of metabolic disease but increasingly in current times for its use in weight loss. Diets with reduced carbohydrates have been used in most studies in a less extreme ketogenic model form. There is no intention for such diets to induce ketosis but pejoratively to inhibit circulating insulin through restriction of carbohydrates. Intermittent fasting weight loss is restriction of intake of calories for a duration, most regularly in a 24-hour duration. All three diets, including Keto vs Low-Carb, and intermittent fasting, direct the metabolism towards oxidation of fats, and for that reason, all three diets have a state of negative energy and loss of fat and body weight.
A salient feature of ketogenic diets is that high fat diets are almost universally paired with reduced carbohydrate intake. This produces a relatively specific metabolic setup. However, the predominant opinion is that the beneficial effects of a keto intervention are attributed mostly to a real ketogenic situation. The characteristic of low-carb diet benefits, on the other hand, has relatively high dietary fat and a moderate level of carbohydrate intake when compared to the standard usually lower-in-fat Western diet. The low-carb situation is thought to lower levels of fasting hyperinsulinemia, in some instances to levels near euglycemia, wherein the negative feedback system in the liver could be restored. Although the association of hyperinsulinemia with dietary fat is controversial, many studies show that a low-carb diet benefits can result in weight and fat loss in obese individuals. Intermittent fasting influences short-term fat oxidation strongly and therefore resulted in reduced weight gain or increased weight loss in most maintained energy intake sham-controlled studies. As such, these dietary approaches are comparable for the purpose of this review in several biological responses.
The basic principle of these physiological displays is to gather energy from endogenous fuel sources during periods of low or no exogenous fuel supply. These physiological processes could be linked to adaptive gains as in the case of fasting or ketosis during starvation, or to pathological conditions, as in certain inborn errors of metabolism. However, they all rely on fat oxidation for energy. Dropping insulin levels for a prolonged time allows this process to accelerate. At a physiological level, a condition of low insulin levels tells the brain to decrease hunger and stimulate metabolites. Such conditions originate much from changes in gut hormones. Insulin itself is also associated with hunger directly, while glucagon has suggestive evidence that suppresses hunger. Apart from insulin, there is a role for ghrelin to stimulate hunger; finally, it is known that the intestine can communicate directly with the brain via neurotransmitters. Measurements of satiety scores showed a much higher satiety sense associated with ketogenic diets, but in the case of the best diet for weight loss, there was no difference in caloric intake between a Keto vs Low-Carb diet. A dual effect was also shown between the effects on ghrelin and leptin between the Keto vs Low-Carb weight loss diet, with weight reduction in the low-carb long-term diet higher than in the low-fat diet.
Many people match intermittent fasting weight loss with a very low carb, high fat keto diet for weight loss. But does this combination beat Keto vs Intermittent Fasting or low carb alone? Or in other words, if we had to rank each diet, how would they place in power to maintain weight? This study finds a ranked order of effectiveness for weight loss: Keto vs Intermittent Fasting low carb.
Reviewing results from several IF studies showed that average weight loss was 4–10% of initial body weight over 6 weeks to 1 year. One IF study reported that 17% of participants lost no weight at all. In contrast, results from seven Keto diet studies reported a pooled average weight loss of 5 kg. Finally, the average weight loss reported in three low-carb diet benefits studies was 6.9 kg over 10 weeks. It’s questionable how well IF and low carb are different from standard low-calorie dieting when looking at the review data. These findings were very similar in reverse meta-analyses of weight-stable keto-adapted diet studies. There was no evidence that intermittent fasting added to the effectiveness of the best diet for weight loss of either low-carb or keto diets, in contrast to ketogenic and low-carb diets. As a clinician, I’d keep in mind that bio-individuality means that many people’s genetic, hormonal, and metabolic differences make some people better suited to one diet than another.
The key difference between low-carb diet benefits, keto, and fasting diets is the amount of time and macronutrients consumed at each meal. The low-carb diet falls under 150 g of carbohydrates, but the fat level is open. In contrast, the keto diet for weight loss is defined as consuming 20–50 g of carbs, 1.5–1.75 g of protein, and fat making up the remaining extra calories. Finally, a fasting diet is defined by when meals are missed; there is no set amount of intermittent fasting weight loss food that needs to be consumed. Research suggests people are more successful at intermittent fasting if they reduce their caloric intake to 20–50% of their normal intake on fasting days.
There are a few considerations to remember when deciding on an approach. Firstly, adhere to a dietary approach you have a preference for, an approach that is easier for you to follow when incorporating your previous dietary habits. Consult a healthcare provider prior to starting a new approach, especially if starting a new diet has previously resulted in health complications. Always remember to focus on established health benefits alongside weight reduction. A dietary approach must be convenient for you and compatible with your daily routine. For some, the keto diet for weight lossapproach is beneficial, particularly with minimized meal planning and preparation. However, for others, this very same characteristic can be a disadvantage. Failing to plan meals increases the likelihood of falling back into old dietary habits. Practical intermittent fasting can be utilized without worrying much about meals during the day. Once again, however, for others with different working schedules, such as nurses or medical professionals who are not guaranteed meal breaks, such an approach can be difficult. The same is valid regarding those who are in a social group where very early or very late meals are often shared.
It should be remembered that individualizing the best approach is crucial. A mismatch with a more extreme diet can lead to feelings of failure, reduced adherence, and a return of old habits. For many individuals, the regularity of eating, meal planning and prepping, or lack thereof is a priority. Encouraging the importance of medical check-ups or blood tests, particularly for women of childbearing age, is invaluable. Regular checks can assist in detecting potential nutritional deficiencies or imbalances. Moreover, the nutritional content of a diet can heavily influence the best diet for weight loss. Even short-term nutritional deficiencies can increase hormonal consumption, leading to increased hunger and dietary requirements. Support from people (or professionals) also trying these approaches is advantageous. Counting calories or kilojoules or tracking your food on your phone is useful for many individuals. It is very easy for all details to become inaccurate very quickly. It is important to allow for uncontrolled errors in food intake even after accurate information is entered. In conclusion, pick an eating approach that is the best fit for your lifestyle, that is balanced in nutrition and that promotes health!
This overview aimed to compare periodic literature on different diet types for weight loss, focusing on a compare and contrast analysis of Keto vs Low-Carb, and intermittent fasting. It can be concluded from the literature reviewed on these diet types that weight loss is associated with a decrease in fat mass and a potential improvement in markers for metabolic health. Long-term prospective cohort studies have shown potential positive associations with mortality rates and the potential protective effects against diet-related non-communicable diseases of low-energy diets.
Keto vs Low-Carb, and IF diets appear to effectively reduce body weight and fat mass, as well as improve blood pressure, lipid profiles, and insulin sensitivity. Aside from high dropout rates, the potential direct and indirect cost of healthcare, the potential acute and chronic physical and psychological stressors, and those unable or unwilling to adhere to a diet, the main drawbacks of these diets are a loss of metabolic rate, lean body mass, and sarcopenic fat. Future research could involve further exploration and understanding of the concept of dieting itself, including age- and metabolic health-related differences, as well as an exploration of the psychological effects and adherence to these diets over time. It also seems beneficial to further research the possible positive effects of periodic diet phases on adverse effects. Interdisciplinary research, with possible fields including the inclusion of nutritional sciences and behavioral sciences, could also be a consideration in future research. It is essential that the evidence is evaluated to avoid commercial or ill-informed claims being adopted into dietary guidance while allowing the compilation and constant interrogation of best practices in dietary aid for weight management.
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