Why does KETO "cure" my brain ? Looking for explanations.

[French.cat]

Hi everyone !
(non-english speaker)

I am currently taking SSRI's and Theralene (a neuroleptic) to sleep and "heal" my depression.
I know it's not good blabla... But anyway, I prefer to be standing rather than to be dead.

I have eaten an apple an hour ago and feel so bloated...
My belly turn into an XXL balloon.

I remember when I tried Keto diet in 2018, I felt depression alleviated from my brain within a month.
My breathing (short, most of the days) TOTALLY healed, and I had a lot of energy.

Unfortunately, I had constipation and insomnia went worse, but maybe it was just the beginning and I should have carry on this way...

The goods : no depression, no anxiety, willpower, energy +++, not NUMB anymore, but happy and lively, new vision , and hope for the future.

What are your thoughts about keto diet ?

Most of people here told me that it's just another FAD diet but the work of Chris Palmer (and his book, Brain Energy) proved them wrong, IMO.
For those who might say "yeah, girl, you just run on cortisol, that's why you had so much energy", it's wrong.

With my new understanding on the nervous system, I can affirm that it was not cortisol effects.

- I felt really energetic BUT calm
- I felt really aware NOT hyper-vigilant
- My vision cleared up
- I was happy and positive for no reason
- Childhood trauma did not count anymore

My though is : maybe I have a brain metabolism impairment, and the raise in GABA and dopamine due to ketones cured that dysfunction!


Thanks for you help,

Love
FrenchCat

 

[youngsinatra]

For some metabolic diseases the ketogenic diet can be a valuable and effective treatment.

You may have issues with pyruvate dehydrogenase (which requires thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, alpha-lipoic acid and magnesium) which is needed to shuttle glucose substrates into the mitochondria / TCA cycle to create ATP.

People with genetic pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency are oftentimes treated with B1 (and other cofactors) and a ketogenic diet.

Fatty acids more directly enter the mitochondria / TCA cycle so it may help to alleviate your ATP deficiency. (the systemic driver of multi-organ symptoms / diseases)

A combination of a ketogenic diet with B vitamins, CoQ10, alpha lipoic acid, carnitine, magnesium and potentially potassium should work pretty well.

 

[htuoyabc]

I second @youngsinatra . Maybe you need to supplement B1.

Check out the book:

Thiamine Deficiency Disease, Dysautonomia, and High Calorie Malnutrition

“ explores thiamine and how its deficiency affects the functions of the brainstem and autonomic nervous system by way of metabolic changes at the level of the mitochondria”

 

[French.cat]

Thanks @htuoyabc for the book recommendation.

Long time ago, a member called "Mostly Turking" (Am I mistaken ??) said that I may benefit from a thiamine supplementation!!
Yeah, I forgot that.

Well, he also said that keto is not the answer, because it is so stressing for the body according to ray Peat himself...

So maybe B1 ins THE answer, idk. Thanks for your advice @youngsinatra , I remember you, hope you're doing ok :)

Love
FrenchCat

 

[Soren]

I think one of the reasons if not the main reason why Keto works so well is it eliminates a huge amount of the foods that can cause irritation in the gut. It is very hard to irritate the gut when you remove all carbs you're basically just left with meat and butter.

Long term though it would be ideal to reintroduce carbs. Keto can do a great job at eliminating acute symptoms but I would say it is not optimal.

 

[Nick]

Garrett Smith has suggested that one reason some people feel better on low carbohydrates can be that some small but not insignificant percent of carbohydrate gets turned into alcohol in the body, which then burdens the alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase systems. A person with low toxin intake and storage should be able to handle this extra detox burden from the carbohydrates but if the ADH and ALDH systems are impaired or already over taxed this could definitely impair brain function. Supporting the detox systems and bile elimination and minimizing toxin and polyphenol intake would probably help more than low carb in the long term, given the drawbacks of using fat as the sole fuel for energy production.

 

[mosaic01]

I think the issue most often is related to dysbiosis, SIBO (toxic liver and gut) and blood sugar fluctuations. Abram Hoffer had his patients on a low-carb diet (some complex carbs) and forbid all simple sugars to stabilize blood sugar and he has some data showing that mental health problems often improved immediately, like anxiety and depression.

In the end this is about a toxic body not being able to use sugar properly, and fat providing a more stable energy source. Blood sugar fluctuations have massive effects on mood and brain function and stopping all fructose and sugar is probably the easiest and most basic way to improve anxiety and depression.

The stricter I avoid all simple sugars and eat just meat and starch, the better I feel. Keto makes me feel the best when it comes to blood sugar stability and mood but is difficult and has too many downsides.

With mental health issues, the most important short-term strategy is a diet with a focus on meat, animal fats, coconut oil, vegetables and starches (brown rice, potatoes, wheat, beans, etc.), coupled with niacin (and TMG) three times daily. That's the foundation for any further work. Glucose from starch is essential for the liver and kidneys and all cells, so keto should not be done.

 

[LLight]

Ketones as a better fuel for your neurones.
Lower insulin levels, better fluid homeostasis.
Probably better glymphatic system regulation (from better fluid homeostasis and LXR activation from cholesterol in the diet).

 

[mosaic01]

Ketones as a better fuel for your neurones.

Actually glucose is better, the body runs on it and prefers it. But when brain cells can't use glucose properly, especially with fluctuating blood sugar levels, then the ketones will be better.

The use of fat and ketones is a backup mechanism for times of starvation and scarcity, but the delicate glucose system of generating energy is more vulnerable to toxicity and stressors, so a lot of people can't use it properly anymore.

Same with insulin and diabetes type 2. Going low carb takes care of symptoms and many can stop taking insulin, but it does not treat the cause - vitamin A and other toxins stopping the ability of the body to properly use glucose.

Glucose is on a higher level, from the standpoint of man's evolutionary potential and abilities, compared to fat.

Avoiding glucose and sugar in general is just symptom treatment. It can be necessary while treating the cause, but the diet ideologies that dominate society are dangerous, because while people are going low carb and paleo, people are just getting more toxic and there has already come a point where all these diets don't help with many issues any more.

 

[Blossom]

some small but not insignificant percent of carbohydrate gets turned into alcohol in the body, which then burdens the alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase systems.

Yes indeed, I had that situation from klebsiella. I ate mainly muscle meat carnivore with fiber for about 4 years and it helped. It was just in the last year that I’ve been able to transition away from that diet (which was keto) and function fine. It was a difficult process but I would go back to it if need be to avoid taking strong drugs.

Chris Palmer (and his book, Brain Energy)

That’s a good book. Peat said keto was safe for a couple years. I went longer than that but periodically would have a carb refeed when I had the luxury of an off day. :)

 

[mosaic01]

Keto is like moving into your garden shed when the roof is broken and it's raining into your house and you can't live there comfortably anymore.

It feels good and can be necessary for some time, but it doesn't fix the house. In fact, the house will only get worse the longer you ignore the issues with the roof.

Every generation has it's "fix", just like the 60s-80s saw the widespread use of thyroid hormones, progesterone, vitamin c, etc. This stuff often does not work anymore today, because we got sicker collectively. The ticking time bomb needs to be dealt with.

The next generation will no longer see much benefit from keto, once the toxicity has increased beyond a certain treshold. It's also a bit ridiculous how everyone in the field seems to ignore the work by Abram Hoffer, who already incorporated a solution with carbs, but with a less destructive strategy compared to keto, combining a sugar-free diet with niacin.

So maybe B1 ins THE answer, idk.

A supplement is rarely the single answer. The only supplement that consistently makes a meaningful difference for mental health is niacin (B3).

 

[LLight]

Actually glucose is better, the body runs on it and prefers it. But when brain cells can't use glucose properly, especially with fluctuating blood sugar levels, then the ketones will be better.

That's what was kind of implied by "for your neurones".

 

[Bozidar]

How long did you do keto? @French.cat

 

[Ben.]

sounds to me like a infection / dysbiosis of the microbiome.

i wonder if the brain fog or whatever would go away with the right antimicrobials.

 

[Rock_V]

@French.cat I’m sorry to hear about your problems. I don’t know if anyone has mentioned it already but are you living in a moldy building?

It can be difficult to know if you are or not as often times it’s a hidden issue that can go undetected. Do you feel better when out of your living space and then feel worse when you come back?

 

[richofden]

Now glucose is essential from STARCH?? Jeeeeezz, where does it end??

Avoidance of Mycotoxins which are one of Aspreys highlights in his perspective, something to think about. Peating makes room for experiments.