Posted on 05/05/2020 12:59:30 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A new study shows that the health benefits of keto diet could help manage asthma. The very low-carb, high-fat diet lowers the inflammation of the respiratory tract, which may then help reduce the prevalence of the respiratory condition.
Researchers at the University of Bonn in Germany explained that asthma attacks occur due to severe inflammation of the bronchi and increased mucus production. Their study shows that increased consumption of fats on keto diet could help prevent these changes.
The eating plan helps reduce inflammation by improving the functions of Innate Lymphoid Cells (ILC) in the immune system. These cells play an important role in protecting the lungs by repairing damaged mucous membranes.
ILC works with cytokines that stimulate division of the mucosal cells and promote mucus production. The two cells help the body speed up the process to fix damage caused by pathogens or harmful substances.
However, ILC and cytokines can also contribute to the occurrence of asthma. In people with the lung condition, the inflammatory reaction caused by the cells is "much stronger and longer than normal," according to Christoph Wilhelm, a professor at Bonn’s Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology.
ILC rapidly multiplies and releases large amounts of cytokines that could lead to higher inflammation and problems with breathing. Researchers said reducing or slowing down the division of the cells may help prevent asthma.
They found that eating more fats but with less carbs and protein on keto diet could help manage ILC activities. Researchers tested the effects of the eating plan on asthmatic mice.
The study, published in the journal Immunity, shows switching to fats as an alternative energy source for cells led to changes in cell metabolism. Researchers said the changes occurred because of shortage of fatty acids and glucose deficiency.
The high-fat approach then helped reduce the division activity of ILCs and boost its functions that protect the lungs.
"Normally, contact with allergens increases the number of ILCs in the bronchi fourfold," Wilhelm said in a statement. "In our experimental animals, however, it remained almost unchanged. Both mucus production and other asthma symptoms decreased accordingly."
The researchers hope to continue the study to see how the keto diet would help prevent asthma attacks in people.
"We are therefore trying to determine which components of the dietary change are responsible for the effect," Wilhelm said. "Maybe this will open the door to the development of new drugs."
I’ve been on keto or low carb most of my adult life and love it. As an aside, I think I am a wee bit carb intolerant. High carb foods taste great and are great as an exercise fuel, but they don’t agree with me (make me drowsy and foggy-headed).
Like so many scientific analyses, this seems so ambivalent. “It could diminish asthmatic problems; then again, it might make them worse.”
I’ll have to stow this away for future clarification.
I’ve been doing Keto for 9 months now. Down 50lbs from a high of 250lbs.
It’s super easy and just a way of eating now...
Also adds weight. As an asthmatic, that means you go up sometimes and down sometimes, and the second one can be quite miserable. But when the pouch grows, you go on diets and take extra Proventil treatments.
The Keto diet generally causes weight loss. But if some people are eating a lot of cheese and other dairy, that could exacerbate respiratory issues.
I eat lots of meat and protein. I generally avoid dairy.
If you eat lots of protein, that’s not Keto.
I eat lots of fat. That is Keto, right?
I really like Keto, although I don’t do it all the time. Not only is it great for easy weight loss, but it lessens my sense of hunger. When I’m eating carbs I crave more food, but on keto I eat moderate amounts and sometimes even forget to eat when I normally would. I have seen some signs that it’s genuinely anti-inflammatory too in my own life.
Correct. 75% of calories should come from fats.
There are several versions. In the high-protein version of the ketogenic diet the ratios would be 60% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbs.
If you eat too much protein, your body can easily convert it into glucose, which will throw you out of ketosis. You have to experiment to see how much protein you can eat and still stay in ketosis. Naturally, you have to be in ketosis to get the health benefits of a keto diet.
The only problem with Keto is, when you come home from hunting the Pink Panther, he's hiding somewhere, waiting to kick your ass.
Yes, hight fat, low carb, moderate protein.
But are you guys asthmatics, or focused on the diet? My point was you have to go on and off it.
My daughter has asthma and one of the remedies that works is butter.
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