Is Ketogenic Therapy Right For You?


By Erika Dworkin, Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition®


"Please understand that mitochondrial and metabolic health is an emerging discipline and only a handful of researchers and


even fewer practicing physicians are actively involved in its study. But I firmly believe that at some point in the future, metabolic therapy will be accepted as the standard of care not only for cancer but for most chronic diseases..."


~ Joseph Mercola, DO, Fat for Fuel: A Revolutionary Diet to Combat Cancer, Boost Brain Power, and Increase Your Energy (2017)


tional “dieting” generally does not work, cutting-edge science is repeatedly proving that ketogenic therapy (KT), which Joseph Mercola, DO refers to as mitochondrial metabolic therapy, or MMT can be an effective approach to reversing disease and sup- porting health span and longevity. Since what is more commonly referred to as a “ketogenic diet” is not for everyone, it is impor- tant to understand how it works, and what is required to sustain ketogenesis. This evidence-based article aims to simplify some of the many complexities of KT. A patient in health crisis who wishes to try KT should ideally obtain the guidance and monitoring of a holistic practitioner.


A KT Basics


KT, which mimics the effects of fasting, uses quality fats in food (70-90% of daily calories) as medicine, and calls for ad- equate but reduced protein intake (.8-1 gram for each kilogram of lean body mass), and extremely reduced intake of net carbo- hydrates (total carbs - dietary fiber = maximum 50 grams/day net carbs, or 4-10% of daily calories). It is based on the idea that carbohydrates, which the body converts to glucose, are a dirty fuel source for mitochondria (cellular powerhouses that produce energy from the combination of inhaled oxygen and consumed fats and sugars).


KT advocates maintain that consumption of healthy fats opti- mizes the ability of mitochondria to generate ketones, an alternate clean fuel (which can also derive from stored body fat) which, with low glucose levels, yields fewer free radicals and less oxidative


34 Natural Nutmeg - January/February 2019


re you searching for a new, natural way to address a serious chronic health condition? Do you want to optimize your health in order to slow the aging process? While conven-


damage to cells and their mitochondria. Scientific evidence has, in fact, proven that the carbohydrate-rich standard American diet is linked to many chronic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.


Benefits of Ketones The body produces ketones when its supply of dietary car-


bohydrates drops or disappears, particularly during fasting. In addition to the benefits previously mentioned, ketone therapy: (1) combats cancer by decreasing the availability of sugar to cancer cells and reducing highly unstable reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are mainly produced within the mitochondria and form cell-damaging free radicals; (2) reduces inflammation; (3) inhibits the mTOR molecular signaling pathway which, when stimulated in the presence of disease, reduces health span and longevity; (4) allows the simultaneous consumption of less protein with preser- vation and building of muscle mass because ketones structurally resemble branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), some of the build- ing blocks of protein [excess protein (a) converts to sugar; (b) is stored as fat, and (c) like carbohydrates, activates mTOR, thereby suppressing most cellular and mitochondrial repair and regenera- tion]; (5) protects brain cells from damage caused by hydrogen peroxide (common in Alzheimer’s/dementia patients), especially when iron levels are too high (ideal stored iron/ferritin level range = 40-60 ng/mL); (6) increases the number of mitochondria, and produces a steady energy supply that does not depend on immedi- ate food intake; and (7) may elevate mood.


Which Fats & Foods


While there are five versions of KT diets, each is based on the idea that all fats are not created equal. Conventional refined/hy- drogenated vegetable and nut oils (known as polyunsaturated fatty acids, or PUFAs), are toxic to the body since they contain pesti- cides/herbicides and solvents, and are highly vulnerable to free radical attack. When cell membranes incorporate the damaged PUFA molecules, cells become prone to health-compromising oxidation, which in turn causes chronic inflammation and clog- ging of the arteries.


In his book Fat for Fuel, Mercola recommends monounsaturat- ed, omega-3 and saturated fats (long demonized by conventional


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