How Gout and the Ketogenic Diet Affects You

A ketogenic diet is a diet with extremely low or no carbohydrates diet which makes the body go into a state known as ketosis. When the body is in the state of ketosis, the carbohydrates levels are low and this causes the blood sugar levels to drop and the body begins to break down fat to produce energy. Normally, the body relies on dietary energy sources as well as on the stored energy, which in most cases is always in the form of stored fats.

When the body is exposed to ketogenic diet, it implies that the dietary carbohydrates will be kept very low, thus leaving the body to rely on stored fats to provide the primary source of fuel, a process which also ends up producing ketones from the stored fats. It should be noted, therefore, that a ketogenic diet is a high fat diet and not a high protein diet as has always been portrayed.

Studies have suggested that high fat low carb ketogenic diet may help to alleviate the symptoms of gout. Gout symptoms are normally triggered by the NLRP3 inflammasome with the aid of neutrophilis. What happens is that the NLRP3 activates the 1L-1B pro-inflammatory cytokine which then leads to bouts of intense pain at the joints, fever, as well as the destruction of the joints.

According to the studies conducted on rodent models, researchers induced gout in rats by injecting 1.25mg of monosodium urate on the knee, after which the knee’s thickness was measured and pathology analysis performed on the menisci and the ligaments.

Human subjects were also used during the research where steroid free adults between the ages of 18 and 45 years and adults above the ages of 65 years. All the participants in the studies were not fasting at the time when there peripheral blood was collected.

The studies concluded that ketogenic diet had the ability to raise the levels of BHB in the body. BHB in turn inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome and consequently alleviating the symptoms of urate crystal induced gout. This happens without the immune system being impacted negatively or without hindering its ability to fight bacterial infections.

 

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Additionally, the studies concluded that BHB had the ability to block 1L-1B in both humans and mice subjects irrespective of the age and since 1L-1B is responsible for the bouts of pains experienced during gout attacks, it can effectively be concluded that ketogenic diets may help alleviate gout pains.

The conclusions of the studies thus promotes the notion as well as the adoption of ketogenic diets are a means of alleviating or providing relief to gout sufferers. Previously, there have been debates all over about the safety and the efficiency of the diet, especially in weight loss, but all the studies and researches have continuously pointed to the fact that it is indeed a viable method to lose weight safely, since all you will be avoiding is the use of diet carbohydrates as source of energy for the body and instead relying on the stored fats to provide the energy. It is during the breakdown of fats that ketones are produced which then sets off a chain reaction that may help in alleviating gout pains.

It should, however, be noted that, there may be a temporary increase in risk of gout for the first six weeks when you resort to ketogenic diet. But after this period, the diet may be protective as described above when it comes to doubt. A lot of studies is still on going with regards to the effects of ketogenic diet on gout, but until conclusive results are in, it is safe to say that low carb diet may help in alleviating gout pains in gout sufferers.

But Is This Safe And Should Gout Sufferers Use It?

In my opinion, no gout sufferer should use the ketogenic diet due to the fact that it is not a healthy diet. We all fall prey to quick fix wacko diets but the truth is that there is no quick fix! Eating mostly complex carbohydrates as in fresh vegetables, beans, legumes, whole grain breads, pastas and rices with very little protein and fat is what will keep you healthy long term. Not some fad that will last couple of years and die off until everybody moves to the next one on the list.

Yeah sure, it may alleviate gout pain but at what cost? Besides losing weight quickly in such a diet can spark more gout attacks and inflammation. There is no way that a diet that asks you to consume more meat and foods high in fat, is good for you as a sufferer from gout. Stick to my gout diet plan as outlined on this website and my book and you’ll see optimal results as many of my readers have found and testified.

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