Keto is Beneficial for Athletic Performance

In 2012 there was a study, which I linked to below this video, that keto doesn’t affect the strength performance in elite gymnasts. A 2018 study, also linked below, shows that keto reduces oxidative stress and inflammation in deep sea divers. When you run your body on ketones, you get less oxidative stress, meaning that your organs and tissues don’t break down as easily.

Yet another study of cyclists showed that keto didn’t compromise their endurance. Two of the top ultramarathon runners are both on keto. One of them, Zach Bitter, took the US record for a 100 mile event. It’s not carbs that build muscle, it’s protein. Strength training also builds muscle. While it’s true that insulin is anabolic, which helps your muscles grow, Two things stimulate insulin; one is carbs, the other is protein.

When you do the keto diet, you go low carb. When you go low carb, and combine it with intermittent fasting, you fix something called insulin resistance. Most of the population has this. Your cells need evermore insulin to offset the effect of eating too many carbs. When you fix insulin resistance, you increase the absorption of amino acids. Your body uses insulin more effectively. When you do a healthy keto plan, your body runs on ketones, fatty acids, and part of it still uses a little bit of glucose. Even though you’re not consuming glucose, your body has the ability to make its own in the liver, a process called gluconeogenesis.

When you start keto, you go through keto adaptation. You may experience fatigue. Increase your B vitamins and minerals. This is a temporary phase. Once you tap into your fat reserves, your performance will improve. You’ll have more endurance. Some athletes become fat burning machines. The truth is, when you eat high carb, you’ll feel more fatigued and your performance will suffer. You’ll have higher insulin along with blood sugar issues and more oxidative stress. Now you can see why the keto diet is actually beneficial for athletic performance.