EndurElite Chief Endurance Officer Matt Mosman gives a simple explanation of what the ketogenic diet it is, how it works on a physiological level, and if it is a good diet for athletes.
A Simple Explanation Of The Ketogenic Diet
- Simply put the ketogenic diet is a high fat, low carb diet.
- When you go keto, glycogen becomes depleted and your body relies more on triglyceride stores (fat) for energy production.
- Triglycerides are broken down into the two ketone bodies acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybutyrate.
- These are then converted into acetyl-Coa where it can then enter the Krebs cycle for ATP production (energy).
- The keto diet may have some advantages when it comes to ultra-endurance events but may not be the best fit for activities where the intensity is high (i.e. 5k race).
