Is the Keto Diet the Right Plan for Elite Athletes?
The ketogenic diet is a hot topic in the realm of diets these days, especially for those looking to lose weight and drop body fat. As made popular by celebrities, those following a keto diet implement a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet that goes against nearly every traditional nutrition requirement for athletes.
Yet, some athletes are using the keto diet. Are they doing more harm than good?
As you might be aware, athletes are told to consume a certain amount of carbohydrates before or during an athletic event or workout to sustain energy and help improve recovery for the next practice, game, or training session.
Carbohydrates are the primary source of fuel for the cells in our bodies. So, the question is, for an athlete, is the keto diet the right choice? Being that the keto diet is such a low-carb nutrition plan, is it sustainable for athletes or will it hinder their performance levels? Let’s discuss.
Should Athletes Go for Carbs or Low Carbs Like the Keto Diet for Energy?
So, for endurance athletes, like marathon runners and rowers, athletes might benefit better from a keto diet than the athletes who use and demand short bursts of energy. However, that’s still not saying that it’s the best nutrition plan out there for endurance athletes either – we’re simply trying to find a means where a keto diet could be fit into an athlete’s lifestyle.
Related Article: Keto Granola — Satisfy Your Crunch Cravings Without the Carbs
According to Dr. Clifton Page, who is an assistant professor of orthopedics as well as family medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, keto diets are more beneficial for those who are into endurance sports but only after a period of adaptation takes place.
What exactly does that mean? Why would there be an “adaptation period” that needs to take place? Well, the truth is, your body doesn’t simply switch over from using carbohydrates as its main source of energy to fat overnight. It’s used to fuel up through consuming carbohydrates and is looking for carbohydrates to utilize and convert into energy.
It might take several months for the body to switch from using carbohydrates to using primarily fats as its primary energy resources, hence the adaptation period for the keto diet. That said, should you have a high carbohydrate meal while trying the keto diet, it could slow down the adaptation periods because you’re now taking yourself out of ketosis and reintroducing carbohydrates back into the system.
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