Mental Health

How Ketosis Positively Impacts Our Emotions, Moods, and Behaviours

The beneficial effects of ketone bodies on the brain and heart might decrease anxiety, tension, anger, confusion, mental fatigue, and mood disturbances.

Do you sometimes feel like you are on a rollercoaster of emotions and mood swings? One day, you’re feeling happy and productive, and the next day, you’re feeling anxious and overwhelmed. This situation depicts emotional dysregulation and behavioral issues.

Like many people, I struggled with emotional dysregulation, behavioral disturbances, and frequent mood changes as significant obstacles to living a happy and fulfilling life. I investigated many approaches to address these issues and mitigate risks.

I found different ways to manage emotional dysregulation, lack of mental energy, behavioral issues, and mood disorders.

But one promising approach was ketosis through fasting. It is a healthy lifestyle intervention with minimal risk when performed correctly.

I have been fasting for over three decades with one meal a day and occasional long-term fasting, having no side effects but thriving benefits.

Therefore, I wrote numerous articles about ketosis, autophagy, and mitophagy induced mainly by fasting, intense exercises, and keto diets.

Fasting has been shown to have several benefits for mental health, including reducing anxiety, depression, and mood swings.

In this story, I will briefly introduce the science behind ketosis and its potential to improve mental health by regulating emotions, moods, and behaviors.

Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the body burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. Ketosis from fasting can be a fat loss and muscle gain tool, but it also has other benefits for mental health, like improving cognitive clarity, focus, attention, task-switching, and memory.

Scientists have gained significant evidence that ketones are metabolically cleaner energy sources. Several studies have proved this, especially related to heart conditions and metabolic syndrome.

For Example, this study suggests ketosis induces a moderate uncoupling state and less oxidative efficiency compared to glucose oxidation.

In recent years, there has been growing interest in the potential of fasting to improve mental health. Fasting has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression and improve mood. In addition, fasting can also help us enhance cognitive function.

Healthcare professionals globally have been using fasting to treat physical and mental health problems for centuries. In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in fasting to improve overall health and well-being.

Take a look at this study — it talks about how ketosis could be beneficial for heart failure. It says that even though we still have some questions about how it all works, there’s evidence that it might help, especially for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

It’s still early in the research, but using ketosis to treat different types of heart failure, metabolic issues, and mental health conditions looks promising.

I follow many medical doctors who advocate and practice fasting in their patients. They inform the public, share their medical practices, and inspire patients to take ownership of their conditions.

For Example, I read and watch fastin guidance from cardiologist Dr. Pradip Jamnadas, nephrologist Dr. Jason Fung, obesity medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics Dr. Angela Fitch, Emeritus Professor Dr. Stephen Phinney, and the founder of TrueNorth Health Center, Dr. Alan Goldhamer, are a few to mention.

You can find the presentations of these leading doctors on YouTube and many other publicly available sites and platforms.

One of the most promising benefits of fasting is its ability to improve mental health. Fasting has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression and balance mood. It can also help to improve cognitive function.

Fasting and ketosis go hand in hand because deep ketosis happens when we fast. Fasting does many good things to our body, mind, health, fitness, well-being, serenity, and joy.

But when it comes to our brain and behavior, it’s all about the effects of ketones, these alternative energy sources, especially β-hydroxybutyrate. Thus, scientists have been studying how our brains work when we fast since the 1960s.

I introduced the cognitive effects of ketosis on the brain in a previous story. I also explained how fasting can change brain chemistry. It can significantly boost BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), improving our mental health and cognitive function.

As a result of cardiometabolic and cognitive benefits, the research on fasting proliferates. Fast-mimicking diets are hitting the mainstream.

In the next section, I will briefly introduce the science behind fasting and its potential to improve mental health without going into scientific details.

Mental Health: How Ketosis Impacts Emotions and Behaviors

You may wonder how ketosis affects mental health, particularly from emotional and behavioral aspects. Well, some studies shed light on this.

A study published on Frontiers involving rats found that nutritional ketosis might boost brain energy and cognitive performance, making animals more resilient. Animals fed by ketones behave better.

There are two types of ketosis: endogenous (produced by our bodies through fasting and ketogenic diets) and exogenous (supplements we ingest).

While endogenous ketones have natural triggers like fasting and exercise, exogenous ketones are synthetically produced and are available in various forms, even in sports drinks.

The effects of exogenous ketones have been studied in animals. These preliminary studies have shown promise in slowing cancer cell growth and extending survival.

Some fitness enthusiasts use exogenous ketones to enhance their sports performance, and they report increased energy, motivation, calmness, and improved cognitive function and mental health.

Ketosis from fasting plays a role in behavior changes. Although it can make beginners a bit irritable, those who are fat-adapted and insulin-sensitive tend to experience calmness and composure during fasting.

Fasting induces mindfulness, self-compassion, and compassion for others, significantly enhancing my mental well-being, physical health, and cognitive performance.

I naturally achieve mild to deep ketosis through fasting and diet. Deep ketosis has changed my behavior significantly, making me feel calmer, more tolerant of disturbing situations, and in a constant meditative and flow state. It even led to a natural feeling of euphoria.

Some research suggests that calorie restriction and fasting may have antidepressant effects. Increasing experimental evidence has recently demonstrated the effects of calorie restriction on the neuroendocrine system and depression.

Both primary and clinical investigations indicated that short-term calorie restriction might induce an antidepressant efficacy in depression, providing a novel avenue for treatment.

Clinicians have noted increased vigilance and mood improvement in those who fast, describing feelings of well-being and sometimes euphoria. Therapeutic fasting, following an established protocol, is safe and well-tolerated.

Another study included 31 subjects on mood and depression among aging men. The study observed significant decreases in tension, anger, confusion, and total mood disturbance and improvements in vigor in participants in the fasting and calorie restriction group compared to the control group.

In addition to scientific papers, some practitioners use the ketogenic diet to increase ketosis and improve mental health.

For Example, Psychiatrist Dr. Christopher Palmer observed that 25–40% of patients with mental health disorders, including personality and psychotic disorders, chronic depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, and alcoholism, experience dramatic improvement on the ketogenic diet.

By substantially reducing inflammation, fasting can alleviate pain, ultimately improving emotional and cognitive well-being. This pain relief, in turn, indirectly but profoundly impacts our behavior and mood.

Fasting has nothing to do with starvation if done correctly. I explained six compelling benefits of short or long-term fasting inducing ketosis based on research and decades of experience.

In summary, ketosis from fasting can remarkably affect our emotions, moods, and behaviors, improving our mental health.

From increased resilience to improved mood and well-being, there’s much to explore in this fascinating field of study.

Conclusions and Takeaways

In wrapping up our exploration of fasting and its impact on emotional, behavioral, and mood regulation for mental health, here are some key conclusions and practical takeaways:

Fasting isn’t just about physical benefits. It has a profound impact on our mental well-being, too. A significant part of this stems from ketosis, a natural by-product of fasting, which provides our brain with an alternative and efficient energy source.

Fasting may seem daunting initially, but it can evolve into a rewarding lifestyle habit with time and becoming fat-adapted.

Fasting has proven particularly effective in addressing insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, impacting the brain and cognitive health.

You may consider experimenting with different fasting routines. While intermittent fasting, like the one-meal-a-day approach, can be an excellent daily habit, occasionally, extending fasting that puts us in deep ketosis can offer additional mental health benefits.

Fasting and ketosis can become integral to a holistic approach to better mental health and a healthier life. These practices can complement other well-being strategies and contribute to enhanced vitality.

However, fasting may not suit everyone. Individual tolerance can vary. It’s crucial to consult with qualified healthcare professionals before starting any fasting regimen, especially long-term fasting.

We also watch out for ketoacidosis, which is a detrimental health situation, especially for type I and some type II diabetics.

While intermittent fasting typically has fewer side effects and is manageable by healthy people, prolonged fasting should be supervised by healthcare providers due to potential risks like dehydration.

We are all unique. What works best may vary, so finding the fasting approach that suits your needs and health profile best is essential.

Fasting has become a powerful tool for physical health, improving emotional regulation, mood, and behavior, and a crucial component of mental well-being.

By fasting sensibly, taking necessary cautions like staying hydrated, preventing nutritional deficiencies, and seeking expert guidance, we can explore the potential benefits and enhance our overall quality of life.

Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.

I’ve condensed my research into significant health conditions in concise summaries of 62 articles. I trust these stories could prove valuable to anyone delving into these conditions.

Disclaimer: My posts do not include professional or health advice. I only document my reviews, observations, experiences, and perspectives to provide information and create awareness.

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