Exactly how good for you is the ketogenic diet?

As Jason Blaha explains, many bodybuilders consider the ketogenic diet to be the holy grail of cutting techniques. Not only does it help you lose dramatic amounts of weight in a short period of time, but keto experts also claim that it improves focus, increases energy, and optimizes insulin levels. It does this by forcing your body into ketosis — a metabolic state where low carb intake causes your metabolism to rely entirely on stored fats for energy.

But is it safe? If practiced in moderation, it can be. But unfortunately, in the world of competitive bodybuilding, people are quick to take things to the extreme. Fitness trends and fads, some of which may not have had any benefits at all to being with, are abused to the point where they become unhealthy, all in the name of finding an easy shortcut to gains.

The truth is, although the ketogenic diet is often touted as the latest and greatest trend in fitness dieting, it is not at all new. These trends cycle in and out of popularity every decade or so. There are many past bodybuilders who have tried this diet and discovered that it is not what it seems. For example, much of the “weight” you lose on a ketogenic diet is water loss due to carb restriction, not true fat loss. So much of what you lose you will gain right back if and when you return to carbs.

But the most dangerous secret about keto is that it can actually be life-threatening. If you are on a ketogenic diet while abusing anabolic steroids or taking insulin shots, you can go into hypoglycemic shock and die. You can even end up in a diabetic coma.

If practiced responsibly, those outcomes are rare. But the potential remains for serious complications from a ketogenic diet. That’s why it’s important to always research any new diet or technique very thoroughly before integrating it into your routine.

So, do you think the ketogenic is useful tool for bodybuilders? Or do you think the risks outweigh the rewards? Let us know in the comments, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and make to check out the full video from Jason Blaha Fitness.