# An interesting application of the ketogenic diet **URL:** \ **Category:** Low Carb\ **Created:** [June 11, 2019, 6:38pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/an-interesting-application-of-the-ketogenic-diet/7680 "2019-06-11T18:38:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TiaG](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/tiag/32/594_2.png) [@TiaG](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/TiaG)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 6:38pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/an-interesting-application-of-the-ketogenic-diet/7680/1 "2019-06-11T18:38:57Z")
I wonder if this would actually work. I have heard anecdotally that being on a ketogenic diet makes people feel less affected by hypoglycemia, but I have no idea if that’s actually true. > **[Pentagon eyes ketogenic diet in bid to build more lethal warriors](https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/jun/10/pentagon-eyes-ketogenic-diet-bid-build-more-lethal/)** > > Ditching carbs may be the key to military success in America’s future wars. ---
**Author:** ![Jen](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/jen/32/4777_2.png) [@Jen](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Jen)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 7:42pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/an-interesting-application-of-the-ketogenic-diet/7680/2 "2019-06-11T19:42:33Z")
Maybe for people without diabetes? When I was eating low-carb I definitely experienced far fewer episodes of hypoglycemia (especially crashing, deep hypoglycemia that really feels awful). But I definitely still felt it. However, my overall energy level was great while eating low-carb compared to higher-carb. So much less hunger and fatigue. I’m not eating low-carb at the moment, but I’ve started to trend back in that direction, though doubt I’ll go as low as I was before. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_YYC](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/jim_yyc/32/9553_2.png) [@Jim\_YYC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Jim_YYC)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 1:12am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/an-interesting-application-of-the-ketogenic-diet/7680/3 "2019-06-12T01:12:19Z")
> [@TiaG](#): > > I have heard anecdotally that being on a ketogenic diet makes people feel less affected by hypoglycemia, but I have no idea if that’s actually true. It’s true. I began keto (under 20 grams of carbs/day) 10 months ago and was literally astounded that I had no loss of cognitive function down to and well below 3.0 mmol/L (56 mg/dl). When I compare this to pre-keto hypos, I was well out of it and completely hypoglycemic at 2.8 ---
**Author:** ![Jen](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/jen/32/4777_2.png) [@Jen](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Jen)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 2:33am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/an-interesting-application-of-the-ketogenic-diet/7680/4 "2019-06-12T02:33:03Z")
> [@Jim\_YYC](#): > > It’s true. I began keto (under 20 grams of carbs/day) 10 months ago and was literally astounded that I had no loss of cognitive function down to and well below 3.0 mmol/L (56 mg/dl). When I compare this to pre-keto hypos, I was well out of it and completely hypoglycemic at 2.8 Maybe this is why I didn’t notice any change. I’ve always been pretty hypo unaware. Can easily get down to 2.5 or 2.6 mmol/L without noticing anything. As a kid, I could get down to numbers like 1.9 and 1.2 mmol/L and be fully unaware anything was wrong (not a good thing, by the way). As an adult, usually I can feel I’m low at 2.2 mmol/L and it’s pretty unpleasant, and this is also the level at which I’ll wake up if I’m sleeping (before CGM), but I’m still fully functional. Last night I woke up at 3.7 mmol/L at 3:00 AM feeling ravenous. I don’t often wake up at such levels, but I think it’s because I’d dropped from 13 mmol/L to that low number. (Not from food — trying to go for a swim and was clearly disconnected from my pump for too long; even an immediate correction after exiting the water didn’t prevent the spike.) ---
**Author:** ![jag1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed655f/32.png) [@jag1](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/jag1)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/an-interesting-application-of-the-ketogenic-diet/7680/5 "2019-06-12T17:31:26Z")
Washington Times is a right wing publication specializing in climate denial and owned by the Moonies (see wikipedia: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The\_Washington\_Times](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Washington_Times). The article contains no scientific information, just the frankly bizarre claim that those in ketosis require less oxygen (and can stay underwater longer?). Without substantial substantiation, this sounds absurd. Personally I would treat it as junk science click bait. ---
**Author:** ![TiaG](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/tiag/32/594_2.png) [@TiaG](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/TiaG)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 6:14pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/an-interesting-application-of-the-ketogenic-diet/7680/6 "2019-06-12T18:14:56Z")
That may be true and I wouldn’t trust anything they write about politics. But they’re basically reporting out from a conference. The source they cite, Lisa Sanders, actually exists and has the title they suggest she does. I really don’t know and they may very well have gotten the details wrong. But unless they’re straight up falsifying reports and making up quotes with her name on it, it does sound like someone in the defense department is at least investigating this possibility. ---
**Author:** ![TiaG](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/tiag/32/594_2.png) [@TiaG](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/TiaG)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 6:17pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/an-interesting-application-of-the-ketogenic-diet/7680/7 "2019-06-12T18:17:36Z")
Here’s a study where the idea is being investigated: > > > A ketogenic diet (KD) may decrease central nervous system oxygen toxicity symptoms in divers, and in view of this implication a feasibility/ toxicity pilot study was performed to demonstrate tolerance of KD while performing normal diving profiles. The exact mechanism of neuroprotection from the KD remains unknown; however, evidence to support the efficacy of the KD in reducing seizures is present in epilepsy and oxygen toxicity studies, and may provide valuable insight in diving activities.Three divers (two males and one female ages 32-45 with a history of deep diving and high pO2 exposure) on the KD made dives to varying depths in Hawaii using fully closed-circuit MK-15 and Inspiration rebreathers. These rebreathers have an electronically controlled set point, allowing the divers to monitor and control the oxygen level in the breathing loop, which can be varied manually by the divers. Oxygen level was varied during descent, bottom depth and ascent (decompression). Divers fasted for 12-18 hours before diet initiation. The ketosis level was verified by urinating on a Ketostix (reagent strips for urinalysis).Ketosis was achieved and was easily monitored with Ketostix in the simulated operational environment. The KD did not interfere with the diving mission; no seizure activity or signs or symptoms of CNS toxicity were observed, and there were no adverse effects noted by the divers while on the KD. ---
**Author:** ![jag1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed655f/32.png) [@jag1](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/jag1)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 7:23pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/an-interesting-application-of-the-ketogenic-diet/7680/8 "2019-06-12T19:23:59Z")
> [@TiaG](#): > > Here’s a study where the idea is being investigated: > > [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25109086) > > #### [Ketogenic diet for high partial pressure oxygen diving.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25109086) > > JM Valadao, JA Vigilante, NW DiGeorge, SE O’Connor, A Bear, J Kenyon, H Annis, J Dituri, AE Dituri and HT Whelan, _Undersea & hyperbaric medicine : journal of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, Inc_ , Jul-Aug 2014 Thanks, so maybe not completely made up from whole cloth. But the article you cite is from five years ago. Furthermore, no advantage to diving after fasting was studied - as far as I can tell this was just to check that these divers were no worse off than normally fed divers. The only other study I could find in the literature on Pubmed (search for ketogenic diving though a better search would probably show more) showed only one paper which is from this year but was on rats not humans, and being fed ketone supplements in their diet, different from eating a ketogenic diet. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30604923](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30604923) Maybe our DOW (department of war) is subjecting soldiers to secret medical tests on restricted diets and oxygen deprivation which is not being reported in the literature, but I certainly hope they aren’t. I make a point of avoiding anything from the Washington Times. ---
**Author:** ![TiaG](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/tiag/32/594_2.png) [@TiaG](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/TiaG)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2019, 8:32pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/an-interesting-application-of-the-ketogenic-diet/7680/9 "2019-06-12T20:32:28Z")
Nevermind, had added that same link you sent. Anyways, it seems likely the defense department is studying it. Whether it’s a crackpot idea, no idea – they’ve funded many a stupid project over the years.