Trendy diet could boost women's chances of getting pregnant
Clare Swatman
Netmums contributorA diet loved by celebs could boost the fertility of millions of women, a new study suggests
It's long been known for its weight loss and anti-inflammatory benefits. And now a diet popular with celebs – including the Kardashians – could also give fertility hope to millions of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
The research, carried out by scientists at the Ministry of Health Malaysia, revealed a link between the ketogenic diet – which sees you cut down on carbs and focus on protein – and an increase in fertility. And experts say this is especially true for women with PCOS.
The condition – believed to affect 1 in 10 women in the UK – affects how a woman's ovaries work and makes it harder to conceive.
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What is PCOS and how can a keto diet help?
PCOS is one of the leading causes of infertility in the UK, affecting around 3 million women. More than half of women with PCOS don't have any symptoms.
It causes the body to produce too much testosterone, which interferes with the growth and release of eggs from the ovaries and makes it harder to get pregnant.
In the study, researchers looked at the effect the keto diet had on weight, as well as testosterone, progesterone, and the follicle-stimulating hormone, which plays a role in reproduction in both males and females.
Better chance of ovulating
They found that women with PCOS who were on the keto diet for at least 45 days not only lost around 11% of their body weight but saw improvements to their hormonal balance too.
Their follicle-stimulating hormone ratio was reduced, giving them a better chance of ovulating, and testosterone levels were also lowered.
Karniza Khalid, of the Ministry of Health Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which carried out the review, said: 'We found an association between the ketogenic diet and an improvement in reproductive hormone levels, which influence fertility, in women with PCOS.
'These findings have important clinical implications, especially for endocrinologists, gynecologists and dieticians who, in addition to medical treatment, should carefully plan and customise individual diet recommendations for women with PCOS.'
What is the Keto diet?
The keto diet is an ultra-low carb diet similar to the Atkins diet, which involves drastically cutting down the amount of carbohydrates you eat to around 50g or less a day, and replacing them with healthy fats.
By reducing carbs your body goes into ketosis, a metabolic state which helps your body burn fat more quickly. When your body doesn't have enough carbs for your cells to use for energy, it starts making ketones, which are organic compounds that your body then uses in place of the missing carbs.
In effect, this means your body becomes very efficient at burning fat for energy, while also turning fat into ketones in the liver, which can supply energy for the brain.
What can I eat on the keto diet?
There are a few variations of the keto diet, but on the standard version, most people's diets are comprised of the following:
- 70-75% fats
- 20% protein
- 5-10% carbohydrates
The keto diet is designed to be low-carb, not no carb, so you do need to include some.
Foods you can eat include:
- avocados
- eggs
- meat
- oily/fatty fish
- cheese
- leafy greens
- cream
- nuts
- seeds
Check out our scrummy keto pancake recipe – it's delicious!
What can't I eat on the keto diet?
As with any diet, there are a few foods you can't eat.
Foods you should limit or avoid include:
- bread
- pasta
- rice
- pulses
- beans
- sugary foods
- root vegetables (like potatoes and carrots)
- alcohol
- most fruit
Many of our low calorie recipes are great for the keto diet – just swap out any carbs or fruit/sweet based foods with leafy greens or a healthy fat.
A typical daily meal plan on the keto diet
Breakfast: An egg, tomato and spinach omelette
Lunch: Chicken and avocado salad with feta cheese and olives
Snack: A handful of nuts
Dinner: Grilled salmon with a herb butter and broccoli and asparagus spears, followed by a small handful of berries in cream
There are plenty of variations you can do, like switching out fish for meat, butter for cheese, and experimenting with different keto-friendly herbs, oils
What are the risks?
Like any extreme diet, there will always be some risks. The NHS warns that 'In the longer term, cutting out any food group can be bad for health because you risk missing out on vital nutrients.' They also say, 'Low-carbohydrate diets may also restrict the amount of fruit, vegetables and fibre, all of which are vital for good health, including reducing cancer risk.'
Healthy sources of carbohydrates such as vegetables, fruit and legumes, are a key source of nutrients – including necessary calcium, iron and B vitamins. So you'll need to make sure you're still maintaining balance in the foods you eat.
Replacing carbohydrates with more fats and higher fat sources of protein could increase your intake of saturated fat, which can raise the amount of cholesterol in your blood – a known risk factor for heart disease. For this reason, it's important you choose the right fats to eat on the keto diet.
It's also important to bear in mind that, at the moment, studies on the long-term benefits of the ketogenic diet are lacking.
It's unclear whether doing the diet for longer periods of time is actually beneficial. And due to its restrictive nature, it may not be a sustainable option for everyone.
As with any major lifestyle change, it's a good idea to talk to your GP before starting the keto diet.
Are there any side-effects from the keto diet?
Although safe for most healthy people, there may be some initial side-effects while your body adapts to the keto diet and ketosis. Ketosis doesn't usually begin until days 4-5, as your body first has to use up its existing glucose stores.
If you have any existing health conditions, or any concerns, do talk to your GP before embarking on the diet.
Most people on the keto diet experience its effects in the first 7-10 days, and there's some anecdotal evidence of effects often referred to as ketone flu or keto flu. Most who experience this though, say it only lasts a few days.
Reported keto flu symptoms include:
- diarrhoea
- constipation
- vomiting
- needing to urinate more frequently
- low energy
- struggling to sleep.
Less common side effects from the diet in its early stages, may include:
- poor mental function
- increased hunger and thirst
- nausea
- digestive issues
You may also be more tired than usual in the first few days due to fewer carbohydrates giving you a quick energy release.
It may help to ease your body into the transition slowly, by gradually decreasing the amount of carbs you have, instead of going the whole hog and eliminating most of them at once.
If you're still struggling with nausea and stomach issues as part of the keto flu, side-effects may be eased by drinking plenty of water and taking electrolytes – like dehydration sachets – which will replace any lost salts.
More about PCOS
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition that affects how a woman's ovaries work.
The 3 main features of PCOS are:
- irregular periods – which means your ovaries do not regularly release eggs (ovulation)
- excess androgen – high levels of "male" hormones in your body, which may cause physical signs such as excess facial or body hair
- polycystic ovaries – your ovaries become enlarged and contain many fluid-filled sacs (follicles) that surround the eggs (but despite the name, you do not actually have cysts if you have PCOS)
If you have at least 2 of these features, you may be diagnosed with PCOS.
Polycystic ovaries
Polycystic ovaries contain a large number of harmless follicles up to 8mm (approximately 0.3in) in size.
The follicles are underdeveloped sacs in which eggs develop. In PCOS, these sacs are often unable to release an egg, which means ovulation does not take place.
What are the symptoms of PCOS?
While many women have no symptoms at all, there are some tell-tale signs which usually occur during your late teens or early 20s. They include:
- irregular periods or no periods at all.
- difficulty getting pregnant as a result of irregular ovulation or no ovulation
- excessive hair growth (hirsutism) - usually on the face, chest, back or buttocks
- weight gain
- thinning hair and hair loss from the head
- oily skin or acne
The exact cause of PCOS is unknown, but it can be hereditary. It's related to abnormal hormone levels in the body, including high levels of insulin. Many women with PCOS are resistant to the action of insulin in their body and produce higher levels of insulin to overcome this. This contributes to the increased production and activity of hormones like testosterone.
Being overweight or obese also increases the amount of insulin your body produces.
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