increase fat intake

[Robb Wolf]

Bo-
I suspect the elevated cortisol level may be an acute response. Longer exposure and adaptation tends to show an increased resistance to cellular stress, including cortisol toxicity.

[Bo Bolund]

Robb

I don't think so. Studies show cortisol levels follow protein/carb ratio and rat studies show decreased neurogenesis in rats brain on ketogenic diets.

[Stuart Mather]

Originally Posted by Bo Bolund

I don't think it's healthy. Studies have shown ketogenic diets increase cortisol levels, which have a catabolic effect on the brain.

One can control cortisol levels with carb/protein intake ratio. Some may benifit from increased cortisol levels since it has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Others may benifit from decreased cortisol levels since it will potentiate the immune system.
I try to have a moderate carb intake... around 150 gram.

Bo, Mike Eades blogged about ketosis and the brain (among other organs) recently. His reading of the available research is that long term ketosis is beneficial across the physiological board. There's also the overwhelming evidence of over seventy years of successful treating of juvenile epilepsy with ketogenic diets.
Not just in seizure frequency reduction, but general neurological [b]and other[b] health markers.

I've personally been keeping carbs below 30g for nearly six years. Surely if ketosis did lead to any degree of neurological catabolism, I would have been brain dead years ago. The memory improvement I've noticed during this stretch alone convinces me that ketosis is a very good thing indeed.

Where are you getting your evidence?

Stuart.

[Bo Bolund]

"High-fat diet impairs hippocampal neurogenesis in male rats

In this study, we show that just four weeks of feeding a diet rich in fat ad libitum decreased hippocampal neurogenesis in male, but not female, rats. There was no obesity, but male rats fed a diet rich in fat exhibited elevated serum corticosterone levels compared to those fed standard rat chow. These data indicate that high dietary fat intake can disrupt hippocampal neurogenesis, probably through an increase in serum corticosterone levels, and that males are more susceptible than females."


http://ask.lub.lu.se/archive/0002969...onElsevier.pdf

[Mark Gebhard]

Maybe I'm misreading the study and the reference that details the high fat diet they used, but I don't see any mention of ketosis. The high fat diet was 24% protein, 34% carb, 42% fat, hardly a guarantee of ketosis (although kinda looks like the Zone). This is compared to the low fat diet of 28, 57, 15%.

[Bo Bolund]

Originally Posted by Mark Gebhard

Maybe I'm misreading the study and the reference that details the high fat diet they used, but I don't see any mention of ketosis. The high fat diet was 24% protein, 34% carb, 42% fat, hardly a guarantee of ketosis (although kinda looks like the Zone). This is compared to the low fat diet of 28, 57, 15%.

That's a good point

[Garrett Smith]

How much fat is in a typical "wild" rat's diet anyway?

Feeding animals atypical diets (a la humans and grains) is a sure way to induce disease.

[Robb Wolf]

Originally Posted by Mark Gebhard

Maybe I'm misreading the study and the reference that details the high fat diet they used, but I don't see any mention of ketosis. The high fat diet was 24% protein, 34% carb, 42% fat, hardly a guarantee of ketosis (although kinda looks like the Zone). This is compared to the low fat diet of 28, 57, 15%.

bingo. A key feature of hyperinsulinism is hyper corticism. The NIH-007 rat chow (typically the base ingredient in these diets) is highly refined carbs. Have not read the study but you may be looking at a relatively high fat, high carb diet. No one likes that!

[Scott Kustes]

Originally Posted by Garrett Smith

How much fat is in a typical "wild" rat's diet anyway?

Feeding animals atypical diets (a la humans and grains) is a sure way to induce disease.

I was wondering that too Garrett. Similar to Ancel Keys feeding rabbits a high-cholesterol diet and using that as proof that cholesterol is bad for humans.