Does CBD Complement a Keto Diet?

CBD and a Keto Diet

Whatever your reasons for taking CBD oil, you don’t need to worry about it ruining your keto diet. Here we will take you through everything you need to know about CBD and keto. This will include some studies that actually suggest they may complement one another. Read on to find out why.

The Benefits Of CBD Oil or CBD Capsules with The Keto Diet

There are a number of health benefits that can be realized with CBD (cannabidiol) that may help and complement your keto journey.

In case you are not familiar with CBD, it is a compound made from the cannabis plant. Your body already naturally produces a level of cannabinoids. As with many nutrients, we need more cannabinoids in our body for optimal health.  Don’t worry CBD oil does not have the psychoactive effects that are associated with ‘marijuana’. CBD is actually from the Hemp plant which is non-psychoactive.

Here are some of the main health benefits of CBD and the Keto Diet.

Reduces Inflammation

There have been several studies that have linked the use of CBD oil with the reduction in inflammation in joints. This is also one of the documented side effects of the keto diet.

If you are somebody who suffers from inflammation, you are well aware of the discomfort and in some cases, severe pain and sometimes chronic pain caused by inflammation.

If CBD oil and keto combined can assist by having an anti-inflammatory effect on our bodies, the possibilities to achieve more success become so much greater.

Increased Mobility

It’s logical to assume that with reduced inflammation and less pain potentially comes increased mobility. Also, if you are moving more you will be increasing your endorphins, which in turn will make you feel better about yourself.

We all know that when you feel better, you are more inclined to do more (move more). If you are moving more, you may be more interested in the food that you are putting into your body to fuel it.

What this means is that you are more likely to stick to the keto diet because the combination of CBD and keto will be working for you.

Supports Weight Loss

With both CBD and the Keto Diet you may also feel up to exercising, which will speed up your weight loss and health progress.

We found a few studies that show that both CBD and the Keto Diet can convert white, or “bad,” fat into brown fat, which may help the body burn calories.

A 2016 study helps back up this claim. The researchers found that CBD plays multiple roles in how the body interacts with fat. In the study, CBD helped convert white fat cells into brown fat cells. It also stimulated the body to break down fats more efficiently.  The researchers note that CBD may be a promising therapy for preventing obesity, but more studies in humans are necessary.

Research from 2018 Trusted Source helps explain how CBD might break down fats in the body. The process of turning white fat cells to brown fat cells actually changes how these cells act in the body. Brown fat cells may be a more active form of fat. They burn off energy as heat, meaning that they actually burn calories. As a loss of calories is important for weight loss, CBD may help burn fat if it turns white fat to brown fat in the body.

There is also information to suggest that CBD oil may boost the metabolism and help regulate appetite, this is complementary to the keto diet, which does exactly the same.

The combination and CBD and keto could finally help people achieve their weight loss goals as well as having a number of potential health benefits.

The Keto Diet has a very similar study 

May Protect Brain Function

There are several ways CBD Oil can work to improve health outcomes for many by reducing inflammation, by reducing oxygen buildup, by working as a brain stimulant and neuroprotectant, and by eliminating dead brain cells and the protein tangles that are believed to cause brain ailments including dementia. From a user’s perspective, CBD may improve movement while reducing stress and anxiety in the individual with dementia, as well as reduce the decline of memory and other brain functions.

“Neuroimaging studies have shown that acute CBD induces significant alterations in brain activity and connectivity patterns during resting state and performance of cognitive tasks in both healthy volunteers and patients with a psychiatric disorder. This included modulation of functional networks relevant for psychiatric disorders, possibly reflecting CBD’s therapeutic effects. Future studies should consider replication of findings and enlarge the inclusion of psychiatric patients, combining longer-term CBD treatment with neuroimaging assessments.”

A study in 2011 regarding Keto has very similar outcomes for Brain Function

“Based on the evidence presented, the ketogenic diet does hold some promise of effectiveness in improving the outcomes of Traumatic Brain Injury “TBI”. There are indications that ketones may provide an alternative and readily usable energy source for the brain that might reduce its dependence on glucose metabolism, which may be impaired immediately following TBI. However, important knowledge gaps must be addressed before either the classic or modified ketogenic diet can be recommended as a treatment for TBI. Although it would not be feasible to prescribe ketogenic diets to improve resilience against TBI, identifying dietary compounds that are precursors of ketones, such as medium-chain triglycerides, and evaluating whether they have positive effects when administered after the injury is warranted.”

Potentially reduces seizures

We all know that CBD has been proven to reduce seizures.  It looks like the Keto Diet also has benefits in that area.

“The potential of CBD products for the treatment of seizure disorders goes beyond seizure control alone,” says Ryan Vandrey, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “In our study, we saw clinically significant improvements in anxiety, depression and sleep when patients with epilepsy initiated therapeutic use of artisanal CBD products.”

Epilepsy, one of the most common nervous system disorders affecting people of all ages, is a neurological condition characterized by recurrent seizures. Treatment for epilepsy includes anti-seizure medications and diet therapy, such as forms of the ketogenic diet.”

CBD and Keto to Improve Sleep

Both CBD and Keto have been linked to improving the quality of REM sleep that individuals can get.

Feeling less stress and anxiety, as well as less pain, is likely to lead to you being able to fall asleep easier. This means that you will get to sleep quicker and are less likely to wake up in pain, or out of stress.  More REM sleep means that your body has more opportunities to repair itself.

Again this is another way that CBD and Keto can complement one another.

CBD Can be a Good Source of Fat

Depending on the carrier oil that is used in the production of CBD oil, it may be a good source of fat, which is of benefit for a keto diet.

What is the Nutritional Value of CBD Oil?

The nutritional value of CBD oil per teaspoon (15 ml) is as follows;

• Carbs: 0 grams.
• Protein: 0 grams.
• Fat: 13.5 grams.
• Fiber: 0 grams.
• Sugar: 0 grams.
• Calories: 121 cal

As with all products, please read the label before purchasing, some CBD oils will add additional flavors which may alter these nutritional values and therefore alter their suitability for a keto diet.

How Many Net Carbs are There in CBD Oil?

CBD oil has zero carbs and zero fiber. This means that CBD oil has zero net carbs, which is good for a keto lifestyle.

CBD Can Reduce the Symptoms of the Keto Flu

Anybody on keto will be aware of the keto flu and the side effects of this. In the early stages of transitioning into ketosis can see people having headaches, nausea, and other symptoms.

CBD oil can help reduce these symptoms, making transitioning into ketosis easier, and making people more likely to stick with the keto diet.

So, Is CBD Oil Keto Friendly?

Yes, CBD oil is keto friendly. CBD oil does not contain carbs or sugars, meaning that it will not kick you out of ketosis. There is even evidence to support that CBD oils may actually complement a keto diet.

If we go back to the core of the keto diet, it is that we eat a diet that follows the following macros;

• 70% Fat
• 25% Protein
• 5% Carbohydrates

The goal is to ensure that those 5% carbohydrates do not exceed 20 grams per day. If we are eating 20 grams of carbs a day or fewer, our body should reach a state of ketosis. At the point of ketosis, blood sugar and insulin level should be regulated.

With any new regimen, it is important to discuss any intended diet plan with a doctor, dietitian, or trusted healthcare provider. This is especially important for people who are trying to manage a health problem or disease.

People looking to start the keto diet should seek consultation with a doctor to check if they have diabetes, hypoglycemia, heart disease, or any other health condition. This will ensure the keto diet is a safe eating pattern.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.