The ketogenic (keto) diet has gained significant popularity in recent years, primarily for its effectiveness in promoting rapid weight loss. However, beyond its weight loss benefits, the keto diet's potential impact on various health conditions, including back pain, is being increasingly explored. Chronic pain, a prevalent issue affecting a substantial portion of the population, often leads individuals to seek alternative and non-pharmacological approaches for relief. This article delves into the relationship between the keto diet and back pain, examining the potential benefits, risks, and considerations for those seeking pain management strategies.
What is the Keto Diet?
The keto diet is a high-fat, very low-carbohydrate, and moderate-protein eating plan designed to shift the body's primary fuel source from glucose to ketones. Normally, the body relies on glucose derived from carbohydrates (found in fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes) for energy. However, when carbohydrate intake is drastically reduced (typically to less than 20-50 grams per day), the body enters a metabolic state called ketosis.
In ketosis, the liver breaks down stored fat into ketone bodies, which then become the primary fuel source for the brain and other tissues. This metabolic shift can lead to weight loss as the body burns fat for energy. A standard keto diet typically consists of:
- 60-75% of daily calories from healthy fats (e.g., avocados, nuts, olive oil)
- 20% of daily calories from moderate-quality protein sources (e.g., lean meats, poultry, fish, tofu)
- 5-10% of daily calories from carbohydrates (drastically reducing or eliminating bread, pasta, and sugary snacks).
Keto Diet as an Anti-Inflammatory Approach to Pain Management
One of the key reasons the keto diet is being investigated for pain management is its potential to reduce inflammation. Inflammation is a major contributor to both chronic and acute pain, and many pain management strategies focus on reducing inflammation.
How Ketosis Reduces Inflammation
The keto diet's anti-inflammatory effects are attributed to several factors:
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
- Reduced Sugar Intake: Sugar is known to be inflammatory. When the body is in ketosis, it is using fats for energy instead of sugars. Excess sugars in the body can cause increased inflammation and the production of free radicals, which inflame the linings of the blood vessels and stimulate the body's immune system to respond.
- Increased Ketone Body Production: When the body is in ketosis, it produces three specific ketone bodies. Beta-hydroxybutyrate, the most important of these ketones (and the one used to monitor ketosis levels), has been shown in research to block immune system receptors linked to inflammation.
- Decreased Nervous System Activity: A healthier nervous system can relieve pain perception by the brain.
- Increased Adenosine Levels: This chemical fights inflammation and can act as a pain reliever.
Chronic inflammation can arise from a sedentary lifestyle, stress, and toxins like those found in tobacco smoke. What you choose to put into your body in the form of foods has a drastic effect on your inflammation levels.
Conditions That May Benefit
Being in ketosis may help ease pain related to nerve damage, diabetes, and arthritis, all causes of a high amount of inflammation that can cause extreme pain.
Research on Keto Diet and Pain Management
Several studies have investigated the effects of ketogenic nutrition on pain, particularly in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. A pilot study evaluated the effects of a Mediterranean Ketogenic Nutrition Adherence (MKNA) Program on self-reported pain in older adults with possible mild cognitive impairment. The study found that both the MKNA group and the MKN Education (MKNE) group showed clinically significant reductions in pain. Greater adherence to MKN across the 6-week intervention was associated with higher ratings of pain-related changes.
The study suggests that adherence to MKN may promote improvements in self-reported pain in older adults with mild cognitive impairment and findings support the need for future full-scale randomized clinical trials evaluating MKN programs on pain.
Mediterranean Ketogenic Nutrition (MKN)
A recent study focused on the effects of a Mediterranean ketogenic nutrition (MKN) program on pain in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. MKN is a promising nonpharmacological intervention for pain management. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of the pilot MKN Adherence (MKNA) Program on pain in older adults with mild cognitive impairment and to assess whether improvements in self-reported pain were associated with adherence to MKN.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Potential Benefits of Combining Chiropractic Care with a Keto Diet
Combining chiropractic care with a keto diet can offer a synergistic approach to improving overall health and well-being. Chiropractic care focuses on proper spine alignment, which allows optimal nerve function and communication between the brain and the body.
Enhanced Healing and Recovery
Combined with a keto diet, which reduces inflammation and supports cellular repair, this combination can significantly enhance healing and recovery.
Accelerated Weight Loss
Both chiropractic care and a keto diet have been linked to weight loss. Chiropractic adjustments can increase metabolism, improve digestion, and enhance blood flow, leading to more significant calorie burn. On the other hand, the keto diet promotes fat burning and reduces cravings, making it easier to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
Increased Energy and Mental Clarity
The ketogenic diet provides a steady source of fuel for the brain through ketones. This can increase mental clarity, improve focus, and enhance energy levels. When paired with chiropractic care, which can improve nerve function and reduce stress levels, the combination can result in heightened cognitive performance and overall vitality.
Improved Mental Health
All of the above benefits combined can lead to improved mental health. It’s well-known that physical and mental health are directly correlated, and having one in good shape directly influences the other.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto
Risks and Considerations
While the keto diet offers potential benefits for pain management, it's important to be aware of the potential risks and considerations.
The "Keto Flu"
When first starting the keto diet, some people experience a collection of symptoms known as the "keto flu" or "carb flu." These symptoms, which can feel similar to the flu, are caused by the body adapting to a new diet consisting of very little carbohydrates.
Symptoms of the keto flu may include nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, headache, irritability, weakness, muscle cramps, dizziness, brain fog, stomach or intestinal pain, muscle soreness, difficulty sleeping, and food cravings.
Fortunately, there are ways to reduce these flu-like symptoms and help your body more easily navigate the transition period. Staying hydrated, avoiding strenuous exercise, replacing electrolytes, getting adequate sleep, and eating enough fat (and carbs) can help ease the symptoms of the keto flu.
Kidney Stones
The keto diet can cause back pain in the form of kidney pain. The first reason is the high amounts of animal protein in the diet. Foods like butter, eggs, and pork (some keystones of the keto diet) can increase uric acid and lower citrate while increasing oxalate. The second reason kidney stones develop from the keto diet is that the animal protein increases the amount of acid in the urine, increasing your chances of kidney stones. The third reason is nuts, literally. Chances are, on the keto diet, you will eat a lot of nuts because they are high in fat.
Pain from kidney issues is located on both sides of the body near the top of the abdomen where the kidneys are located. Pain from a kidney infection or kidney stones can also be felt in the upper back. And it’s hard to tell if your pain is from your kidneys or your muscles. The back pain from kidney problems is constant; changing positions while sleeping doesn’t help with the pain.
To prevent kidney stones, drink lots and lots and lots of water. One of the best ways to stop kidney pain or to prevent kidney stones is to stay hydrated. Also consider adding lemon to your water while you’re on the keto diet. Don’t be a carnivore. You can go on the keto diet without eating only meat. And you should eat more than just meat on the keto diet because otherwise it is going to cause a lot of problems for you. Instead, eat your greens and cauliflower. Take potassium supplements. Drink kidney bean broth for your kidneys.
Other Considerations
The increased fat consumption can also lead to heart and cholesterol issues. Lastly, there’s always the chance that a dieter will “yo-yo”, meaning that they go on and off the diet in an unhealthy way. The ketogenic diet may not be appropriate for pregnant or nursing people, children, and teens unless it’s being used therapeutically under medical supervision. Also, those with diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, or pancreatic conditions who are interested in following a ketogenic meal plan should consult their doctor to determine if this diet is safe and suitable for their specific needs. Lastly, this diet may not be appropriate for individuals who are hypersensitive to dietary cholesterol.
Alternative Anti-Inflammatory Diets
Reducing carbohydrates is an essential part of an anti-inflammatory diet. However, think twice before choosing the keto diet for back pain. With a wide variety of whole, unprocessed foods, the Mediterranean diet is a healthy option most people find easy to stick to.
Important Nutrients for Spine Health
Some micronutrients help promote a healthy immune system, lowering your inflammatory response.
- Calcium: Calcium is widely recognized for promoting healthy bones and maintaining bone mass.
- Vitamin D: Vitamin D is calcium’s partner in maintaining bone health. Magnesium plays several roles in body chemistry, one of the most important of which is helping activate Vitamin D.
- Magnesium: This mineral is a necessary ingredient for regulating the calcium needed to maintain healthy bones. Along with building bone density, magnesium helps relax contracting muscles.
- Vitamin K: Like Vitamin D, Vitamin K helps the body deal with calcium, guiding its distribution into bones and soft tissues. Vitamin K occurs naturally in two forms.
- Vitamin C: You probably already know Vitamin C is good for your immune system. It encourages antibody formation and white blood cell production.
- Collagen: Collagen builds cartilage, bones, ligaments, and tendons and helps keep them elastic.
- Proteins: Proteins are essential building blocks for bone, soft tissue, and cartilage.
- B Vitamins: Loading up on B vitamins helps improve bone health and fight inflammation.
- Iron: Iron helps produce collagen and activate Vitamin D.