Keto Diet: Does It Really Work for Weight Loss?

In this video Doctor O'Donovan explains the Ketogenic (Keto) diet for weight loss - a popular type of fasting that involves consuming a very low amount of carbohydrates and replacing them with fat to help your body burn fat for energy. Suggested health benefits by some include weight loss and lowering your risk for certain diseases; however in this video we review the science behind the keto diet and whether it really works.

What are the basic principles of the ketogenic diet?

The ketogenic diet is a very low carb, high fat diet that shares many similarities with the Atkins and low carb diets. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis.

When this happens, your body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy. It also turns fat into ketones in the liver, which can supply energy for the brain. Ketogenic diets can cause significant reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels. This, along with the increased ketones, has some health benefits.

In the video we cover:

00:00 - Intro
00:13 - What is the Keto diet?
00:39 - How does the Keto diet work?
03:40 - Does the Keto diet work? (Science behind it)
04:43 - Potential drawbacks of the keto diet
07:40 - The bottom line on keto diet

Further information:

#doctor #diabetes #weightloss #health #medical #fasting #keto #ketodiet #bloodsugar #diet
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Disclaimer:

The video is intended as an educational resource only. The information within this video or on this channel isn't designed to replace professional input, so if you have any medical issues please consult a medical provider. No professional relationship is being created by watching this video. Dr. O'Donovan cannot give any individual medical advice. All information should be verified for accuracy by the individual user. Dr O'Donovan accepts no responsibility for individual interpretation of data, although it is always accurate to the best of his knowledge at the time of the video being published. This is an EDUCATIONAL video. Images are used in accordance with fair use guidelines.

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[AnonymousBrt]

Who clicks on educational vida only to read the comment section. Love hearing people’s experiences.

[angelmagana]

The first time I did keto, I was 19 years old and went from 195 pounds to 140 pounds 2 1/2 months… it was a life-changing experience, especially since I had never been skinny in my whole life. I noticed a change in how people saw me, I actually started getting attention from men.. I was on it for over a year until I stop, I didn’t notice a little bit of weight gain, but I never gained my original weight back. It might not work for everyone, but I would definitely recommend to add in some exercise to boost the amount of weight you’re losing…

[ohrein]

I first tried keto out of curiosity, not to lose weight or fix diabetes. I didn't have any 'keto flu' symptoms. I felt great. The hardest part was cravings for bread and pasta. After being on and off keto for 2 years I understood that I felt my best without carbs. The best benefit (and unexpected one) is that on keto my MPS symptoms gone completely and menstrual cramps have became so mild so I don't take any painkillers anymore. So now keto is not a short term diet but my way of eating. I don't crave bread or other high carb foods anymore.

[RBMusicCH]

I lost 22 kg of body fat in 8 months on a strict keto < 20g of net carbs a day.
No sugar, no refined carbs up front but also no hidden carbs like beer, wine to a certain extent and no fruit juice.
I had absolutely no problem sustaining the diet and even now 4 years later I can adapt my weight down or up at will. I'm perfectly fat adapted which also includes my own body fat which plays a predominant role in insulin resistance.
The trick in losing body fat is to keep the insulin level as low as possible since in the presence of too much insulin no body fat will be metabolised. Apart from transporting energy into cells insulin is also responsible for storing energy in the form of fat.
Scientifically speaking it makes perfect sense. Avoid insulin-spiking foods and your metabolism will switch to burning fats including your own body fat.
There's nothing unnatural about it since there's no such thing as essential carbohydrates, only essential amino and fatty acids apart from the essential micronutrients.
I kept my ideal weight for over 4 years now. I still avoid sugars and refined carbs, junk food etc which nobody needs to ingest anyway. It's more of an addiction than nutrition.
I only eat whole foods which humans are evolutionarily programmed for. I also avoid PUFA which is highly suspected to be inflammatory when heated.
In terms of side effects, my "keto flu" lasted a mere 36 hours. It was definitely worth it and never a reason to give up.
Btw my blood statistics improved considerably, i.e. lower triglycerides, higher HDL, much better inflammatory markers etc.

[NickLee]

The keto diet is amazing, I started it again as I did before. My first round of keto in 2021 I lost 40+ lbs 311-265....And now this year I started at 291 and now down to 262lbs. Also, this year, I am now doing fast-paced, walking/jogging. The first week of starting keto again was a little difficult, but as expected. Very awesome diet 👏

[neoll]

This is the first video I've seen where they actually explain that there are other things you should consume (in moderation) to help avoid certain side effects. These "trend diets" are pushed on people and they never really discuss how your body requires other nutrients to fubcyion as it is designed to. Great video👍

[dazzleships]

I have done Keto with Intermittent fasting for 4.5 months since hearing about a couple of fellow diabetic friends experiencing awful health issues this year. I have lost 5.5 stone or 34kgs in that time and it has been surprisingly easy and, unlike previous diets that I have tried, has needed very little will power as I dont get hungry provided that I keep hydrated. During the past month I have taken things further by adding one prolonged fast each week - either 2 or three days to the one or two 24 hour fasts I do each week. On days when I eat twice, I am fasting for 16-18 hours but just dont get hungry. As a result, my A1c blood sugars have reduced from 63 to 43 so I am technically below the diabetes threshold. Some diabetes symptoms that I didnt even know were related to diabetes went within a couple of weeks of starting (e.g. not sleeping through the night, pins and needles in my thumb); others like swollen feet took maybe a couple of months. I still need to lose about another 5.5 to 6 stone so will be staying with my keto plan to see this through before then switching from a no-carb diet to a low-carb diet once I hit my target weight

[KetoCookbooksCorner]

*It's refreshing to see a balanced discussion on the topic, helping viewers make informed decisions about their dietary choices.*

[annemcintyre]

I stuck with Keto for a year, lost 3.5 stone, cut my blood sugar in half, came of meds and felt great. I learned how to cook differently and bake my own keto cakes and bread. I had a great online support network. The down side, after 6 months i lost nothing, my hair and nails were brittle, had brain fog and had terrible carb cravings. I had to take zinc and magnesium suppliments. My GP and diabetic nurse were against it and told me to come off it. I did, got my social life back and put on all the weight. To conclude:- It works, but its hard to sustain.

[TiEDyeDEyeZ]

I'm down 39 lbs in 78 days. 6' male 54 years old. Starting weight 227. Current weight 188. I feel amazing.

[laliblackcastle]

I have been on keto for 1 month today 5/14/2025 and I have lost 20 lbs with no exercise, my daily calories are about 1100-1300 I'm 5'8 and starting weight was 347 and now I'm down to 327. My cravings are 90% gone and I fine I can alternate between the 18:6 and OMAD intermittent fasting. I still get cravings, but its very rare, I just think my mind remember what a donut or cake taste like haha. my calorie intake was well over 5000 easy. I want to get down to at least 199 and then I can slowly incorporate carbs and low sugar foods. Being on this Keto has made me look at food differently and how it affects the body. it's taught me how to really be healthy and eat right. Keto isn't magic, how you loose weight is because it helps with you cravings and hunger so you essentially eat less 🙂

[moon_girl]

I used keto and intermittent fasting (every second day) with one cheat day … only focus on a heavy lunch no snacking …. I was 81 kg and went down to 72 kg in about 3 weeks … it’s hard at first but if your doing for your health like me then it must be done

[barb]

What a lucid, balanced and informative summary. Thanks!

[UpandAbove]

It's a great diet, what also helps is the meal replacements that help with getting all the minerals you miss. I promise you, just 2 things you must do, stick to it and weigh yourself only on Monday and Friday, not more not less. The results will motivate you to carry on. I'm actually losing to much to quick cause I am very stricken, so I'm toning it down a little. I just hit 10kg today after 2 months, , 40kg more to go...

[andyamysarizonaadventures]

The biggest benefit I've noticed on keto besides wieght lose is being hypoglycemic no more mood swings or spiked insulin levels or constantly thinking about food, the only tough part is when visiting restaurants, so we try to keep that to a minimum

[Nardiumms]

I did Keto for 3-4 weeks and after the first few days started feeling amazing- clear headed in a way only microdosing had giving me before LOL. Unfortunately, right before my 4 week mark, I had a really tight muscle spasm/cramp in what turned out to be my Psoas Muscle. After a CT scan & fear of appendicitis/kidney stone, my PCP determined it was a muscle spasm causing nerve entrapment as the pain I experienced for the next month was radiating and not severe in that area. Muscle relaxers gave immediate relief.
In the end, was Keto worth it for the month I tried it, yes? I drank 0.5-1 gallons of water a day with electrolytes & lemon juice to stay nutrient full but it appears that may not have prevented my symptom.

Also I’m not 100% correlating Keto to the muscle spasm/nerve pain, but I’ve never had that issue before in my life and it happened 3-4 weeks into Keto.

I’ll be doing Keto again one day though!

[lisathompson]

My anxiety lessens loads, brain fog gone, bloating gone and weight lose. I only do it a couple of months at a time and then go low carb afters. I eat unhealthy for first 3 days until carb cravings stop and then loads of keto friendly veggies. I also start intermittent fasting a couple of weeks in.

[marion]

Doctor O' Donovan Iwas debating to try Keto diet I found you video helpful have decide to see my GP

[dragonchr]

it works

you must do it correctly, meaning you must eat a lot of fibrous veggies and keep protein moderate…most people overdo the fatty meats and end up worse off than when they started.

people have success with it becaise it forces you to eat nutrient dense vegetables that are lacking in the average diet…that is basically your only carb source

but since you have so many choices of fats, you can slather your broccoli or brussel sprouts to make AMAZING tasting food!

building muscle might be tough because your protein is limited, but you can maintain if you continue training

i personally prefer a high carb and low fat plant based diet as that also treats insulin resistance…

basically, never combine high fat and high carb together in a single meal and you will never consume junk food

[MotoMiles]

Currently I'm
On keto . Zero carbs sugar . Veggies, baked chicken, berries, yogurt, MCT oil, I've been working out 6days a week. No daily just almond milk.building muscle like crazy . But annoying I've stopped losing weight