Ketones Don’t Cause Stroke — They Even Make Things Better in the Brain!
But When a Stroke Hits, High Ketone Levels Might Need a Closer Look by Specialists
Medium readers can read this story via this link.
Nuances of Science
Dear subscribers, happy weekend! I hope this post finds you well. Today, I’d like to address a common misconception by highlighting some key nuances on this topic to keep you informed and help prevent any misinformation.
A little knowledge without understanding nuances can be dangerous, especially when rumors spread across social media at lightning speed. The public can quickly get confused and become vulnerable to false information or fake news, which happens a lot nowadays. We all need to be cautious when consuming sensational claims.
Recently, for instance, someone tweeted, ‘Keto-Like Diet Linked to Heart Attack and Stroke,’ claiming it was fact-checked. I thought it would not happen in a million years unless it were based on junk food loaded with processed bacon and seed oils. Healthy fats in adequate amounts never cause such issues.
A similar scare happened last year when a poster presentation claimed intermittent fasting increased heart attack risk by 91%. Even the American Heart Association weighed in, amplifying unnecessary anxiety among people and healthcare professionals alike.
My response was Perfect Storm in a Teacup!
And I debunked it with 23 clinical studies as documented in an article:
When I challenged this so-called “science guru,” he pointed me to a review paper I had recently read and enjoyed. Ironically, the review report on BMC was clear and nuanced, but he’d latched onto a single point and blown it out of proportion.
I don’t fault people with good intentions — scientific articles are dense, and not everyone can parse them easily. Many rely on secondhand summaries. What concerns me more are the deliberate attempts to mislead people for profit, often by those selling products or services without considering public health and wellbeing.
So, in this story, I will demystify and simplify by breaking things down into the nuances of BMC paper to make it crystal clear. The paper is titled “β-hydroxybutyrate and ischemic stroke: roles and mechanisms.”
For background on ketones and ketogenesis, I’ve written two detailed articles linked below, drawing on credible sources and my decades of research in the field.
Biochemistry of Ketosis Simplified with Nuanced Perspectives and Personal Experiences
β-Hydroxybutyrate: 2 Vital Role of Ketogenesis in the Brain for Dementia Prevention / Treatment
How Do Ketones, Especially β-Hydroxybutyrate, Relate to Stroke?
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