The ketogenic diet has been popular for several years now, as its hailed for limiting carbohydrates and upping fat intake, mostly in the name of weight loss. If you’re looking to change up your eating habits this year, you may be wondering if the keto diet is right for you—and can it help your run performance?To get to the bottom of the pros and cons of the keto diet for runners, we talked to dietitians to get the full scoop. Here’s what to know before you swap all the carbs for all the fats.
For example, one small study of five endurance athletes, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, showed that a 10-week keto diet improved the athletes’ body composition and well-being but not their performance. In fact, the athletes initially experienced reduced energy levels and an inability to undertake high-intensity bouts of exercise.