Tag Archives: Keto

Are Keto Dieters Facing a Cholesterol Crisis? Explore the Risks!

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For millions of people adhering to the keto diet, fat is not the enemy; it’s the main component of their meals.

This low-carb, high-fat diet was initially developed in the 1920s to treat children with epilepsy. Over the decades, it has gained popularity in the wellness community, attracting yoga enthusiasts, gym-goers, and weight-loss seekers alike.

By 2024, the ketogenic market is projected to be worth £9.2 billion ($12.5 billion) and continues to experience exponential growth.

The fundamental premise of the keto diet is to utilize fat as the primary energy source. This contrasts sharply with conventional diets primarily reliant on glucose, the simple sugar produced by the breakdown of carbohydrates.

On a ketogenic diet, individuals consume a minimal amount of carbohydrates, resulting in reduced glucose production. Instead, approximately 80% of caloric intake comes from fat, which the liver converts into an alternative energy source known as ketones—hence the term “ketogenic.”

Keto enthusiasts often report weight loss without the pangs of hunger. They claim it enhances energy levels, mental focus, and clarity. Additionally, this diet is believed to reduce inflammation, stabilize blood sugar levels, decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes, and improve skin conditions.

While these benefits sound enticing, there are caveats. Consuming high levels of fat daily can lead to side effects, notably elevated cholesterol levels in some individuals following the ketogenic diet.

“Many [keto dieters] consume such high amounts of saturated fat that while they may see positive changes such as weight loss, their cholesterol levels could skyrocket,” warns Professor Kosh Ray, a leading cardiologist at Imperial College London.

“If I didn’t know they were eating this way, I would suspect a genetic disorder affecting cholesterol metabolism.”

This cholesterol issue often arises in those claiming to have lost weight and feel fantastic on a keto diet. So, the pressing question is: should individuals on a keto diet who appear healthy on the outside—with their cholesterol levels soaring—be concerned about their heart health?

The ketogenic diet emphasizes low carbohydrates, moderate protein, and high fat, as seen in this chicken and avocado salad—Credit: filadendron via Getty

Why Medical Professionals Are Concerned

For most cardiologists, the connection between LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol) and heart disease risk is clear.

“Numerous studies indicate that lower LDL cholesterol levels correlate with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease,” explains Ray.

To grasp the significance of LDL, it helps to understand its function. Cholesterol acts as a fatty substance necessary for bodily functions, akin to a taxi transporting proteins to and from the liver through the bloodstream.

LDL carries cholesterol away from the liver, whereas HDL returns it. A proper balance between the two is crucial for effective cholesterol transport.

However, LDL can adhere to artery walls and become problematic, particularly when the wall is damaged (due to age, smoking, or inflammation).

This can result in a condition known as plaque buildup, which hardens over time. If this plaque ruptures, it can obstruct blood flow and lead to a heart attack.

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Lean Mass Hyper Responder Theory

Conventional views suggest that high LDL cholesterol among keto dieters indicates an increased heart disease risk. But some self-proclaimed “citizen scientists” argue otherwise.

They believe high cholesterol levels may not pose a threat on a keto diet.

Some even assert that levels exceeding the standard healthy limit (100 mg/dL or 2.6 mmol/L) are permissible, suggesting that dietary fat protects heart health.

This term is often referred to as lean mass hyper responder—a classification that most medical experts question.

Low-density lipoproteins (LDL), often labeled as “bad” cholesterol, function as carrier proteins, similar to high-density lipoproteins (HDL), regarded as “good” cholesterol—Credit: Nemes Laszlo via Getty

“The term ‘lean mass hyper responder’ lacks medical validation,” cautions Dr. Scott Murray of the Venturi Cardiology Clinic.

This term originated from a computer scientist who explored the cholesterol spikes in keto dieters and sought to understand them.

Although the idea is novel, it lacks substantial scientific support. This group has initiated studies to analyze high-cholesterol keto dieters better.

Their initial findings linked spikes in LDL cholesterol to thinness among participants, suggesting that such cholesterol levels might not be harmful for “hyperresponders.”

“The theory suggests that increased dependence on fat as an energy source leads to higher fat transport,” explains nutritional therapist Moira Newis, a self-identified hyperresponder.

If you are metabolically healthy, transporting more fat within the body might not be a concern.

Proponents also point to the anti-inflammatory properties of a ketogenic diet. Since both high cholesterol and inflammation contribute to plaque formation, the idea is that reducing inflammation could render cholesterol benign.

However, inflammation levels vary among individuals, and it’s impossible to eliminate it entirely, regardless of dietary choices.

Currently, there’s no evidence supporting the notion that excess cholesterol is beneficial on a keto diet.

High LDL cholesterol levels can lead to plaque buildup in arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke—Credit: anusorn nakdee via Getty

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The Keto Controversy

In an effort to substantiate their claims, citizen scientists published a paper in April 2025 arguing that hyperresponders on keto diets face no increased heart disease risk, countering established cardiologist viewpoints.

However, the scientific community is taking a firm stance against these claims.

This study analyzed arterial plaque in 100 hyperresponders over one year, finding that those with elevated LDL cholesterol levels showed no significant plaque development compared to those with lower yet still high cholesterol levels.

“LDL levels alone do not predict heart risk accurately,” states Dr. Adrian Sotomota, the leading author and clinical researcher.

Nonetheless, this study has significant flaws, notably the absence of a control group, making it difficult to compare results against normal diets with healthy cholesterol levels.

Heart disease encompasses various ailments affecting the heart and vascular system, leading as the leading cause of death worldwide as reported by WHO—Credit: SCIEPRO/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY via Getty

Among the 100 hyperresponders studied, 99 experienced plaque worsening.

Sotomota explains that plaque progression is common and can be influenced by various factors, including blood pressure and diet, not solely cholesterol levels.

Professor Ray criticizes the study’s findings, stating they contradict established scientific principles and asserting that the prevalence of plaque growth is much higher than observed in typical healthy populations, pointing to an increased heart attack risk.

Current Evidence on Cholesterol and the Keto Diet

While much remains unclear about cholesterol and the ketogenic diet, current evidence suggests that high LDL cholesterol levels are a significant risk factor for heart disease, not just for hyperresponders but for all.

Dr. Murray recommends CT scans for patients on a keto diet exhibiting very high LDL cholesterol to assess arterial plaque.

If their results show healthy arteries, he suggests modifications to their diet, integrating healthy carbohydrates and lowering saturated fat and cholesterol intake.

If plaque or advanced coronary artery disease is detected, he insists on dietary changes and medication to manage plaque regression.

Murray emphasizes the risks associated with extreme dietary practices, warning against being excessively lean while only consuming fats and proteins.

“The body thrives on balance, and existing in the extremes of a keto diet doesn’t serve health in the long run,” he highlights.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Keto Diet: A Promising Approach for Anorexia Recovery

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Keto Diet: A High-Fat, Low-Carb Solution for Anorexia

Credit: Panther Media Global / Alamy

The ketogenic diet, famed for its fat-burning potential, is showing promising results in treating anorexia nervosa. Recent research indicates that three out of four participants with eating disorders fell below diagnostic criteria while on a diet rich in fats, moderate in protein, and very low in carbohydrates. This dietary shift is believed to restore energy release in brain cells disrupted by anorexia, thus alleviating anxiety and the compulsion to restrict food intake.

This method mimics a state of starvation through carbohydrate restriction, which can lead to severe health risks. Studies show that anorexia is one of the mental health conditions with the highest mortality rates. However, Guido Frank, a researcher at UC San Diego, emphasizes that with proper supervision, the destructive urge to self-starve can potentially be mitigated. “Clinicians describe it as akin to an addiction. If we could stimulate a craving for food while ensuring adequate intake, it may be advantageous,” he explains.

Frank and his team conducted a 14-week study with 22 women suffering from anorexia whose body mass index (BMI) had improved to a range between healthy weight and slightly underweight. Under the guidance of a nutritionist, psychiatrist, and a peer support counselor experienced in anorexia treatment, these women followed a ketogenic diet. Their weight, mood, and anorexia symptoms were closely monitored each week, with surveys assessing changes in body image, depression, and food-related anxieties.

The results were significant: 18 women adhered to the ketogenic diet for the full 14 weeks, reporting considerable improvements in their anorexia symptoms and depression scores. Remarkably, 13 of these women (72%) fell below the clinical diagnostic thresholds for both conditions. According to Frank, “The recovery levels were far superior compared to other treatments for anorexia.”

Although the primary focus of the study was not weight gain, all participants maintained values within a slightly underweight but healthy BMI range and did not experience relapses.

The ketogenic diet derives its name from the metabolic adaptations it promotes to help the body endure periods of famine. Typically, our metabolism is carbohydrate-driven, converting these sugars into glucose, which is then utilized in the mitochondria for energy.

In the absence of carbohydrates, the body shifts to burn fat, releasing stored fat and converting it into ketone bodies in the liver. These ketone bodies serve as an alternative energy source in the mitochondria instead of glucose.

Initially developed in the 1920s for epilepsy treatment—not weight loss—the ketogenic diet mirrors starvation while providing sufficient dietary fats to prevent significant weight loss. This diet aims to replicate the fasting state, known for reducing seizure activity, offering a more sustainable treatment option.

Recent studies have revealed a correlation between various mental health issues, such as epilepsy and anorexia, and dysfunctions in glucose energy release in the brain. Ketone bodies may alleviate this dysfunction by supplying a different energy source.

Dr. Sahib Khalsa, a professor at UCLA specializing in eating disorder research and treatment, cautions those considering the ketogenic approach for anorexia. “It’s vital to differentiate between supervised treatment by a professional team and attempting this on your own. Until larger randomized controlled trials are conducted, it risks premature changes in anorexia management protocols, which typically include therapy and nutritional support,” she notes.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The Keto diet promotes weight loss while also raising cholesterol levels

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On the keto diet, most of your calories come from fat.

Shutterstock/George Dolgic

The keto diet, which gets most of its calories from fat and few from carbohydrates, can certainly lead to fat loss, but it can also clog arteries and harm your gut flora.

Also known as the ketogenic diet, this diet forces your body to use a different type of fuel. Instead of relying on glucose from carbohydrates, you rely on ketones, a type of fuel your liver produces from your fat stores, which can lead to weight loss.

In previous studies, Comparing people who follow a ketogenic diet to those who don't suggests there are both advantages and disadvantages.

now, Javier Gonzalez Researchers at the University of Bath in the UK conducted the largest randomized controlled trial in medical evidence. They recruited 53 non-obese people with an average age of 34. They randomly assigned about one-third of them to a ketogenic diet, in which less than 8% of energy came from total carbohydrates and more than 70% came from fat.

The remaining third of participants were instructed to follow a low-carbohydrate diet, with 5 percent of their energy intake coming from 'free' sugars – a type of carbohydrate found in foods such as syrup, cakes and biscuits – and 45 percent and 35 percent from other carbohydrates and fat respectively.

The remaining third consumed diets with moderate amounts of free sugars, accounting for just under 20% of their energy intake, while carbohydrate and fat intakes without free sugars were around 30% and 35%, respectively. These participants acted as the control group. Protein intake was between 15-18% across all diets.

After one month, x-rays showed that participants on the ketogenic diet had lost an average of 1.6 kg of fat. The researchers verified that participants were following the diet by measuring ketone levels in their blood, urine, and breath. Food diaries also assessed adherence to the diet.

Meanwhile, those on low-carb diets lost an average of one kilogram of fat, while those on moderate diets lost nothing. By having participants intermittently wear activity monitors to estimate their energy intake, the team found that the fat loss was due to reduced calorie intake, not increased activity, something that hadn't been known before, Gonzalez says.

But despite greater fat loss, the ketogenic diet group had 16 percent higher levels of “bad” low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol than the control group, and 26 percent higher levels of apolipoprotein B, a protein that clogs arteries and increases the risk of heart-related events. In contrast, people on the low-carb diet had 10 percent lower LDL cholesterol levels than the control group, and no change in apolipoprotein B levels.

The researchers also found that people on a ketogenic diet had lower levels of a type of gut bacteria than those on a moderately low-carb diet. Bifidobacteriawhich Helps produce vitamin B and It has been shown to strengthen the immune systemThe same wasn't true for those on a low-carb diet, likely because those on the ketogenic diet consumed less fiber. Bifidobacteria Level, Gonzalez says.

However, it is unclear whether the ketogenic diet truly has a negative effect on the gut microbiome, because we do not fully know what the optimal diet is or what the full effects of the ketogenic diet are. Bifidobacteria says Natasha Scholer At Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.

Additionally, while elevated apolipoprotein B levels are a concern, the elevated cholesterol levels seen in the study aren't necessarily harmful unless they reach a dangerous threshold, Scholer said.

Longer-term studies are also needed to determine whether the weight-loss benefits of ketogenic diets outweigh potential concerns about cholesterol and gut health in obese people, Scholer said.

Ultimately, the main challenge for obese or overweight people to lose weight is following a diet, says Scholer: “Whether it's a normal carbohydrate diet, a low-calorie diet, or a calorie-for-calorie reduced-carb diet, if you stick to it, you will generally lose weight.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Keto diet aids in sustaining weight loss post-Ozempic discontinuation

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Ketogenic diet may help prevent weight gain

Shutterstock / Brent Hofacker

Type 2 diabetics who have stopped taking weight loss drugs such as Ozempic or Wegovy can avoid regaining lost weight by adopting a ketogenic diet. This finding from a small study challenges the concept that people must take these drugs indefinitely to prevent unwanted weight gain.

Ozempic and Wegovy belong to a class of drugs called GLP-1 agonists, which reduce appetite and stimulate the release of insulin. These are commonly prescribed to help people with type 2 diabetes regulate their blood sugar and lose weight. However, the assumption was that people would have to continue taking the drug over a long period of time or they would regain the weight they had lost.

Shaminy Athinarayanan The woman and her colleagues at Virta Health, a US telemedicine company that treats type 2 diabetes, decided to test that assumption. Their inspiration to do so came from previous research showing that low-carbohydrate diets like the ketogenic diet help people with type 2 diabetes manage blood sugar levels and weight.

Researchers tracked the weight and blood sugar levels of 308 adults with type 2 diabetes living in the United States who received nutritional therapy at Virta Health. They were all using GLP-1 agonists at enrollment. Participants were advised to follow a ketogenic diet. They were instructed to eat less than 30 grams of carbohydrates each day, or less than 50 grams if vegan, and about 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day. They were encouraged to eat until they were full, regardless of calories. Health coaches and qualified medical professionals communicated virtually with participants as needed.

After 3 to 9 months, half of the participants stopped using the GLP-1 agonist. All participants continued on the ketogenic diet for an additional year. At this point, the researchers found no significant differences in body weight or blood sugar levels between the two groups. On average, participants who stopped taking GLP-1 agonists gained only about 1 kg. In contrast, those who continued taking the drug gained about 2 kg. Most participants in both groups had blood sugar levels below the diagnostic criteria for diabetes.

“This study suggests that continued use of GLP-1 agonists is not necessary for many people if: [they] Appropriate intervention is required,” says Athinarayanan. “You can stop. [these medications] Maintain weight and blood sugar levels safely and effectively. ”

It says this could be helpful for people who can’t take the drug due to shortages or side effects. priya jaisinghani At New York University Langone Health. But she says people should talk to their doctor before starting a low-carb diet, as there can be risks, especially for people with underlying health conditions like kidney disease or eating disorders. He also noted that the study was sponsored by Virta Health and had a small number of participants. So “this is not the be all and end all,” Jaisinghani said. “But it shows the difference that diet makes.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com