Ketogenic Diet and Chronic Disease: A Comparison of Risks and Benefits

Front. Nutr. July 16, 2021| https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.702802

Commentary

This study will investigate the health effects of a ketogenic diet.

The results confirm that the ketogenic diet reduces seizure frequency in some individuals with drug-resistant epilepsy.

The diet was also found to reduce weight but not as effectively as other diets in the long term or when matched with energy intake.

The ketogenic diet may also lower blood sugar levels, but observations have also shown that its effectiveness decreases within the first few months.

Very low carbohydrate diets carry significant risks.

There are times when LDL-C rises dramatically, potentially.

It has been suggested that pregnant women on such diets are more likely to have children with neural tube defects, even when they are supplementing with folic acid. And this diet may increase the risk of chronic diseases.

Foods and dietary components (e.g., red meat, processed meats, saturated fats) that are typically increased on a ketogenic diet have been shown to be associated with an increased risk of CKD, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease, while intake of protective foods (e.g., vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains) is decreased.

These lines of evidence indicate that the risks of this diet outweigh the benefits, unless there are special circumstances.