Carb-Free 'Keto' Diets May Have Unintended Consequences

The ketogenic diet, which lowers carbohydrates and increases fat intake, has become popular for weight loss. Although they offer some benefits, recent research has reveal that there could be detrimental side-effects, especially in the form of cardiovascular disease, caused by heightened levels of cholesterol.

What Does The Science Say About The Benefits?

There’s a lot of debate surrounding the now infamous keto diet which, unfortunately, doesn’t lay its groundwork in actually definitive science. Anecdotally, a lot of people have said that following the ketogenic diet has helped them gain increased energy levels, however, no research studies conducted on human have been able to prove this yet.

But on the other hand, it doesn’t mean that the diet is entirely ineffective, as it has been shown that it plays a substantive role in the fight against childhood epilepsy and could even show a little promise in delaying neurological disorders and cancer. However, long-term effects have not been established, which worries health professionals.

Cell-Aging Caused By A Ketogenic Diet

A new study published in the journal Science Advances examines the effects of a keto diet on cell aging in mice. Cellular senescence occurs when cells no longer divide but slow down, causing cells to clump together and cause disease. Studies have shown increased signs of obesity in many tissues of mice on a keto diet, regardless of saturated fat levels.

Scientists observed an increase in the levels of bad LDL cholesterol, a major risk factor for heart disease, in mice on a keto diet. Additionally, previous studies have linked the keto diet to kidney stone formation and fractures in kidney patients.

What’s fascinating is that the study found that returning mice to a balanced diet reduced side effects and reversed keto-induced cell senescence. However, the long-term effects in humans are still unknown because most of these studies are short-term.

Another problem is that ketogenic diets can change metabolism. In this study, keto mice showed signs of metabolic disorders, including hypoglycemia. It can affect blood sugar control.

Lastly, the human data from the study suggests that the negative effects of keto might become more pronounced over time. Plasma samples from people on a keto diet for 180 days showed a sharper rise in inflammatory markers compared to those on keto for only 90 days. What it highlights in the end is that there’s definitely more research that needs to be conducted regarding metabolism within the human subjects in the long-term before we can come to a definitive conclusion on the keto diet.