For years, the ketogenic or keto diet got praised for its guaranteed weight loss. But researchers recently found that its downsides could be deadly to its followers.
A new study presented over the weekend at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session Together With the World Congress of Cardiology in New Orleans, Louisiana, suggested that a low-carb, high-fat diet could trigger a spike in “bad” or LDL cholesterol.
Too much LDL cholesterol leads to a buildup of plaque in the arteries, which significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular events, heart attacks, and strokes.
“Our study found that regular consumption of a self-reported diet low in carbohydrates and high in fat was associated with increased levels of LDL cholesterol — or ‘bad’ cholesterol — and a higher risk of heart disease,” lead author Iulia Iatan, M.D., Ph.D., said in a press release.
“To our knowledge, our study is one of the first to examine the association between this type of dietary pattern and cardiovascular outcomes,” added the attending physician-scientist at the Healthy Heart Program Prevention Clinic, St. Paul’s Hospital and University of British Columbia’s Centre for Heart Lung Innovation in Vancouver, Canada.
Iatan and her colleagues evaluated a keto-like diet for the study consisting of no more than 25% carbohydrates and over 45% fat. The composition of the low-carb, high-fat diet they studied was higher in carbs and lower in fat compared to the strict keto diet.
They analyzed data from 70,684 people enrolled in the U.K. Biobank, a large-scale prospective database with health information from half a million people living in the United Kingdom. The participants completed a diet questionnaire and had their blood drawn to check their cholesterol levels.
Based on the questionnaire responses, the team identified 305 participants whose diets matched their defined low-carb, high-fat diet. They also identified 1,220 individuals on a standard…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply