Keto Diets Can Raise ‘Bad’ Cholesterol, Which Is Harmful to Gut Health
- A new study compared a keto diet to a diet with added sugar and found that both diets reduced fat mass compared to the control diet.
- However, the keto diet was associated with negative metabolic changes, such as elevated “bad” cholesterol and changes in the gut microbiome.
- Diets low in added sugar were not associated with adverse health outcomes.
A low-sugar diet is recommended for overall health. The
The findings have
A new study published in the journal
According to the press release, the scientists also found that compared to the control diet, the low-sugar diet and the keto diet reduced fat mass by 2.1 and 2.9 kilograms, respectively. They concluded that this weight loss was not related to changes in physical activity – all groups maintained the same levels of activity.
However, scientists found that the keto diet increased “bad cholesterol” and other symptoms related to the risk of heart disease compared to a low-sugar diet and a control diet. keto was also associated with reducing the “good” gut bacteria.
Meanwhile, a diet low in free sugar did not have these negative side effects.
Participants who followed the keto diet had higher levels of “low density lipoprotein” (LDL) cholesterol, sometimes called “bad cholesterol.”
In particular, they had higher levels of small and medium LDL particles. When it comes to cholesterol, the smaller the particle, the worse it is for health.
On the other hand, the low-sugar diet significantly reduced LDL cholesterol.
Participants following the keto diet also had increased levels of a molecule called apolipoprotein B (apoB), a component found in LDL cholesterol. This protein is associated with atherosclerosis, where the lining of blood vessels develops plaques, which increases the risk of heart disease.
“This is a reasonable reduction,” study author Javier Gonzalez, PhD, a professor at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom, told Healthline.
“We observed a reduction of 0.5 millilimoles per liter (mmol/L). Genetic studies show that if LDL cholesterol levels are reduced by only 0.35 mmol/L, then during the whole life , this would be equivalent to a 21% lower risk of atherosclerotic heart disease, including heart disease and stokes,” Gonzales said.
Unlike the reduced-sugar and control diets, the keto diet significantly affected the gut microbiome – the billions of bacteria that live in the lower intestine.
In particular, they found it reduced Bifidobacteria“good” gut bacteria. Reduced numbers of these species are
Bifidobacteria it also produces important B vitamins and other compounds that support overall health.
Fiber – a carbohydrate that the digestive system cannot break down – feeds the bacteria in our gut. Fiber intake is significantly reduced on the keto diet, which may explain why this diet can affect the microbiome.
Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose in the intestines. Glucose then enters the bloodstream and circulates throughout the body. This is healthy, but if the levels remain high for too long, the blood vessels can be damaged.
As a result of high blood sugar, the body releases insulin, which helps the liver and muscles absorb sugar and lower blood levels.
In this study, those following the keto diet had lower blood sugar levels before the meal.
However, the participants also had reduced glucose tolerance. In other words, sugar was being removed from their blood more inefficiently after eating, which would cause a longer blood sugar response.
When asked what these keto-related metabolic changes might mean over time, Gonzales explained that this is a “difficult question to answer.”
Some of the metabolic changes identified by this study were positive (ie, lower fasting glucose levels), and others were negative (ie, increased apoB).
“This may mean that the long-term health consequences depend on the individual situation,” Gonzales said. “For example, is anyone having any trouble controlling their fasting glucose or their blood lipids?”
Gonzalez said he plans to continue the investigation. “We are eager to explore whether there are individual responses to the ketogenic diet that may warrant its use and whether we can reduce some of the side effects with targeted supplementation methods. ,” he said.
“We’ve just received a major Medical Research Council grant for one of these jobs and we’re looking for more funding for the rest.”
Sarah Herrington, nutritionist for Brio-Medical, explained the possible long-term effects of following a keto diet: “The long-term effects of a ketogenic diet can include significant changes in the microbiome of the gut, which can lead to complete disharmony.”
“It may worsen glucose tolerance – the body will understand sugar and carbohydrates more when they are reintroduced into the diet,” Herrington continued.
“Eating a ketogenic diet has the potential to change the way the body uses energy, increase fat metabolism and improve short-term blood sugar control, but it can have health consequences. good microbiome in the long term.”
Avoiding free sugars or following a keto diet can lead to weight loss. But a new study shows that the keto diet can have negative health effects, such as raising bad cholesterol and damaging gut health.
However, diets low in added sugar have not been shown to be detrimental to health.
“Free sugar restriction achieves this with positive health effects, while the ketogenic diet achieves weight loss through other methods that we may need to be careful about,” Gonzales said.
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