Keto May Harm People With A Genetic Mutation That Affects Ldl Regulation
Where things get possibly dangerous is if youre one of the people who has an inherited genetic mutation that affects the way LDL particles are regulated. If these individuals follow a keto diet, their LDL levels can skyrocket, says Soffer. This result doesnt happen often enough to skew overall results in population studies, but what matters most is the effect the diet has on your individual health. Its a long-recognized phenomenon that hasnt been published well, he says, adding that the genetics that drive this response arent completely understood.
You may not be aware that you have a preexisting genetic mutation, also called familial hypercholesterolemia . In fact, as the AHA notes, for people with FH, only 10 percent know they have it. Being aware of your family history, including members who have had a heart attack at a young age, is important and can help point your provider in the right direction. In some instances, research shows that a low-carb diet may actually be beneficial for those with FH who also have insulin resistance, suggests an analysis published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine in July 2015. This is not something to tease out on your own. Instead, its just another reason why you should talk to your doctor about a dietary change, particularly if you have other health conditions, like high cholesterol.
RELATED: 11 Biggest Keto Diet Dangers You Need to Know About
Common Impacts Of The Ketogenic Diet On Cholesterol Levels
- You might see moderate increases in LDL cholesterol in the short term. Because following the keto diet is often a pretty dramatic change that involves significantly increasing your fat intake, itâs possible that your cholesterol levels can rise, especially before seeing any significant weight loss. A small short-term study with healthy adults following the keto diet found that subjects saw significant increases in overall cholesterol levels and moderate LDL cholesterol increases.
- But over the long run and with weight loss, you might see improvements in your cholesterol levels: namely, decreased LDL levels and increased HDL levels. Both are good news for your heart health!
- In similar news, going keto can also be good news for your triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are simply the kind of fat that your body stores and burns between meals. Since one of the main purposes of ketosis is to burn through these fat stores, people following keto tend to see better triglyceride levels over time, and this can also lead to better heart health when combined with improved cholesterol.
How A Keto Diet May Influence Cholesterol
There has been some research done on low-carbohydrate diets and their effects on cardiovascular health. It can be hard to draw specific conclusions on the topic, though, because many of the studies are short term , are of a small sample size, and examine different variations of very-low-carb diets.
Nevertheless, we are starting to understand a little bit more about how very-low-carbohydrate, or ketogenic, diets may affect cholesterol levels. Below is a summary of some of the research studies.
Read Also: Trim Life Labs Keto Reviews
What Happens To Triglycerides On Keto
Studies show that on a keto diet, triglycerides generally decrease . This makes sense when considering that triglycerides are a type of stored fat. When youre on keto your body uses fat for fuel leaving less triglycerides to be stored in your fat cells.
Reduced triglyceride levels decrease the risk of developing chronic diseases including diabetes and cardiovascular disease .
The Bottom Line About Cholesterol And The Keto Diet
Cholesterol is essential to key processes in your body.
Low-carb, high-fat diets such as the ketogenic diet, increase the concentrations of heart-healthy HDL cholesterol when compared against standard high-carb diets.
Carbohydrate restriction in healthy individuals leads to higher levels of HDL cholesterol.
Low-carb, high-fat diets generally decrease LDL particle concentration and increase the size of LDL cholesterol, which is beneficial for cardiovascular health.
Dangerous VLDL cholesterol concentrations in the blood decrease with a ketogenic diet.
Improvement in the total LDL to HDL cholesterol ratio has been demonstrated when dietary carbohydrates are replaced with fat.
When we weigh all the evidence, the benefits of low carb diets on our cholesterol levels greatly outweigh the negatives for most people.
However, some people may need to adjust their diets in order to meet optimal cholesterol levels. If you have a genetic predisposition, or a history of elevated cholesterol levels or heart issues, please undertake low carb diets with the supervision of your doctor.
Article Sources
Read Also: Keto Meal Delivery Las Vegas
What If Keto Is Making Your Cholesterol Levels Worse
Although the evidence suggests that the keto diet can help optimize cholesterol in many groups of people, there are others that may not fare well, from a heart health perspective, when they eat a high fat, low carb diet.
One way to tell if the keto diet may not be ideal for you is if your total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio is above 4 and/or your LDL-P remain high or increase after starting the keto diet. If this is the case for you, then it may indicate that you have a particular condition that requires you to make adjustments to your keto diet or follow a completely different diet altogehter.
Here is a brief overview of the most common conditions that can cause cholesterol levels to increase in an unhealthy way on a keto diet:
Ketogenic Diet In A Crossfit Group
Studying healthy people, a 12-week investigation looked at the effects of a ketogenic diet in people who regularly trained in CrossFit. Twelve people participated in the study involving the high-intensity, interval-training workout. Five of the study participants were in the control group and continued eating a regular diet, while seven people followed a ketogenic diet.
The study concluded that changes in HDL cholesterol and triglycerides were not significant and were similar among participants in both groups. In contrast, LDL cholesterol increased nearly 35% in those following the keto diet along with CrossFit.
Also Check: What Mexican Food Is Keto
What Types Of Cholesterol Does Keto Allegedly Affect
The keto diet has been shown to affect both LDL and HDL cholesterol, but studies have been small and short-term with varying results.
Some studies have found that the keto diet has beneficial effects on LDL and HDL cholesterol levels, while others have found no effect. Some have reported an increase in LDL cholesterol.
Its kind of a toss-up, but science seems to agree that eating nutrient-dense foods while on the keto diet wont negatively affect your cholesterol levels or heart health.
Low Calorie Diets And Weight Loss For Cholesterol
Losing weight and maintaining it at a healthy level is a recommended lifestyle change that will help manage and reduce cholesterol. A 5- to 8-kg loss in weight can reduce LDL cholesterol by 5mg/dL and increase HDL cholesterol by 2 to 3mg/dL.
A low-calorie diet can help someone lose weight. In turn, this could help reduce their cholesterol levels. However, this can be influenced by the macronutrient content of the low-calorie diet the person is following and the type of fats they eat.
Read Also: Can I Drink Diet Coke On Keto
How Genetics Plays A Part
While the ketogenic diet may be safe for most people, it might not be healthy for others to follow. A ketogenic diet could increase LDL cholesterol levels in some people at high risk for heart attack and stroke.
In particular, people with an inherited condition called familial hypercholesterolemia should always consult with their healthcare provider before trying a ketogenic diet. Familial hypercholesterolemia is marked by very high LDL cholesterol levels and an increased risk of premature heart disease. The American Heart Association has state that only 10% of people with familial hypercholesterolemia are aware they have it.
Additionally, some people have a rare genetic condition that affects how LDL particles are regulated, causing high LDL cholesterol levels. The genetics causing this response isnt completely understood, but the APOE gene, which provides instructions for making a protein called apolipoprotein e, may be one of several factors involved. People who have this inherited genetic condition should avoid the keto diet.
A Keto Diet May Be Harmful For Certain People
The review highlights five key findings. Among them: The keto diet is particularly unsafe for women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant. Thats because low-carb diets are linked to a higher risk of neural tube defects in babies. Barnard says: You’re not eating the things that you need for a healthy baby on a typical ketogenic diet. You’re not having the vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. For unplanned pregnancies in particular, he said, the risk of neural tube defects is 89 percent higher for those on a low-carb diet.
Another finding: Keto diets raise levels of LDL cholesterol for many people when, typically, you would expect to see those levels drop when you lose weight, Barnard says. In a six-month study that the review cites, 30 percent of participants experienced LDL cholesterol increases greater than 10 percent.
Keto diets high in protein may also cause kidney stones, plus hasten kidney disease in those with kidney disease, the review found. That is probably because the kidneys job is to filter out toxins from the blood. And if you’re eating a big load of animal proteins, it’s just harder on the kidney, Barnard says.
Barnard notes: We do think that the risks go back down when a person quits that diet, which is good.
RELATED: 11 Health Conditions Keto May Help Treat and 1 It Wont
Read Also: Trim Life Keto Carrie Underwood
Why Is Hdl Considered Good
HDL is considered good because it boasts protective, anti-inflammatory properties that regulate your immune system and protect against certain types of cancer in those with type 2 diabetes and those without.
Plus, researchers believe your risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases by 4% for every 1 mg/dL drop in HDL cholesterol your body experiences. So that means keeping your HDL high is a serious priority.
Though all this makes HDL sound like a plus, its greatest accomplishment is clearing out LDL particles, or the bad cholesterol, from your bloodstream.
The Reviews Authors May Have A Conflict Of Interest
Caroline Apovian, MD, a codirector of the Center for Weight Management and Wellness at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, criticized the reviews dramatic findings. She pointed out that some of the study authors are proponents of a plant-based diet, which could skew their objectivity and goals.
Beyond that, she noted that many of the studies the review is based on were examining the long-term effects of, for example, high protein intake. She has recommended, and will continue to recommend, following the keto diet short term for some patients. Ketogenic diets are not diets, says Dr. Apovian, whos a member of the faculty at Harvard Medical School. Theyre treatments for certain conditions, including extreme obesity. For example, a patient with obesity might need knee surgery, but the surgeon will refuse to treat her until she loses weight, in which case a keto diet might make sense, Apovian says. In those instances, it can be safe and effective. We would never recommend that anybody be on a ketogenic diet chronically for the rest of their life, she says.
Her takeaway? Dont distort reality, and dont use a review to denigrate a diet that we use to get weight loss, she says.
RELATED: What to Eat and Avoid on the Keto Diet
Don’t Miss: Is Half And Half Keto
Is The Keto Diet Healthy For Your Heart
It seems like almost everyone is trying the keto diet, and there are many stories of rapid weight loss out there. But we wondered about eating all that fat most keto diet regimens recommend you get 80 percent of your calories from fat is that healthy for your heart?
We asked Tracy Severson, R.D., L.D., dietitian for the Center for Preventive Cardiology at OHSUs Knight Cardiovascular Institute, and she was quick to set the record straight.
The short answer is no, Severson says. Even if you choose all healthy fats, like olive oil and fish, youll still end up eating more saturated fat than is safe and healthy.
Most people arent eating the healthiest version of the diet anyway. So many people think its about eating bacon and meat, but often they are eating too much protein to be on a true ketogenic diet. Its about fat, not protein, says Severson.
Moreover, what youre not eating can also increase your risk of heart disease. When you avoid whole grains, legumes, and fruit, you lose a lot of the dietary fiber that helps protect your heart.
While individual results of the diet can vary widely in different people, most people will see a rise in their cholesterol level, even if they lose weight. For people with a history of heart disease or high cholesterol, this can be especially dangerous.
Dietitians and researchers also dont have enough data yet to know exactly how the keto diet could impact people over the long term.
The Ketogenic Diet And Genetic Mutation
A ketogenic diet can be potentially dangerous for some people. So before starting this diet, its important to consider the following factors.
Genetics can influence the impact that a diet has on cholesterol levels.
Some people are predisposed to high cholesterol due to a genetic mutation inherited from one or both of their parents this is called familial hypercholesterolemia .
People with FH should not follow a keto diet because some people can experience extreme effects of a keto diet on LDL cholesterol levels due to their genetic factors. The National Lipid Association has shown concern regarding this. People with FH who want to try the keto diet should do so under close medical observation.
Some patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia may have dysfunction of an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase that occurs due to genetic or acquired causes. They may also have a predisposition to hypercholesterolemia and acute pancreatitis. These patients are also advised to follow a low-fat diet hence the keto diet can be dangerous and is not recommended.
Please keep this information in mind before considering a ketogenic diet. If you have any concerns about how a ketogenic diet could impact your health, its always best to speak to a doctor first.
Recommended Reading: What Does Keto Food Mean
The Bottom Line On Trying The Keto Diet To Lower Cholesterol
If you have high cholesterol or triglycerides, speak with your medical team first before embarking on a keto diet. If you get the green light, continue to seek their help. There are a lot of popular books out on how to follow a keto diet, but I think patients need additional support and guidance and ongoing conversations about if its working for you, says Ryskamp. Its a tool that someone can use to improve their health, but it may not be the right tool for them, or the right tool the way theyre doing it, she says.
Ingredients Of Keto Clean Gummies:
The ingredients of Keto Clean Gummies contain an amazing mixture of BHB ketones which assist the body in shedding pounds quickly. Ketones are just a great source of providing you with a thin slim body and eating up fat stores.
The BHB containing supplement is considered the most ideal approach to get quick weight reduction results. The key ingredients are these BHB ketones.
Don’t Miss: Fruit To Avoid On Keto
Ketogenic Diets Impact On V
Provided the research showing an increase in LDL levels in human subjects after a low-carbohydrate diet, what does the research say about extreme carbohydrate restriction on V-LDL and LDL particle count?
In a 2006 study, researchers assessed the effects of carbohydrate restriction on LDL cholesterol in a group of 29 men for a 12 week weight-loss intervention. The subjects ages ranged from 20-69 years their BMIs ranged from 25 kg/m2 to 30 kg/m2.
Their intervention diets consisted of 10% of energy from carbohydrates, 65% of energy from fat, and 25% of energy from protein. Assuming a 2000 kilocalorie diet, this translates to approximately 50 grams of carbohydrates daily.
After the 12 weeks intervention, researchers noted that the concentration of LDL particles decreased by 9.6% from 1180 nmol/L 1180 to 1066 nmol/L. As previously mentioned, lower levels of LDL particles are beneficial to cardiovascular fitness. Additionally, the particle size of LDL increased by an average of 5.2% from 20.75 mm to 21.27 mm.
Researchers also observed that the size of VLDL particle size did not change in either of the groups. However, they noted that the total number of VLDL particles decreased by 19% from 76.2 nmol/L to 61.7 nmol/L. More specifically, large VLDL particles reduced by 40.2% from 3.33 nmol/L to 1.74 nmol/L, medium VLDL particles decreased by 4.8% from 46.2 nmol/L to 44 nmol/L.
From this, we can conclude that a low-carb, ketogenic diet helps you optimize your LDL cholesterol.
What About Triglycerides
Triglycerides are the most common form of fat in food. They create fuel for your body to use not in the short-term, but in the future.
Heres how it works:
When your body breaks down carbs, some simple sugars are used quickly by your body for energy. Others cause an excess of sugar to build up in your bloodstream.
Your body then releases insulin to help that sugar get inside your cells and be used. But if your cells dont need that energy, most of it will be converted to triglycerides, which will be stored as fat.
Because your body needs to produce extra triglycerides to deal with your sugar problem, youre not only adding hard-to-get-rid of storage fat to your body, youre also building up the levels of triglycerides in your blood. Thats why elevated triglycerides are often seen as a byproduct of insulin resistance.
In one study, researchers learned that eating sugar and high fructose corn syrup increased triglycerides, VLDL, and decreased LDL particle size while reducing HDL. Conveniently, when the scientists removed sugar from the control diets, a reversal of all of these was seen.
An increase in triglycerides can lead to higher cardiovascular risks and metabolic disorders like obesity and type 2 diabetes.
When youre on a keto diet, youll be replacing triglyceride-raising carbs with healthy, omega-3 and omega-6 fats that boost HDL and increase LDL particle size, which will help your body balance cholesterol naturally again.
You May Like: Easy Keto Lunches On The Go