The keto diet has become hugely popular on social media, with eye-catching recipes like avocado toast made with fried cheese and zucchini noodles in buttery bacon sauce.
Many people follow this high-fat, low-carb eating plan to lose weight or maintain a slim figure. But a new study warns that while the keto diet may help control weight, it could also cause serious problems with metabolism, especially over time.
Researchers from the University of Utah and the Utah Diabetes and Metabolism Research Center conducted a long-term study using mice to better understand how the keto diet affects the body. The study was published in the journal Science Advances.
The team divided mice into four groups based on different diets: a traditional ketogenic diet (KD) with 90% fat, a high-fat diet (HFD) with 60% fat, a low-fat diet (LFD), and a low-fat diet with moderate protein (LFMP). These groups helped the researchers compare the effects of keto to other types of diets more fairly.
The mice were allowed to eat as much as they wanted for 36 weeks for males and 44 weeks for females. The scientists checked their health regularly, looking at weight, blood tests, and organ health.
The results showed that while the ketogenic diet helped prevent extreme weight gain compared to the high-fat diet, it still caused many other problems. For example, mice on the keto diet had very high levels of fat in their blood (called hyperlipidemia), and male mice developed fatty liver and signs of liver damage.
One major concern was that the mice on the keto diet developed glucose intolerance, which means their bodies couldn’t manage blood sugar levels properly. This happened because the keto diet appeared to weaken the pancreas’s ability to produce insulin, especially in male mice.
Interestingly, female mice on the keto diet didn’t seem to experience the same level of liver issues, but they still showed signs of poor blood sugar control.
The name “ketogenic” comes from the word ketosis, which is the process that starts when your body switches from using carbohydrates for energy to burning fat instead. This produces chemicals called ketones.
The keto diet has actually been used for nearly a century to help reduce seizures in children with epilepsy, especially in cases where medications don’t work.
Even though researchers don’t fully understand how the diet helps control seizures, it may help stabilize blood sugar and improve how the brain uses energy. Some scientists believe that ketones themselves have protective effects on the brain.
But with the recent trend of using keto for weight loss and general health, this new research raises important concerns. The study shows that sticking to the keto diet long term may lead to dangerous side effects like high blood fat levels, poor insulin function, and liver damage—at least in animals.
The researchers say more studies are needed to see if changing the types of fats in the diet or adjusting how much protein and carbs are included might reduce these harmful effects. This could be especially helpful for people who use the keto diet to manage epilepsy and need to stay on it for long periods.
In short, while keto may help with weight control, it also comes with risks—especially for long-term health. This study highlights the need to approach the diet with caution and to do more research before calling it a one-size-fits-all solution.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies that whole grain foods could help increase longevity, and vitamin D supplements strongly reduce cancer death.
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