A study published in Cell Metabolism has examined the health benefits associated with the ketogenic diet compared to other weight-loss diets. The research found that the majority of health improvements were primarily due to achieving significant weight loss, around 10% of body weight, rather than the specific diet composition.
Dr Adam Collins, Associate Professor of Nutrition at the University of Surrey, noted that all diet groups showed similar reductions in body fat and improvements in muscle insulin sensitivity. While the ketogenic diet did result in greater reductions in liver fat and improved liver insulin sensitivity, these changes were linked to a shift in the body's primary fuel source from carbohydrates to fat.
However, the study, which included 14 participants per diet group over about five months, did not find a clear broader metabolic advantage for the ketogenic diet in terms of overall fat loss, glucose tolerance, or cardiovascular risk markers like ApoB. Professor Naveed Sattar of the University of Glasgow highlighted that the study's small numbers and short duration mean its findings are more hypothesis-generating than definitive, suggesting a need for larger, longer-term trials.