KETO HEART BURN

Disease-risk link

Diets similar to the popular keto diet may be linked to a higher risk of heart disease, new research has found.

The study, which has not been peer reviewed, was presented Sunday at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session Together With the World Congress of Cardiology.

The findings showed that people on a low-carb, high-fat diet — similar to the ketogenic diet — had more than two times higher risk of having several major cardiovascular complications. This comes as approximately one in five Americans report being on a low-carb, ketolike or full keto diet.

Researchers compared the diets of 305 people on LCHF diets, as well as about 1,200 people eating a standard diet with more balanced eating habits.

The team defined an LCHF diet as consisting of 45% of total daily calories coming from fat and 25% coming from carbohydrates.

The information analyzed in the study was taken from the United Kingdom database UK Biobank, which followed people for at least a decade. They also noted that 73% of their participants were women with an average age of 54 and average body-mass index of 27.7. Those on the standard diet had an average BMI of 26.7.

After about 11.8 years and even when adjusted for other risk factors, the research showed a much higher risk of developing cardiovascular conditions.

The study concluded that people on the LCHF diet had higher levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol — sometimes known as “bad” cholesterol — and apolipoprotein B, a protein that coats LDL cholesterol and can predict heart disease.

The researchers also found that those consuming an LCHF diet had a total fat intake higher in saturated fat and double the consumption of animal sources (33%) compared to those on the standard diet (16%).

‘Be aware’

“Among the participants on an LCHF diet, we found that those with the highest levels of LDL cholesterol were at the highest risk for a cardiovascular event,” lead author Iulia Iatan, MD, Ph.D., attending physicianscientist at the Healthy Heart Program Prevention Clinic, St. Paul’s Hospital, said in the press release.

“Our findings suggest that people who are considering going on an LCHF diet should be aware that doing so could lead to an increase in their levels of LDL cholesterol,” Iatan said.

The experts did note not everyone responded to the LCHF diet in the same way and called for more research to be conducted.