A study finds that long-term keto dieting may come with hidden metabolic costs.
A recent study from the University of Utah Health, published in Science Advances, explores how the ketogenic diet affects the body over long periods and raises new concerns about its overall safety and effectiveness for metabolic health.
Once used primarily to treat epilepsy, this high-fat, low-carbohydrate eating plan has become a popular method for weight loss and managing conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. The researchers found that, in mice, long-term adherence to the diet may disrupt normal metabolic function and change how the body processes fats and sugars in ways that could be harmful.
The ketogenic diet works by sharply reducing carbohydrate intake so the body shifts into a state called ketosis. During ketosis, the liver produces molecules known as ketone bodies, which serve as an alternative fuel for the brain and help stabilize nerve activity, reducing the frequency of seizures.
This process mirrors what happens during periods of starvation, when limited glucose forces the body to rely on fat for energy. Although keto has gained attention for its potential benefits in weight management and metabolic health, most studies until now have focused mainly on short-term effects rather than the long-term biological consequences.
“We’ve seen short-term studies and those just looking at weight, but not really any studies looking at what happens over the longer term or with other facets of metabolic health,” said Molly Gallop, PhD, now assistant professor of anatomy and physiology at Earlham College, who led the study as a postdoctoral fellow in nutrition and integrative physiology at U of U Health.
