Ketogenic Diets Increase Cholesterol and Inflammation

Ketogenic diets increase cholesterol and inflammatory markers associated with chronic disease, according to new research published in Obesity Biology and Integrated Physiology. Researchers monitored changes in lipids and inflammation during four weeks on a baseline diet (50 percent carbohydrate, 35 percent fat, and 15 percent protein) and four weeks on an isocaloric ketogenic diet (5 percent carbohydrate, 80 percent fat, 15 percent protein). Total cholesterol, LDL or “bad” cholesterol, ketones, and markers of inflammation increased significantly while on the ketogenic diet.

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