This Is How Keto Diet Damages Your Heart

According to a review published in the March 2024 issue of Current Problems in Cardiology, the ketogenic diet (Keto diet), which is low in carbs and high in fat and protein, does not fulfill guidelines for a balanced diet and may not be safe for some persons with heart disease.

The review compiled the available data suggesting that ketogenic diets may increase the risk of heart disease. There is little evidence to support any long-term benefits of the diet, despite the fact that it may significantly lower weight and fat mass in the short term. Ketogenic diets seem to increase levels of the artery-clogging LDL cholesterol while decreasing blood levels of triglycerides. The short-term benefits of decreasing blood pressure and blood sugar are not as strong over time.

The extreme carbohydrate limitations of the diet may cause people to avoid most fruits and vegetables and to eat a lot of leafy greens instead. However, certain heart patients’ use of the anti-clotting medication warfarin may be hampered by the vitamin K in these meals. Furthermore, the review suggests that medications known as SGLT-2 inhibitors — which are used to treat heart failure and diabetes — may not work well with a ketogenic diet.