New study: Keto improves cardiovascular health markers
Does a keto diet improve markers for heart health? Virta Health just published more data from their study on a ketogenic diet for people with type 2 diabetes, and the results are in line with earlier studies.
22 of 26 markers of cardiovascular disease risk improved in their patients, many quite significantly. However, there was one exception, the same as in many earlier studies. LDL cholesterol went up a little bit on average.
This is very important to understand, and Virta Health and their team of researchers go into quite some depth to do so:
- Virta: Virta Health changing status quo in chronic disease care with strong cardiovascular outcomes from type 2 diabetes reversal study
- Virta: Improving cardiovascular disease risk factors with the Virta treatment
- Virta: Blood lipid changes with a well-formulated ketogenic diet in context: understanding the total risk ‘forest’ rather than focusing on the ‘LDL tree’
As mentioned, these results are in line with dozens of earlier studies. A keto diet tends to improve pretty much every single metabolic risk factor for disease… but there is a slight rise in LDL and total cholesterol on average. Is this something to worry about? We don’t know for sure, there are no good data to prove whether it is dangerous, neutral or even beneficial in this situation.
However, to me it is even more interesting to look at this from the other direction. For the last 40 years the medical field has mostly focused on lowering LDL and total cholesterol, using any method including a low-fat (and thus high-carb) diet. There is no high quality evidence that this lifestyle intervention reduces heart attacks or prolongs life. There is data, however, suggesting that a high carb diet can lead to increased weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, HDL, triglycerides and more.
The opposite dietary advice, a low-carb diet, results in improvement of all metabolic risk factors. The new Virta study demonstrates it yet again.
Heart disease and cholesterol
![The cholesterol network system]()
![What about cholesterol?]()
![Diet Doctor Podcast #9 — Dr. Ron Krauss]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![The great cholesterol myth]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Cholesterol on keto]()
![How cholesterol really works – Dave Feldman]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Cholesterol on a low-carb diet]()
![Why high cholesterol is healthy]()
![Diet Doctor Podcast #8 – Dave Feldman]()
![Is high cholesterol dangerous on a low-carb diet?]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Practical lipid management]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Cholesterol: A passenger, not a driver]()
![Diet Doctor Podcast #27 – David Diamond, PhD]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Framingham and the Muddy Waters]()
![LCHF and LDL]()
![Diet Doctor Podcast #29 – Dr. Spencer Nadolsky]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Dietary fat and cardiovascular disease]()
Keto
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Eating keto to survive cancer]()
![All things keto with Keto Connect]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Exploiting cancer metabolism with ketosis]()
![My success story with Jim Caldwell]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![A new life with a keto diet]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![LCHF and diabetes: science and clinical experience]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Treating cancer with a keto diet]()
![Diet Doctor Podcast #35 with Ben Bikman, PhD]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Challenging the dogma]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![A life without migraines]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![80 pounds lighter and no medications]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
!["I'll do this or I'm going to die trying"]()
![Diet Doctor Podcast #31 – Dr. Ken Berry]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Low-carb living]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Q&A with Miriam Kalamian]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Is lower insulin the key to better brain health?]()
![My success story with Gillian Szollos]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Trouble shooting high blood-glucose levels]()
Earlier
Most viewed BMJ paper 2017: Saturated fat does not clog the arteries
New study: Four weeks on the keto diet leads to big weight loss and improved health markers
Merican diet.
Really? What research have you been reading? So losing 75lbs, off all meds for blood pressure, high cholesterol, a1c finally under 5, hdl, triglycerides, and ldl all in normal range is just a fluke if I gained those results from a high carb low fat diet?? Interesting.
I guess if people are eating low fat processed junk food thinking they are being healthy, I'd agree with you but not all carbs are equal. I do believe those on a keto diet see results but you can't make a blanketed statement another diet not doing any good without sounding like a complete uneducated fool. There are many diets that work well for different people....and they have the blood work and science to back them up as well.
Mediterranean diet can work for everyone and is time proven and sustainable for the busy 9 to 5er with a family, and positive cardiovascular properties are documented.
Pepperoni and bacon diets are not the way.
Meanwhile, my sister in law has been been on at least 3 different commercial diets and followed official guidlines over the same time period and has actually gained more weight, been miserable because of cravings and hunger ...she is now finally going to give Keto a blast ...having seen how much delicious food my wife and I can eat and more importantly how healthy my wife and I are ...
With regard to health...my Keto diet has allowed me to remove fentynyl from my meds and I only now use paracetamol to deal with pain from my injuries, my chronic pain has really disminished since eating Keto, also, my bloods are as good as to be hoped for and my weight induced hypertension has gone ...I truly believe in the anti-inflammatory effect of Keto...ditching grains, starches, vegetable oils and that all important sugar has had a profound effect on my health and well-being for the better ...
Yes, Keto is not as easy as a conventional diet ( it was even harder 5 years ago) as everything outside your front door is designed to be the exact opposite so it can at times feel daunting and unsustainable ...but even eating out now has become easier, we now have a few favourite restaurants that are very acceptable of our eating habits and therefore help out with our meal choices. If we travel etc then the cool box gets packed with Keto goodies ...what Keto really means is that rather than eating mindlessly a little more thought needs to be applied to what fuel you are putting into your body, which in my mind is only a good thing, our bodies our amazing things generally only one use only so we really ought to be respectful of this piece of engineering and try to maintain it , pumping it full of crap it’s not surprising or ideal and by doing so it’s hardly surprising that it starts to cough and splutter like an old clapped out motor.
The question we used to ask ourselves in the very early days when it all seemed so insurmountable is “what is more important to us now?” and every time the resounding answer was that improving and maintaining our health and well being is the most important priority in our lives especially with dealing with my injuries long term...Now the call of junk, convenient processed food has long passed...we hardly ever journey into the central isles of supermarkets anymore and never junk food restaurants!
Ric
You just need to take the time to learn it instead of judging it without educating yourself.
Keto is a lifestyle. Not a diet. There is so much you CAN eat and be healthy.
And by the way, thank you for your service sir!
Make sure and read the Virta Health articles linked in this one!
My cholesterol is perfect! I have no trace of plaque. My blood pressure is excellent! I have Terrible Leptin Markers, 573! But my fasting blood sugar is 82. I am not going to be diabetic like my family before me.
Yes, I have lost a lot of weight. But my brain , my body is so much better! 371 to 241. Not where I want to be, but nowhere near where I started. And early member is Diet Doctor! Love Kristie SULLIVAN!
I have gone on and off the diet, falling into the negative chatter from others about unhealthy keto is, and I guess I am scared about my arteries being clogged and joining the rest of my family. I am the only surviving member of my family, all gone by heart attacks, and aneurysms, my brother at 52 years young. It is in the family.
I loved the Keto lifestyle and the food was not a problem, as you can eat healthy. My husband has been low carb since before I met him over 40 years ago. He is the picture of health and all his numbers at 69 years old have been perfect. Guess that should say something about the lifestyle. I am going to start back again. I take three blood pressure medications a day, my blood pressure is still very high, my hair is thinning out because of the medication.
I have tried the plant based as well as the Mediterranean diet and I am hungry all the time, that is not good for me.
You can’t make that decision for everyone..
I personally would die on a plant based diet! GROSS!
Btw keto and Mediterranean and lacto ovo pescatarian are literally the same diet!
Focusing on good fats vegetables and animal protein.
[i] https://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2015/10/12/eli-lillys-good...
[ii] http://www.cardiobrief.org/2017/08/08/pharma-phantasy-the-30-billion-...
[iii] https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/results/NCT01975376
[iv] https://cen.acs.org/articles/94/i44/Pfizer-discontinues-work-bococizu...