A ‘keto-like’ diet may be linked to a higher risk of heart disease, according to new study

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A low-carbohydrate, high-fat ‘keto-like’ diet leads to higher levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol, doubling the risk of cardiovascular events such as clogged arteries, heart attack and stroke, according to a new study. There is a possibility.

“Our study found that regular consumption of a low-carbohydrate, high-fat self-reported diet increased levels of LDL cholesterol (or ‘bad’ cholesterol) and increased risk of heart disease. said lead author of the study, Dr. Iulia. Iatan, of his program prevention clinic in Vancouver, Canada, St. Paul’s Hospital, British Columbia University Cardiopulmonary Innovation Center, said in his news release:

In this study, researchers defined a low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) diet as 45% of total daily calories from fat and 25% from carbohydrates.The study was published on Sunday Annual Scientific Sessions of the American College of Cardiology and the World College of Cardiology.

“The rationale for our study came from the fact that we see patients with severe hypercholesterolemia in cardiovascular prevention clinics after this diet,” Iatan said during a presentation at the session. rice field.

High cholesterol or hypercholesterolemia increases the risk of heart attack and other adverse cardiovascular events.

“This has led us to wonder about the relationship between these low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets, lipid levels, and cardiovascular disease. Nevertheless, data on this relationship are limited.” she said.

Using health information from the UK Biobank, a UK database that has followed people for at least 10 years, the researchers compared the diets of 305 people on the LCHF diet to about 1,200 people on the standard diet. .

Researchers found that people on the LCHF diet had higher levels of LDL, cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein, also known as apolipoprotein B. can.

The researchers also found that the total fat intake of participants on the LCHF diet was higher in saturated fat and twice as high in animal products (33%) as in the control group (16%). rice field.

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“After an average of 11.8 years of follow-up, after adjusting for other risk factors for heart disease such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity and smoking, those on the LCHF diet had more than double the risk. News According to the release, researchers have found several major cardiovascular events, including blocked arteries that need to be opened with stent surgery, heart attack, stroke, and peripheral arterial disease.

In a release, the researchers said their study “can only show an association between diet and an increased risk of major cardiac events, not a causal relationship.” The findings deserve further study.About one in five Americans reports being on a low-carb, keto-like, or full keto diet. ”

According to Iatan, limitations of the study include measurement errors that occur when dietary assessments are self-reported, the small sample size of the study, and the fact that most of the participants were British, with the exception of other ethnic groups. I said that it is included that it is not included.

The study also looked at the long-term effects of following a diet, but most people who follow a keto-like diet tend to follow it intermittently for short periods of time.

Most of the participants (73%) were women, and Iatan said, “It’s very interesting to see that women in general tend to follow more eating patterns and are willing to change their lifestyles. It corroborates the available literature that it tends to be of interest.”

When asked if there were groups that followed the LCHF diet without harm, Iatan said that how long people were on the diet and whether they lost weight “can offset the rise in LDL.” Stated.

“The important thing to remember is that each patient responds differently. It’s a trend,” she said. .

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Most health professionals trendy keto dietAvoid carbs to allow your body to burn fat for fuel, and cut out healthy foods such as fruits, beans, legumes, and whole grains. To do. To put it into perspective, a medium banana or apple is about 27 carbs, which is his daily allowance.

Keto stands for ketosis, a metabolic state that occurs when the liver begins using stored fat to produce ketones for energy. The liver is programmed to do so when it loses access to the body’s preferred fuel, carbohydrates, and thinks it is starving.

The keto diet has been around since the 1920s, when doctors stumbled upon it as a way to combat seizures. children with epilepsy Those who have not responded to other treatments.

Low-carb diets like the keto diet rely heavily on fat to fill the body.At least 70% of the keto diet consists of fat. someone says Over 90%.

While you can get all your fats from healthy unsaturated fats like avocados, tofu, nuts, seeds and olive oil, this diet does not include saturated fats like lard, butter, coconut oil, full-fat milk, cheese, You can also take mayonnaise. Eating a lot of foods high in saturated fat increases the body’s production of LDL cholesterol, which can build up in arteries and restrict blood flow to the heart and brain.