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News Topical, Digital Desk : The keto diet is gaining popularity worldwide for weight loss. Known for its ability to reduce weight quickly and improve metabolism, a new study by scientists at the University of Utah Health has raised alarm bells.
According to this new research, even though the keto diet prevents weight gain, following it for a long time can lead to fatty liver disease and blood sugar related problems.
9-month long research done on rats
To understand the long-term effects of the keto diet on the body, scientists conducted an experiment on rats. They fed the rats four different diets for nine months:
- Standard Keto Diet
- The typical 'Western' high-fat diet
- Low-fat and high-carbohydrate diet
- A low-fat and balanced protein diet
The results were surprising
The mice fed the keto diet didn't gain weight (which is a good thing), but they did develop significant amounts of fat in their livers. This is medically known as hepatic steatosis, or fatty liver disease. It's considered the early stage of chronic liver disease.
Researchers also found that it had a more adverse effect on the livers of male rats than female rats.
Why does fat get deposited in the liver?
Amandine Chaix, the lead researcher of this study, explained the reasoning behind this in simple terms. She says that when you eat a high-fat diet, that fat will end up somewhere in your body. This fat often accumulates in your blood and eventually in your liver, causing liver damage.
It also has a negative effect on blood sugar
Not just the liver, the keto diet has also been shown to have an effect on the body's ability to control sugar levels:
- Initially: Fasting glucose and insulin levels remained low in the mice.
- Later: When these rats were given carbohydrates again, their blood sugar levels suddenly increased sharply and did not come down.
Scientists believe that long-term high-fat diets put pressure on the beta cells of the pancreas, which produce insulin. Excessive fat can cause these cells to function poorly. However, it's a relief that when the mice were removed from the keto diet, their condition improved somewhat.
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