Keto-like diet linked to higher risk of heart attack

• Recent studies show that the keto diet can cause serious health problems in the long run.
• Researchers have found that a “keto-like” diet is associated with higher levels of “body” cholesterol and double the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes.
• Experts point out the risks of the keto diet.

Ketogenic or not “keto” diet. has been the topic of conversation in the health world for some time. But as the food gained in popularity, researchers found the Diet has some important effects. A new study has found a link between a keto-like diet and heart health.

A study presented in the American Society of Cardiology and the World Congress of Cardiology. It has been suggested that the “keto-like” diet is associated with high blood levels of “body” cholesterol and double the risk of cardiovascular events such as chest pain (angina), arteries which was recorded requiring stenting, cardiac arrest, and stroke.

The researchers used data from the UK Biobank and identified 305 participants who reported their diet during the 24-hour reporting period met the study’s definition of a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet. high-fat (LCHF). These participants were stratified by age and gender and compared with 1,220 people who reported eating a normal diet.

For this study, researchers defined an LCHF diet as no more than 25% of calories from carbohydrates and no more than 45% of total daily calories from fat. . This is called a LCHF diet and “keto-like” because it is higher in carbohydrates and lower in fat than a strict ketogenic diet. They defined “normal eating” as people not meeting these criteria and having balanced eating habits.

Compared to people who participated in a normal diet, those on the LCHF diet had higher levels of LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol. After controlling for other risk factors for heart disease—such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and smoking—the researchers found that People on the LCHF diet are more than twice as likely to have major cardiovascular events, such as blockages in the arteries that need to be removed with stenting procedures, heart attacks, strokes and peripheral vascular disease. In all, the researchers determined that 9.8% of those who participated in an LCHF diet had a new cardiac event, compared to 4.3% of those on a normal diet—double the risk for people on LCHF diet.

What is the keto diet and what are the risks for our heart health?

Ketogenic diets, or “keto,” are diets that are high in fat and low in carbohydrates, very low in carbohydrates, in fact, they can break down your body’s fat and turn it into energy, explained. Yu-Ming Ni, MD, cardiologist, of Non-Invasive Cardiology at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center. Keto diets have been studied as a means of weight loss because of their ability to burn fat, he added. “The main argument is that many studies have shown that high-fat, low-fat diets have better outcomes from a cardiovascular perspective than high-fat, low-fat diets. plant-based. This study adds to that data.”

So, how does going keto affect your heart health? Turns out, there’s more pain with keto diets overall—high fat is generally more inflammatory, and inflammation is a major factor in cardiovascular health and disease, explains Dr.Ni. “Foods high in red meat or processed meat – we have evidence of the pro-inflammatory nature of those foods.”

Keto diets often raise your cholesterol. This is important because the foods you eat are high in cholesterol, but low-fat foods also affect your cholesterol levels, especially if you’ve been following the diet for a long time. , said Dr. Ni. He reminds us that “high cholesterol is the number one factor that leads to the development of injuries and strokes.”

In general, heart disease and stroke are related to three factors: cholesterol, inflammation, and TMAOexplain Kim Williams, MD, past president of the ACC and an expert on cardiovascular disease prevention and nutrition. “It’s important to keep those three things from accumulating in your bloodstream because they promote plaque,” he said. But when it comes to the keto diet, it increases all three of those things. “When you lose weight, your blood pressure goes down, so you’d think your risk of heart disease would go down too — but it doesn’t.”

The bottom line

The keto diet may work for some in terms of short-term weight loss, but these new findings show the dangers of long-term implementation. It can seriously harm your heart health by increasing cholesterol levels and causing inflammation.

For your long-term health, keto is not the way to go, says Dr. Ni. He explains that he is overweight, high in fat, high in cholesterol. “Long-term ketogenic diets are not as effective as high-carb diets such as medium food or the DASH Diet. I will support those foods for daily maintenance. ” However, the main evidence is that the keto diet can be used well for a short period of time (3 to 6 months), if that’s what you want, says Dr. Ni.

In fact, there are different types of keto diets, not all of which pose the same threat to your heart health. For example, Dr. Williams explains how a vegan, or vegetarian, keto diet can actually lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. “Vegan keto, where you do peanut butter, whole grains, and avoid carbs, use olive oil for fat, actually lowers the risk. So it’s not keto itself, is keto with animal products.

If you’re considering a keto diet, talk to your doctor first, because it’s better for your heart.