Keto Diet May Increase Type 2 Diabetes Risk New Study Warns

A new study that will no doubt prove divisive reveals that a ketogenic "keto" diet may increase one's risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The study was recently published in the Journal of Physiology, where researchers explain that a low carb, high fat diet may result in insulin resistance, paving the way for Type 2 diabetes. Though additional research is necessary, the study highlights a potential issue with the popular diet.

Keto diets are popular among many precisely due to their low amounts of carbohydrates and the presumed positive effect they may have on insulin resistance and reversing Type 2 diabetes.

However, a study by ETH Zurich and University Children's Hospital Zurich found that ketogenic diets may increase insulin resistance, impacting the body's ability to respond to normal amounts of insulin. This, in turn, may lead to increased blood sugar levels and the development of Type 2 diabetes.

The increased risk was noted during the early stage of the diet, according to the study, which involved lab mice fed two different diets: a high fat diet and a ketogenic diet. Metabolic tests revealed an increased risk of insulin resistance while on a keto diet, but researchers say more information is needed to fully understand what is happening:

The mechanism behind the whole process was undetermined; therefore, the existence of a shared physiological response between low carb and regular carb high fat diets that cause insulin resistance in the liver requires further exploration.

SOURCE: EurekAlert