Lipids & metabolic liver disease
The Impact of the Ketogenic Diet on the Lipid Profile in Adults: A Comprehensive Review and Meta-Regression Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors' conclusion
The ketogenic diet significantly improves triglycerides and HDL-C but also leads to modest increases in LDL-C. Given the lack of long-term cardiovascular outcome data, these findings should be interpreted with caution.
Study context
- Population
- Adults in RCTs assessing effects of ketogenic diet (KD) on lipid outcomes; 5 electronic databases searched62 studies
- Comparison
- Ketogenic diet vs control
- Outcome
- Lipid profile parameters (weighted mean differences)
Methodological detailsmeta-regression, random-effects model
- Meta-regression
- Random-effects model
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Lipid profile
- Significant decrease
- WMD, TG −19.96 mg/dl (95% CI −26.10 to −13.81)
- Significant decrease
- WMD, TG/HDL-C ratio −0.31 (95% CI −0.49 to −0.12)
- Increase
- WMD, HDL-C 3.61 mg/dl (95% CI 1.44–5.57)
- Increase
- WMD, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) 8.49 mg/dl (95% CI 5.45–11.52)
- Increase
- WMD, total cholesterol 8.14 mg/dl (95% CI 3.41–12.88)
Further pooled results
Meta-regression: HDL-C change vs KD duration
- Linear correlation between alterations in HDL-C and duration of KD intervention
Safety
LDL-C increase
- LDL-C increased, which may carry potential adverse implications
- 8.49 mg/dL
Original publication
The Impact of the Ketogenic Diet on the Lipid Profile in Adults: A Comprehensive Review and Meta-Regression Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Endocr Pract. Published 30 January 2026. doi:10.
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