The keto diet may have surprising benefits for liver health, a new study suggested.The research, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, studied 42 adults who had obesity, prediabetes and excess liver fat.In a randomized clinical trial, the participants were assigned to three weight-loss diets – a low-carb ketogenic diet, a Mediterranean diet and a low-fat, mostly plant-based diet.SECRET TO WEIGHT LOSS MAY BE HIDING IN YOUR GUT, NEW STUDY SUGGESTSThe keto diet’s calories consisted of about 4% carbohydrates and 73% fat, according to the study.The Mediterranean diet provided about 50% of calories from carbohydrates and 35% from fat, while the low-fat diet provided about 70% of calories from carbohydrates and 15% from fat.In all three groups, muscle insulin sensitivity improved by about 50%, helping the muscles take up blood sugar more efficiently.Liver fat decreased by roughly 67% in those following the keto diet, compared to about 45% with the other diets.
(iStock)Liver insulin sensitivity improved two to three times as much in the keto group as in the other diet groups.Liver fat decreased by roughly 67% among people following the keto diet, compared with about 45% among those on the other diets.The reduction was linked to a decrease in the liver’s production of new fat.Glucose and insulin measures also generally improved more in the keto group.
About 50% of participants in that group no longer met the criteria for prediabetes by the end of the trial, compared with 29% of those following the Mediterranean diet and 7% of those on the low-fat diet.ONE COMMON TYPE OF FAT MAY INCREASE DIABETES RISK, WHILE ANOTHER HELPS FIGHT ITThe study’s short duration and small sample size — about 14 people in each diet group — limit how broadly the findings can be applied to the general population, the researchers said.The researchers concluded that, among people with obesity, prediabetes and excess liver fat, the composition of a weight-loss diet may influence certain...