The ketogenic diet may cause liver, kidney, cardiovascular, and skeletal disorders, nutritional deficiencies, keto flu, and in the long term may lead to an increased risk of cancer.
1. Liver: Excessive fat and animal protein intake on the ketogenic diet may increase the risk of “NAFLD”.
2. Kidney: The ketogenic diet puts the body in a state of ketosis, which lowers the pH of the urine and may increase the risk of kidney stones.
3. Cardiovascular system: Ketogenic diets often contain too much saturated fat, which is detrimental to cardiovascular health.
4. Skeletal system: Studies have shown that long-term ketogenic diets may lead to decreased bone density.
5. Nutritional deficiencies: The intake of vegetables, fruits and whole grains in a ketogenic diet is far from enough, and this can easily lead to deficiencies in many vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber over time, which is detrimental to health.
6. Keto flu: This term is used to summarize a series of uncomfortable symptoms that may occur in people on a ketogenic diet, including fatigue, dizziness, weakness and decreased vitality. It is actually a sign of insufficient brain function.
7. Cancer: If the long-term ketogenic diet intake of too much meat (cholesterol intake exceeds the standard), too little fruits, vegetables, grains, the risk of cancer in the long run may rise. For example, too much cholesterol intake to increase the incidence of rectal cancer, breast cancer.
It is not recommended that the general population try the ketogenic diet on their own, and if patients with intractable epilepsy or other conditions require the use of the ketogenic diet, they need to be under the guidance of a clinical dietitian and clinician.