The safety and health implications of popular dietary trends, such as ketogenic diets and intermittent fasting, including the scientific debate surrounding the impact of these diets on metabolic health, cardiovascular risk, and chronic disease prevention, and the need for long-term studies to understand their health effects and nutritional adequacy fully.
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Summary
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These studies suggest that intermittent fasting generally improves cardiovascular and metabolic health, while the ketogenic diet shows mixed results, with potential benefits for weight loss and metabolic health but also possible adverse effects, highlighting the need for caution and further long-term research.
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Review of the Related Literature on Dietary Trends and Health Implications
The impact of dietary trends such as intermittent fasting (IF) and ketogenic diets (KD) on health has been a subject of considerable scientific interest. Research has explored the effects of these diets on metabolic health, cardiovascular risk, and chronic disease prevention, with a focus on their safety and the need for long-term studies to fully understand their health effects and nutritional adequacy.
Intermittent fasting has been shown to improve cardiometabolic risk factors and alter gut microbiota in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS). A randomized clinical trial found that an 8-week IF regimen significantly reduced fat mass, oxidative stress, and improved vasodilatory parameters, while also inducing changes in gut microbiota communities and increasing the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).
Ketogenic diets, characterized by very low carbohydrate intake, have been associated with weight loss and improvements in obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, the impact on cardiovascular risk factors is controversial, with some studies noting improvements and others reporting adverse events such as the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and insulin resistance.
In pediatric patients with obesity, the ketogenic diet has been proposed as a therapeutic tool for treating metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors. The diet's high fat and moderate to high protein content may promote weight loss and improve lipidic derangement, glycemic control, and insulin sensitivity.
A study on normal-weight, normolipidemic men indicated that a 6-week ketogenic diet favorably affected serum biomarkers for cardiovascular disease (CVD), including reductions in fasting serum triglycerides and postprandial lipemia.
The review of novel nutritional and dietary approaches to weight loss for the prevention of CVD highlighted the potential benefits of IF and bariatric surgery. However, it also noted that ketogenic diets might have negative cardiovascular effects, particularly in patients with established CVD.
Intermittent fasting has been proposed as a heart-healthy dietary pattern, potentially reducing the risk for CVD through improvements in weight control, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes. The diet may exert its effects through reducing oxidative stress and optimizing circadian rhythms.
The anti-inflammatory properties of the ketogenic diet in rheumatic diseases have been explored, with evidence suggesting that weight loss and improvement in insulin sensitivity due to KD may have beneficial effects on inflammatory arthritis and cardiovascular health.
The ketogenic diet's physiological basis and its use in obesity treatment have been discussed, with evidence supporting its effectiveness in inducing weight loss and improving several cardiovascular risk parameters.
A fasting-mimicking diet was found to improve markers of metabolic dysfunction, particularly in people at risk, by reducing body weight, body fat, blood pressure, and levels of IGF-1, a hormone implicated in aging and disease.
Lastly, intermittent fasting has been shown to have beneficial effects on health and can counteract disease processes in a wide range of age-related disorders, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and neurological disorders. IF and periodic fasting (PF) promote stem cell-based regeneration and have long-lasting metabolic effects.
In conclusion, both intermittent fasting and ketogenic diets have demonstrated potential health benefits, particularly in weight management and metabolic health. However, the long-term safety and overall impact on cardiovascular health remain areas of active debate, with some studies indicating potential adverse effects. Further research, particularly long-term studies, is needed to fully understand the implications of these dietary trends on health and disease prevention.
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