Health Risks of the Ketogenic Diet for Type 2 Diabetes
Although keto diets may be effective at weight loss in the short term, they are not more effective than other diets when followed long term, according to research. This is one reason that experts often do not recommend a keto diet as a long-term solution for type 2 diabetes, a long-term condition.
Other potential risks of this diet include the following:
- Elevations in LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
- Pancreatitis
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Constipation
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dehydration
- Fatigue, headaches, and dizziness, especially early in the diet
- Decreased bone mineral density in the long term
Always be sure to keep in close contact with your doctor when beginning a ketogenic diet.
People With Diabetes Who Shouldn’t Try the Keto Diet
If you have chronic kidney disease, the American Diabetes Association recommends emphasizing balanced eating patterns and appropriate protein intake, based on your condition, which may make diets such as keto more challenging to follow safely.
Zanini cautions that people with kidney disease need to be especially conscious of their protein intake.
If you have or have had an eating disorder, work with your doctor to determine if this is the right diet for you.
“Because of the severe carb limits imposed by the ketogenic diet, the risks of bingeing, compulsive overeating, and other eating disorders is much higher,” says Sylvia White, RD, CDCES, who works in private practice in Memphis, Tennessee.
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