Contentious Debate Erupted in Nutrition Sphere Following Keto Trial

Keto Diet Controversy Explodes: New Study Sends Waves through Nutrition Field

It's the talk of the town and it's stirring up a storm. A recent study on the ketogenic diet has left the nutrition world in a tizzy. The research claims that it bolsters the diet's health benefits, but critics argue it does the opposite. Welcome to the great keto debate of 2022.

The study, published on April 7th in JACC: Advances, explores the connection between cholesterol and the ketogenic diet. This low-carb, high-fat regimen encourages the body to enter a state of ketosis, where cells burn fat instead of carbs for energy. The keto diet has become a popular strategy for weight loss, but skeptics ask whether it's healthy to consistently consume high amounts of fat.

This study certainly has people's attention. According to Altmetric, which tracks research in the media and on social networks, it ranks in the top 5 percent of papers it monitors-that's more than 24 million research pieces. The lion's share of attention is coming from...

What's at stake? Well, keto detractors hope the study will support the widely accepted theory that LDL cholesterol (often called "bad" cholesterol) is a cause of heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions. If this theory is toppled, it could overturn established medical advice about keeping LDL cholesterol low and potentially rewrite the rules on consuming fatty foods.

The study recruited 100 volunteers who were healthy but had followed a ketogenic diet for at least two years, and who consequently had abnormally high cholesterol levels. These subjects, who also showed signs of good cardiometabolic health, are sometimes called Lean Mass Hyper-Responders (LMHRs). The study aimed to determine whether these participants were developing plaque in their arteries-a known risk for those with high LDL cholesterol. The participants continued their keto diets during the one-year study, and their plaque levels were monitored at both the beginning and end.

Dave Feldman, a software engineer and keto enthusiast, played a significant role in the study. Feldman is one of the study's authors and has a background in both keto and cholesterol. He even coined the term LMHR as far back as 2017! Feldman has lead his own experiments on LMHRs, often without the guidance of an institutional review board-a requirement for formal studies to ensure ethical behavior and participant welfare. This study, however, was run through the Lundquist Institute, which has an institutional review board.

All that being said, the study has faced criticism, with some experts raising concerns about potential biases due to keto promoters being involved in its design and execution. Despite these reservations, the study provides valuable insights into the impacts of a ketogenic diet on cholesterol levels in LMHRs.

Will the keto diet continue to dominate headlines, or will other diets rise to meet the challenge? Only time will tell. In the meantime, stay informed and make the best decisions for your health and wellbeing.

Bonus: Behind the LMHRs

Lean Mass Hyper-Responders (LMHRs) are individuals who, despite their high level of LDL cholesterol, remain metabolically healthy. They were the focus of the recent Keto-CTA study and are commonly found among long-term keto practitioners.

Dave Feldman, a software engineer, coined the term LMHR in 2017 to describe this unique group. LMHRs may exhibit good cardiometabolic health indicators such as lean physiques, low body fat, low blood pressure, and good insulin sensitivity.

Research into LMHRs is ongoing, and while the Keto-CTA study has received criticism, it adds to the growing body of knowledge surrounding this topic and its implications for the ketogenic diet and heart health.

The ketogenic diet's health benefits are being debated intensely, with a recent study on the diet causing a stir in the science and medical-conditions field.
The study published in JACC: Advances investigates the relationship between the ketogenic diet and cholesterol, suggesting potential improvements to the diet's reputation, but raising concern among critics.
The study garnered significant attention, ranking in the top 5 percent amongst over 24 million research pieces, with newsletters, social networks, and AI algorithms abuzz with discussion.
The study's findings could challenge the widely accepted theory that LDL cholesterol, or "bad" cholesterol, triggers heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions.
The study centered around 100 volunteers who had been on the ketogenic diet for at least two years, exhibiting abnormally high cholesterol levels but maintaining good cardiometabolic health, a group known as Lean Mass Hyper-Responders (LMHRs).
Dave Feldman, a keto advocate, software engineer, and coiner of the term LMHR, was a significant contributor to the study, monitoring the participants' plaque levels over the course of one year.
The study has faced criticism due to potential biases, with some experts questioning the ethics of including keto promoters in its design and execution.
Despite these concerns, the study's findings offer valuable insights into the impacts of the ketogenic diet on cholesterol levels in LMHRs, potentially impacting chronic-diseases such as chronic-kidney-disease, type-2-diabetes, and others.
The ketogenic diet's status as a popular strategy for weight loss, fitness-and-exercise, and healthy-diets remains uncertain, but the ongoing research into LMHRs may alter recommendations for consuming fatty foods and therapies-and-treatments related to medical-conditions.
CBD, a popular supplement for managing health-and-wellness issues such as rheumatoid-arthritis, may interfere with cholesterol levels or the ketogenic diet's efficacy, necessitating further investigation.