Can Taking Breaks Enhance the Benefits of a Keto Diet?

A study from UT Health San Antonio reveals that a long-term ketogenic diet may cause cell aging in organs like the heart and kidneys, suggesting the necessity of intermittent breaks to avoid these effects. Long-term ketogenic diets can lead to aged cells in vital organs, but intermittent keto with regular breaks prevents these negative impacts. A strict “keto-friendly” diet is popular for weight loss and diabetes.

However, depending on both the diet and the individual, it might not be all that friendly. New research found that a continuous long-term ketogenic diet may induce senescence, or aged, cells in normal tissues, with effects on heart and kidney function in particular. However, an intermittent ketogenic diet, with a planned keto vacation or break, did not exhibit any pro-inflammatory effects due to aged cells.

This is according to the study, which was led by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio). The findings have significant clinical implications suggesting that the beneficial effect of a ketogenic diet might be enhanced by planned breaks. “To put this in perspective, 13 million Americans use a ketogenic diet, and we are saying that you need to take breaks from this diet or there could be long-term consequences,” said David Gius, MD, PhD, assistant dean of research and professor with the Department of Radiation Oncology in the Joe R.

and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio.