Keto Diet Raises Metabolic Concerns, Study Finds
WASHINGTON D.C. – A new study published September 22, 2025, in Science Advances challenges the widely held belief that ketogenic diets are a healthy weight-loss solution, revealing potential long-term metabolic consequences. Researchers at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) found that mice on a ketogenic diet developed glucose intolerance, impaired insulin secretion, increased cholesterol levels, adn fatty liver disease – raising concerns about the diet’s suitability for sustained use.
The research, led by Molly R. Gallop and her team, indicates that a long-term ketogenic diet may not be a beneficial health intervention. “These results indicate that long-term ketogenic diet leads to a variety of negative changes in metabolic parameters that question systematic use as health-promoting nutritional intervention,” the researchers conclude. The study’s findings align wiht existing reports of increased cardiovascular disease, high blood lipid levels, and pancreatic issues in patients with epilepsy who adhere to ketogenic diets long-term.
Researchers observed that the longer mice were maintained on a ketogenic diet, the more pronounced their glucose intolerance and impaired insulin secretion became. The pancreatic beta cells, responsible for insulin production, were demonstrably damaged by the diet, leading to reduced insulin output and increased insulin sensitivity in the mice. Conversely, mice on a 60 percent fat diet developed insulin resistance as their weight increased – a hallmark of type 2 diabetes.
Electron microscopic images of the pancreatic beta cells revealed Golgi dilation in the keto diet group (© Molly R.Gallop). furthermore, the keto mice exhibited considerably elevated cholesterol levels, a known risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. within months, these animals also developed fatty liver.
while the study was conducted on mice, the researchers note the parallels with observed health issues in human patients following long-term ketogenic diets. “Not be regarded as a measure against being overweight,” write Gallop and her team. ( Science Advances, 2025; http://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adx2752). The study was reported by Elena bernard and Claudia Crap.