Long-term ketogenic diet accumulates aged cells in normal tissues, new study finds

A strict “keto-friendly” diet popular for weight loss and diabetes, depending on the diet and individual, might not be so friendly.

A new study led by researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) found that a long-term, continuous ketogenic diet can induce senescence, or aging, of cells in normal tissues. , with effects on the heart and kidneys. function in particular. However, according to research, an intermittent ketogenic diet, with planned keto vacations or breaks, has not shown any pro-inflammatory effects due to cell aging.

The results have significant clinical implications, suggesting that the beneficial effect of a ketogenic diet could be enhanced by planned breaks.

“To put that in perspective, 13 million Americans are on a ketogenic diet, and we say you need to take breaks from that diet or there could be long-term consequences,” David Gius said.

Gius is the lead author of the new study, “The ketogenic diet induces p53-dependent cellular senescence in multiple organs,” published May 17 in the journal Scientists progress.

Other authors also work in the Department of Radiation Oncology and the Mays Cancer Center, as well as the Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, the Center for Precision Medicine, the School of Nursing and the Division of Nephrology in the UT Department of Medicine. Health San Antonio; and the Houston Methodist Cancer Center and the Houston Methodist Research Institute.

Too many good things

A ketogenic diet, commonly called keto-friendly, is a high-fat, low-carb diet that leads to the generation of ketones, a type of chemical that the liver produces when it breaks down fats. Although a ketogenic diet improves some health conditions and is popular for weight loss, pro-inflammatory effects have also been reported.

The new study shows that mice subjected to two different ketogenic diets and at different ages induced cellular senescence in several organs, including the heart and kidneys. However, this cellular senescence was eliminated by a senolytic, or a class of small molecules capable of destroying senescence cells, and prevented by administration of an intermittent ketogenic diet.

“As cellular senescence has been implicated in the pathology of organ diseases, our results have important clinical implications for understanding the use of a ketogenic diet,” Gius said. “As with other nutritional interventions, you need to ‘take a keto break’.”