Beneficial effects of ketogenic diet in obese diabetic subjects.
Dashti HM, Mathew TC, Khadada M, Al-Mousawi M, Talib H, Asfar SK, Behbahani AI, Al-Zaid NS.
Mol Cell Biochem. 2007 Aug;302(1-2):249-56. Epub 2007 Apr 20.
Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, PO Box 24923, 13110 Safat, Kuwait. info@drdashti.com
OBJECTIVE: Obesity is closely linked to the incidence of type II diabetes. It is found that effective management of body weight and changes to nutritional habits especially with regard to the carbohydrate content and glycemic index of the diet have beneficial effects in obese subjects with glucose intolerance. Previously we have shown that ketogenic diet is quite effective in reducing body weight. Furthermore, it favorably alters the cardiac risk factors even in hyperlipidemic obese subjects. In this study the effect of ketogenic diet in obese subjects with high blood glucose level is compared to those with normal blood glucose level for a period of 56 weeks. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 64 healthy obese subjects with body mass index (BMI) greater than 30, having high blood glucose level and those subjects with normal blood glucose level were selected in this study. The body weight, body mass index, blood glucose level, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, urea and creatinine were determined before and at 8, 16, 24, 48, and 56 weeks after the administration of the ketogenic diet. RESULTS: The body weight, body mass index, the level of blood glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and urea showed a significant decrease from week 1 to week 56 (P < 0.0001), whereas the level of HDL-cholesterol increased significantly (P < 0.0001). Interestingly these changes were more significant in subjects with high blood glucose level as compared to those with normal blood glucose level. The changes in the level of creatinine were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: This study shows the beneficial effects of ketogenic diet in obese diabetic subjects following its long-term administration. Furthermore, it demonstrates that in addition to its therapeutic value, low carbohydrate diet is safe to use for a longer period of time in obese diabetic subjects.


Long term effects of ketogenic diet in obese subjects with high cholesterol level.
Dashti HM, Al-Zaid NS, Mathew TC, Al-Mousawi M, Talib H, Asfar SK, Behbahani AI.
Mol Cell Biochem. 2006 Jun;286(1-2):1-9. Epub 2006 Apr 21.
Department of Surgery, Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait. info@drdashti.com
OBJECTIVE: Various studies have convincingly shown the beneficial effect of ketogenic diet (in which the daily consumption of carbohydrate is less than 20 grams, regardless of fat, protein and caloric intake) in reducing weight in obese subjects. However, its long term effect on obese subjects with high total cholesterol (as compared to obese subjects with normal cholesterol level is lacking. It is believed that ketogenic diet may have adverse effect on the lipid profile. Therefore, in this study the effect of ketogenic diet in obese subjects with high cholesterol level above 6 mmol/L is compared to those with normocholesterolemia for a period of 56 weeks. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 66 healthy obese subjects with body mass index (BMI) greater than 30, having high cholesterol level (Group I; n = 35) and those subjects with normal cholesterol level (Group II; n = 31) were selected. The body weight, body mass index, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, urea, creatinine, glucose and triglycerides were determined before and after the administration of the ketogenic diet. Changes in these parameters were monitored at 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, 48 and 56 weeks of the treatment. RESULTS: The body weight and body mass index of both groups decreased significantly (P < 0.0001). The level of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and blood glucose level decreased significantly (P < 0.0001), whereas HDL cholesterol increased significantly (P < 0.0001) after the treatment in both groups. CONCLUSION: This study shows the beneficial effects of ketogenic diet following its long term administration in obese subjects with a high level of total cholesterol. Moreover, this study demonstrates that low carbohydrate diet is safe to use for a longer period of time in obese subjects with a high total cholesterol level and those with normocholesterolemia.


Ketogenic diet modifies the risk factors of heart disease in obese patients.
Dashti HM, Bo-Abbas YY, Asfar SK, Mathew TC, Hussein T, Behbahani A, Khoursheed MA, Al-Sayer HM, Al-Zaid NS.
Nutrition. 2003 Oct;19(10):901-2.
Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait.
Changes in cardiac risk factors were monitored at 4, 8, and 12 weeks of ketogenic diet in 102 obese patients with a high glucose and cholesterol level. There was a significant reduction in the body weight. The levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides and fasting blood sugar were decreased and the levels of HDL-cholesterol increased. In conclusion, consuming ketogenic diet for long period favorably modified the risk factors of heart disease in obese patients.
 KEY WORDS: Obesity, diet, heart disease, ketosis


Long-term effects of a ketogenic diet in obese patients

Hussein M Dashti MD PhD FICS FACS1, Thazhumpal C Mathew MSc PhD FRCPath4, Talib Hussein MB ChB5, Sami K Asfar MB ChB MD FRCSEd FACS1, Abdulla Behbahani MB ChB FRCS FACSI PhD FICS FACS1, Mousa A Khoursheed MB ChB FRCS FICS1, Hilal M Al-Sayer MD PhD FICS FACS1, Yousef Y Bo-Abbas MD FRCPC2, Naji S Al-Zaid BSc PhD3

Exp Clin Cardiol 2004;9(3):200-205.

BACKGROUND: Although various studies have examined the short-term effects of a ketogenic diet in reducing weight in obese patients, its long-term effects on various physical and biochemical parameters are not known.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of a 24-week ketogenic diet (consisting of 30 g carbohydrate, 1 g/kg body weight protein, 20% saturated fat, and 80% polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat) in obese patients.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the present study, 83 obese patients (39 men and 44 women) with a body mass index greater than 35 kg/m2, and high glucose and cholesterol levels were selected. The body weight, body mass index, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting blood sugar, urea and creatinine levels were determined before and after the administration of the ketogenic diet. Changes in these parameters were monitored after eight, 16 and 24 weeks of treatment.
RESULTS: The weight and body mass index of the patients decreased significantly (P<0.0001). The level of total cholesterol decreased from week 1 to week 24. HDL cholesterol levels significantly increased, whereas LDL cholesterol levels significantly decreased after treatment. The level of triglycerides decreased significantly following 24 weeks of treatment. The level of blood glucose significantly decreased. The changes in the level of urea and creatinine were not statistically significant.
CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows the beneficial effects of a long-term ketogenic diet. It significantly reduced the body weight and body mass index of the patients. Furthermore, it decreased the level of triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and blood glucose, and increased the level of HDL cholesterol. Administering a ketogenic diet for a relatively longer period of time did not produce any significant side effects in the patients. Therefore, the present study confirms that it is safe to use a ketogenic diet for a longer period of time than previously demonstrated.

Key Words: Diet; Ketosis; Obesity