{"id":28169,"date":"2025-04-17T18:17:48","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T18:17:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/28169\/"},"modified":"2025-04-17T18:17:48","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T18:17:48","slug":"could-a-low-calorie-keto-diet-slow-aging","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/28169\/","title":{"rendered":"Could a Low-Calorie Keto Diet Slow Aging?"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul data-node-id=\"0\" class=\"css-9b1pbo emevuu60\">\n<li data-node-id=\"0.0\">A new study linked a very low-calorie ketogenic diet to reversed biological aging in people with obesity. <\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"0.1\">People with obesity became six years younger, biologically.<\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"0.2\">Experts weigh in on the study\u2019s findings below and if it\u2019s really healthy in the long-term.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"2\" class=\"body-dropcap css-1imusxn emevuu60\">Obesity has been thoroughly linked to a higher <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC9514048\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC9514048\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"epigenetic age\" data-node-id=\"2.1\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">epigenetic age<\/a> (drivers of modifications to DNA that may lead to chronic illness and, ultimately, a shorter lifespan). A new study found that a very low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) may both aid in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prevention.com\/weight-loss\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.prevention.com\/weight-loss\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"weight loss\" data-node-id=\"2.3\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">weight loss<\/a> and reverse the epigenetic age of participants with obesity by six years\u2014while also lowering their risk of conditions like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. But experts have mixed feelings on the restrictive diet.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"3\" class=\"body-tip css-19yz3zu emevuu60\">Meet the experts: Meghan Garcia-Webb, M.D., a physician triple board-certified in internal medicine, lifestyle medicine, and obesity medicine; and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/tristabestldn\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/tristabestldn\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Trista Best, M.P.H., R.D., L.D.\" data-node-id=\"3.1\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">Trista Best, M.P.H., R.D., L.D.<\/a>, a registered dietitian at The Canada Diet<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"4\" class=\"body-text css-auya5i emevuu60\">The study, conducted in Spain and published in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/17\/6\/1060\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/17\/6\/1060\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Nutrients\" data-node-id=\"4.1.0\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">Nutrients<\/a>, compared two groups\u2014those with obesity and those with a \u201cnormal\u201d weight. Researchers measured biological age with epigenetic clocks (devices that use blood samples to analyze DNA) at the study\u2019s starting point, after 30 days, and again after 180 days. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"6\" class=\"body-text css-auya5i emevuu60\">For at least the first 30 days, the group with obesity followed a VLCKD of 600 to 800 calories structured after the medically-monitored commercial weight loss program called the <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC9513631\/#sec6\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC9513631\/#sec6\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"PronoKal Method\" data-node-id=\"6.1\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">PronoKal Method<\/a>. By the end of the 180 days, there was an unspecified progressive reintroduction of food and increased calories. (Typically, the method ends with a low-calorie diet of 800 to 1500 calories per day.) <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"7\" class=\"body-text css-auya5i emevuu60\">The VLCKD phase helped participants accomplish ketosis, which is the metabolic process triggered by a low-carb diet that encourages the body to burn fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. Such a process is thought to be at least partially responsible for the study\u2019s results. Even so, <strong data-node-id=\"7.1\">it\u2019s important to note that a VLCKD is <\/strong><strong data-node-id=\"7.2\">not<\/strong><strong data-node-id=\"7.3\"> enough calories to sustain life for the average person and is not recommended. In fact, experts warn against it. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"8\" class=\"body-text css-auya5i emevuu60\"><strong data-node-id=\"8.0\"\/>\u201cIn my experience, patients are not able to stay on a low-calorie ketogenic diet for an extended period of time,\u201d says Meghan Garcia-Webb, M.D., a physician triple board-certified in internal medicine, lifestyle medicine, and obesity medicine. \u201cIt can set them up for another cycle of yo-yo dieting, and in general, I don\u2019t recommend it.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>What about the diet helped slow down aging, exactly?<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"10\" class=\"css-auya5i emevuu60\">The study suggests that a number of factors could have contributed to the reversal of epigenetic age in obese participants. Firstly, it appears that ketosis played a significant role, which \u201cunderscores the diet\u2019s potential role in promoting overall health and longevity,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/tristabestldn\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/tristabestldn\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Trista Best, M.P.H., R.D., L.D.\" data-node-id=\"10.1\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">Trista Best, M.P.H., R.D., L.D.<\/a>, a registered dietitian at The Canada Diet. Researchers also noted that levels of beta-hydroxybutyrate, a byproduct of ketosis, may have also contributed to the changes, as it has been found to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/abs\/10.1126\/science.1227166\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/abs\/10.1126\/science.1227166\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"boost antioxidant capacity\" data-node-id=\"10.3\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">boost antioxidant capacity<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/15\/14\/3120?utm_campaign=releaseissue_nutrientsutm_medium=emailutm_source=releaseissueutm_term=titlelink183\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/15\/14\/3120?utm_campaign=releaseissue_nutrientsutm_medium=emailutm_source=releaseissueutm_term=titlelink183\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"improve insulin sensitivity\" data-node-id=\"10.5\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">improve insulin sensitivity<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/38203294\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/38203294\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"protect brain health\" data-node-id=\"10.7\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">protect brain health<\/a>, and more. Decreased body mass index due to weight loss also may have played a part, as may have an improved gut microbiome, the study reported. <\/p>\n<p>Limitations to the study\u2019s findings  <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"12\" class=\"css-auya5i emevuu60\">Dr. Garcia-Webb points out that the study was quite small and \u201cfindings are limited and do not assert direct causation or generalizability to a broader population.\u201d Even so, she finds the results \u201cinteresting\u201d because, compared to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/journals\/endocrinology\/articles\/10.3389\/fendo.2019.00232\/full\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/journals\/endocrinology\/articles\/10.3389\/fendo.2019.00232\/full\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"studies\" data-node-id=\"12.1\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">studies<\/a> that look at the epigenetic aging process after bariatric weight loss surgery, a VLCKD achieved a greater slowdown in aging, \u201cwhich suggests the effect may be more linked to the nutritional ketosis and diet as opposed to just the weight loss itself.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"13\" class=\"css-auya5i emevuu60\">Best adds that \u201cit\u2019s essential to approach these findings with caution, considering individual variability and the need for personalized dietary interventions.\u201d Plus, the extreme dietary restrictions associated with the diet can be detrimental to some, and study participants were monitored.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"14\" class=\"css-auya5i emevuu60\">All participants were European caucasians. People with pregnancy, substance abuse, or chronic medication use (except for anti-diabetic therapy) were excluded. It\u2019s unclear if participants remained on a low-calorie diet after research concluded, or if they gained back any weight.<\/p>\n<p>Dangers of a very low-calorie keto diet<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"16\" class=\"css-auya5i emevuu60\">Having between 600 and 800 calories is about as extreme as low-calorie diets get, which poses risk of not meeting nutrient needs (keto seriously cuts back on the entire food category of carbohydrates, after all), muscle loss, mental fog, and gallstones, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatright.org\/health\/wellness\/weight-and-body-positivity\/4-ways-low-calorie-diets-can-sabotage-your-health\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.eatright.org\/health\/wellness\/weight-and-body-positivity\/4-ways-low-calorie-diets-can-sabotage-your-health\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics\" data-node-id=\"16.1\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prevention.com\/weight-loss\/diets\/g21764082\/keto-diet-side-effects\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.prevention.com\/weight-loss\/diets\/g21764082\/keto-diet-side-effects\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Keto side effects\" data-node-id=\"16.3\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">Keto side effects<\/a> also may include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prevention.com\/weight-loss\/diets\/a21291208\/keto-flu\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.prevention.com\/weight-loss\/diets\/a21291208\/keto-flu\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"keto flu\" data-node-id=\"16.5\" class=\"body-link css-inlxvj emevuu60\" rel=\"noopener\">keto flu<\/a> (short-term flu-like symptoms linked to those starting a keto diet), constipation, diarrhea, dehydration, fatigue, and kidney and heart health challenges.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"17\" class=\"css-auya5i emevuu60\">\u201cAny dietary change patients make, I want them to be able to continue doing for decades,\u201d Dr. Garcia-Webb adds. \u201cIf someone can\u2019t see themselves doing a low-calorie ketogenic diet when they are 80, then I wouldn\u2019t advise starting now.\u201d She adds that long-term keto eating also significantly increases the risk of high cholesterol if patients eat a lot of animal-based saturated fats. And again, such restrictive eating is not ideal.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"18\" class=\"css-auya5i emevuu60\">In other words, there are different ways to lose weight and become healthier that don\u2019t run the same risks as the diet followed in this study. \u201cPeople can achieve a healthier body with less extreme measures that provide a more enjoyable, sustainable quality of life,\u201d Dr. Garcia-Webb concludes. \u201cThere\u2019s less utility to living longer if people are miserable.\u201d <br data-node-id=\"18.1\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Related Stories<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A new study linked a very low-calorie ketogenic diet to reversed biological aging in people with obesity. People&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":28170,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4318],"tags":[14774,16964,1331,105,1381,4434,16963,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-28169","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-content-type-news-explainer","9":"tag-contentid-1c027950-d3ac-4ef7-b888-a27c59da6296","10":"tag-displaytype-standard-article","11":"tag-health","12":"tag-locale-us","13":"tag-nutrition","14":"tag-shorttitle-could-this-diet-slow-aging-experts-explain","15":"tag-uk","16":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114354684264410616","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28169","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28169"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28169\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28170"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28169"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28169"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28169"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}