Keto Diet Shows Stronger Liver Benefits Than Mediterranean and Low-Fat Diets in New Trial

A small trial found keto improved liver insulin sensitivity and reduced liver fat more than Mediterranean or low-fat diets after similar weight loss.

Medicine

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A new randomized clinical trial compared a very low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet, a Mediterranean diet, and a very low-fat plant-forward diet in adults with obesity, prediabetes, and excess liver fat. Participants were given prepared meals and followed their assigned diet until they lost about 10 percent of their starting body weight. All three diets improved metabolic health, but the ketogenic group showed a stronger improvement in liver-related measures. Liver insulin sensitivity increased about two to three times more with keto, while liver fat fell by about 67 percent compared with roughly 45 percent in both the Mediterranean and low-fat groups. Prediabetes remission was also more common in the keto group, although the study was small and was not designed to establish long-term superiority or prove that keto is the best diet for everyone. The researchers also noted that the very low carbohydrate intake required for ketosis is highly restrictive, and it remains unclear whether less restrictive low-carb diets would produce the same effects.

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