Ketogenic diet reduces liver fat by 67% in clinical trial

A randomized clinical trial published in Cell Metabolism suggests that a ketogenic diet may be more effective at reducing liver fat and improving blood sugar control than Mediterranean or low-fat diets. The study followed 42 adults with obesity, prediabetes, and fatty liver disease.

Participants on the ketogenic diet, which consisted of approximately 4% carbohydrates and 73% fat, saw a 67% reduction in liver fat. In comparison, those following Mediterranean or low-fat, plant-based diets experienced a 45% reduction. Notably, these results occurred even though weight loss was nearly identical across all three groups.

The ketogenic group also showed significant improvements in metabolic health: approximately 50% of participants no longer met the criteria for prediabetes, compared to 29% in the Mediterranean group and 7% in the low-fat group. Additionally, liver insulin sensitivity improved two to three times more in the ketogenic group than in the other cohorts. Researchers noted that the reduction in liver fat was linked to a decrease in the production of new fat by the liver.