Ketogenic diet reduces liver fat more effectively than other diets, study finds

A study conducted by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine suggests that a ketogenic diet may reduce liver fat more effectively than Mediterranean or low-fat plant-forward diets. The trial, published in Cell Metabolism, involved 42 participants with obesity, prediabetes, and fatty liver disease.

While all three dietary groups achieved a weight loss of approximately 10 percent over four to five months, the ketogenic group experienced an average reduction in liver fat of 67 percent. In comparison, the Mediterranean and low-fat plant-forward groups saw reductions of approximately 45 percent.

All participants showed improved insulin sensitivity. However, the ketogenic group, which consumed about 4 percent of calories from carbohydrates and 73 percent from fat, showed more significant hormonal changes, including a greater drop in insulin and a greater rise in glucagon.