Last update:
28-Sep-2019

Ketogenic diets were used initially in the 1920s for the treatment of epilepsy. Today they are used in cases where the drug treatment of epilepsy has failed. Ketogenic diets also constitute one of the most widely studied strategies for weight loss in recent years. In spite of constant recommendations of healthcare organizations about the importance of weight control, the results in the overweight population are disappointing. Many studies confirm ketogenesis as a nutritional approach which has a solid physiological and biochemical basis and can induce effective weight loss, along with improvement in several cardiovascular risk parameters, although there is considerable doubt about the long-term use of ketogenic diets. Recent evidence has been provided that ketogenic diets may be used as a supplementary/ additional therapeutic measure in various different pathological conditions, including diabetes mellitus (DM), metabolic syndrome, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and certain neurological conditions. This review revises the mechanisms of post-starvation ketosis, and provides some historical data on ketogenic diets and analyzes their major fields of application in clinical practice.

Key words: Diabetes mellitus, Ketogenic diet, Metabolic syndrome, Therapeutic effects, Weight management.