Examine publishes rigorous, unbiased analysis of the latest and most important nutrition and supplementation studies each month, available to all Examine Members. Click here to learn more or log in.
Study under review: Efficacy of ketogenic diet on body composition during resistance training in trained men: a randomized controlled trial
Introduction
Ketogenic diets[1] induce a chronic reliance on ketone bodies as an energy source, which results in a metabolic state known as ketosis[2]. Depending on the extent of ketosis one wishes to achieve, protein and fat intake can be variable, but carbohydrate restriction is mandatory and usually kept under 50 grams per day.
Ketogenic diets result in a metabolic shift toward reliance on ketones and fatty acids for fuel, lower glucose oxidation, decreased circulating insulin concentrations, and a reduction in the rate of muscle glycogen utilization during exercise, which are believed by some to have beneficial effects on body composition[3]. On the other hand, ketogenic diets are known to impair high-intensity exercise performance[4], which could have negative effects on body composition in people who perform resistance training with the hopes of increasing muscle mass, since they would theoretically not be able to provide as great of an anabolic stimulus.
Although there is quite a bit of research on the effects of ketogenic diets on bodyweight[5] in people who are overweight or obese, and on managing conditions like type 2 diabetes[6] and epilepsy[7], few studies to date have examined how ketogenic diets impact body composition in resistance-trained participants. Moreover, until recently, no studies had been published that looked at the body composition effects of overfeeding while on a ketogenic diet.
The study under review attempted to fill these knowledge gaps by investigating how a ketogenic diet would affect the body composition of resistance-trained men under hypercaloric conditions.
Ketogenic diets are very low carbohydrate diets that induce a metabolic condition called ketosis. While the impact of ketogenic diets on body composition is a growing area of research, little is known about how hypercaloric ketogenic diets would affect body composition in participants undergoing resistance training. The study under review sought to fill this knowledge gap.
Who and what was studied?
What were the findings?
What does the study really tell us?
The big picture
Frequently asked questions
What should I know?
Other Articles in Issue #46 (August 2018)
-
Mini: Exercise recommendations for people with different cardiovascular disease risk factors
There’s little question that exercise is generally useful for reducing the risk of CVD. But do different risk factors require different doses and forms of exercise? We summarize some experts’ consensus statements on the matter here.
-
Mini: Expert consensus statements on multivitamin and multimineral supplement use
Nutritional experts came to a consensus on nine statements about multivitamin and multimineral supplement use. Take a peek at what they came up with.
-
Are diet drinks really a sweet deal?
Diet drinks using low-energy sweeteners are supposed to help with weight loss. But some research has suggested that they could actually stimulate appetite and food intake. This study explores the issue.
-
DASHing toward lower blood pressure
There are lots of diets out there that can lower blood pressure. This network meta-analysis looked at which ones work best.
-
Is melatonin useful for more than just sleep?
There are lots of diets out there that can lower blood pressure. This network meta-analysis looked at which ones work best.
-
Do saturated fats fatten up your liver?
Overfeeding can contribute to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, but does the type of macronutrient that's consumed also play a role?
-
Got (chocolate) milk?
Chocolate milk has a lot of things going for it that could make it a great exercise recovery beverage. While lots of small studies have examined whether it works, this is the first meta-analysis to attempt to synthesize the evidence.