Long-term use of a ketogenic diet causes scarring in the liver of both male and female mice, even when other metabolic effects differ by sex, indicating a possible harmful side effect that affects both sexes equally.
Evidence from Studies
No evidence studies found yet.
What Would Prove This
Per GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this claim, ordered from strongest to weakest.
Whether ketogenic diets consistently cause liver fibrosis across multiple mouse strains and dietary formulations.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of all studies reporting liver histology in mice fed ketogenic diets for ≥12 weeks, with standardized fibrosis scoring (e.g., METAVIR) across at least 15 independent experiments.
Whether reducing dietary fat or increasing protein in ketogenic diets prevents liver fibrosis in mice.
A double-blind RCT in 100 mice randomized to one of five diets: standard KD, KD with 10% protein increase, KD with 20% fat reduction, KD with added antioxidants, or control diet, all fed for 20 weeks, with liver fibrosis as primary endpoint.
Whether duration of ketogenic diet exposure correlates with severity of liver fibrosis in mice.
A longitudinal cohort study of 120 mice fed a ketogenic diet for 4, 8, 12, 16, or 20 weeks, with liver fibrosis scored at endpoint to assess dose-response relationship.
Whether mice with genetic susceptibility to fibrosis develop worse liver scarring on ketogenic diets than resistant strains.
A case-control study comparing 40 mice with genetic fibrosis susceptibility (e.g., TGF-β overexpression) to 40 wild-type controls, all fed ketogenic diets for 16 weeks, with fibrosis severity as primary case definition.
Whether serum markers of liver injury (e.g., ALT, AST) correlate with histological fibrosis in mice on ketogenic diets.
A cross-sectional analysis of 80 mice on ketogenic diets, measuring serum ALT/AST and liver fibrosis score at endpoint to assess correlation strength.