Does super high cholesterol on a keto diet cause heart plaque in healthy people?
Carbohydrate Restriction-Induced Elevations in LDL-Cholesterol and Atherosclerosis
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
No significant difference in coronary plaque despite a 149 mg/dL difference in average LDL-C between groups.
Standard cardiovascular guidelines assume higher LDL-C directly increases atherosclerosis risk. This study found no such effect in lean, healthy keto eaters—even with LDL levels considered extremely high.
Practical Takeaways
If you're lean, metabolically healthy, and on a ketogenic diet with high LDL, this study suggests your artery health may still be normal.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
No significant difference in coronary plaque despite a 149 mg/dL difference in average LDL-C between groups.
Standard cardiovascular guidelines assume higher LDL-C directly increases atherosclerosis risk. This study found no such effect in lean, healthy keto eaters—even with LDL levels considered extremely high.
Practical Takeaways
If you're lean, metabolically healthy, and on a ketogenic diet with high LDL, this study suggests your artery health may still be normal.
Publication
Journal
JACC: Advances
Year
2024
Authors
Matthew J. Budoff, V. Manubolu, A. Kinninger, Nicholas G. Norwitz, D. Feldman, T. Wood, J. Fialkow, Ricardo C. Cury, T. Feldman, Khurram Nasir
Related Content
Claims (4)
The longer your body is exposed to LDL cholesterol — even at pretty low levels like 60 — the higher your risk for heart disease, because plaque can start building up in your arteries without you knowing it.
Even if healthy, slim people on a keto diet have very high 'bad' cholesterol, it doesn't seem to be linked to buildup in their heart arteries.
People who are lean and healthy and eat a strict low-carb keto diet for years — even if it raises their 'bad' cholesterol a lot — don’t seem to have more heart plaque than similar people with lower cholesterol.
People who are fit and healthy and eat a keto diet sometimes have high cholesterol — but this claim says their arteries aren't more clogged than others with lower cholesterol.