Keto Diet Risks Are Varied, Multiple Studies Show

Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health

Briana Mercola

Health & Fitness, Alternative Health

4.6 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 25 December 2025

⏱️ 7 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

A ketogenic diet improves weight loss, insulin sensitivity, and blood sugar control initially, but these gains typically level off after six to 12 months of adherence
Long-term keto can elevate low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, particularly during rapid weight loss, raising cardiovascular concerns especially in healthy young adults following this diet
Restricting carbohydrates eliminates healthy fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, leading to deficiencies in essential vitamins (B-complex, A, E, K) and minerals like magnesium and potassium
Extended ketogenic diet use increases risks of kidney stones, reduced bone mineral density, thyroid dysfunction, and harmful gut microbiome changes linked to cancer risk
The keto diet works better as a short-term therapeutic strategy for metabolic inflexibility and diabetes, but requires transitioning to balanced carbohydrate intake for long-term health

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Are you counting on keto to fix your metabolism for good?
0:03.2	Or are you watching the early winds fade after the first few months?
0:07.4	Welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom.
0:10.2	Stay informed with quick, easy-to-listen summaries of our latest articles,
0:14.1	perfect for when you're on the go.
0:15.6	No reading required.
0:16.9	Subscribe for free at Mercola.com for the latest health insights.
0:20.8	Hello, and welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom.
0:24.0	I'm Ethan Foster, and today we're taking a direct look at the long-term safety and effectiveness of the ketogenic diet,
0:31.0	based on recent research and analysis from Dr. Joseph Mercola.
0:34.7	I'm Alara Sky.
0:36.2	We'll outline what early studies consistently show, where those benefits stall, which
0:41.0	risks appear with extended use, and how a short-term therapeutic approach can make more
0:45.5	sense before you transition toward balanced carbohydrates.
0:50.3	Let's start with the headline.
0:52.2	Keto often delivers fast improvements in weight, insulin sensitivity, and blood sugar control.
0:58.0	Many trials report better Homa ER in the first months, as fasting insulin drops with lower carbohydrate intake.
1:06.0	That's the phase when you notice tighter glucose numbers and easier fat loss.
1:10.0	Those gains don't keep marching forever.
1:12.6	Across studies, weight loss and metabolic markers
1:16.6	commonly plateau around 6 to 12 months.
1:19.6	Adherence also slips in real-world settings,
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 26 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Briana Mercola, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Briana Mercola and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.