New review: very-low-calorie ketogenic diets are effective for weight loss
, medical review by Dr. Bret Scher, MD
in Calorie counting, Keto, New study, Weight loss studies 
At Diet Doctor, we’ve been writing about the benefits of ketogenic diets for weight loss and health for years.
Now a large review of clinical trials and cohort studies has concluded that very-low-calorie, ketogenic diets (VLCKDs) are both safe and effective for achieving weight loss in people who are overweight or obese:
Of the 12 studies included in the review, 4 were randomized, controlled trials (RCTs). In all studies, overweight and obese adults reported consuming fewer than 800 calories and 50 grams of carbs per day for several weeks. This strict phase was followed by a gradual increase in calorie and carb intake as part of a multi-phase intervention.
In the initial phase, weight loss averaged 22 pounds (10 kg) in studies where the ketogenic diet was consumed for less than 4 weeks, and 33 pounds (15 kg) in studies where the ketogenic diet period lasted 4-12 weeks. In addition, study participants experienced beneficial changes in several health markers, including lower triglycerides, blood pressure, and liver enzymes.
Only three studies had follow-up periods lasting two or more years. Interestingly, the researchers of those studies reported that many people were able to maintain most of the weight they’d lost during the initial phase of the VLCKD, even though their calorie and carb intake had increased over time.
At Diet Doctor, we feel that deliberate, drastic calorie restriction isn’t necessary for weight loss on a ketogenic diet. After all, high-quality evidence has repeatedly demonstrated that ketogenic diets reduce appetite, leading to a spontaneous decrease in calorie intake.
Earlier
New military study: “Remarkable” results among soldiers on a ketogenic diet
Weight loss
![My success story with Kenneth Russell]()
![My success story with Chuck Hicks]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![How to motivate your patients]()
![My success story with Jim Caldwell]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![The hidden costs of medications]()
![Living low carb with Yvonne Lane]()
![Are all calories the same?]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Living low carb: Sue Jones and Michael]()
![Diet Doctor Podcast #35 with Ben Bikman, PhD]()
![Pie-making champion goes low carb]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Will a low carb diet shorten your life?]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Q&A with Franziska Spritzler]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
!["I'll do this or I'm going to die trying"]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![200 pounds lost and a health journey for the family]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![80 pounds lighter and no medications]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![The science of low carb]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Everything goes in the right direction]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![He questioned his own beliefs]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Q&A with Dr. Eric Westman]()
!["It was so incredibly easy!"]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Why a low-carb diet and other questions]()
![What's it like being a low-carb doctor on TV?]()
![Is obesity caused by too much insulin?]()
- MEMBERS ONLY
![Weight loss and type 2 diabetes reversal on low carb – is it sustainable?]()
