The keto diet is followed by thousands of people, as a means to lose fat from the body. It’s generally not something you would stick to long term, due to the strict levels of the various food groups you eat. But it can certainly help to lose weight and burn fat in the short term.
Many people over 40, worry about the keto diet effect on cholesterol because it’s something many of us are concerned about, the older we get. Higher levels of cholesterol mean the higher risk we have of having serious health issues and heart problems.
Keto Macros
It’s the daily macro amounts that bring about people’s concerns. On the keto diet, you’re expected to eat 60% fat, 30% protein, and just 10% carbohydrates. And with that amount of low carb in the diet, it does bring about some side effects.
There are, of course, lots of continuous studies regarding all types of diets, including the keto diet. There are some of them that have reported finding that when on keto, it can reduce the amount of good cholesterol and actually increase the amount of bad cholesterol. Therefore, if you do already have high cholesterol before starting the keto diet, you might want to get checked out by your doctor first.
There are many studies that have been performed concerning the keto diet effect on cholesterol. The results are quite different on them too. Not all report the same results, as some levels of cholesterol rise in some studies but don’t in others. So it’s not conclusive to say whether it absolutely does or not, based on the results of these studies.
Keto Diet Side Effects
As previously mentioned, the diet can produce side effects due to the reduced levels of carbohydrates and the high level of fat intake.
Many people complain about muscle cramps, headaches, weakness, changes in blood pressure, constipation, and also a popular complaint is having flu-like symptoms. This is so popular in fact, that it’s called the ‘keto flu‘.
The keto flu can produce symptoms of dizziness, constipation, nausea, fatigue, headaches, difficulty in sleeping, and feeling generally tired and worn out.
Check out the Keto Over Forty 28 Day Challenge:
Considerations
If you do happen to have high cholesterol, then there are lifestyle choices you can make to help to bring it down. Whilst the keto diet does recommend high levels of fat, you can consume unsaturated fats instead of saturated ones. This can help to reduce the risk of heart conditions.
Fish that is high in Omega-3 are also great sources of protein and unsaturated fats. Salmon and tuna are perfect for this type of diet.
Nuts and seeds are also useful to have when following the diet. Chia seeds are full of fiber and protein and can be good to snack on when you are hungry.
Summary
The keto diet effect on cholesterol is certainly an issue you need to consider when starting the diet. Especially if you already have high cholesterol. The best advice we can give you is to speak to your doctor before you begin. They can assess your current health and recommend whether it would be a good idea or not. If not, then they might suggest other alternatives that would be safer for you to try.
