Energy balance
A ketogenic diet promotes rapid fat mass loss in obese individuals, primarily through caloric restriction and appetite suppression rather than a unique metabolic advantage.
If you are obese, a ketogenic diet can help you lose fat quickly, but this is largely because it helps you eat fewer calories by suppressing appetite (lowering ghrelin). It is not magically better than other diets if you eat the same number of calories. Focus on the caloric deficit and the ease of appetite control.
Thus, the rapid weight loss reported following ketogenic diets is likely due, at least in part, to an increased tolerance for the reduced energy intake. There is some evidence that this may be mediated by a reduction in ghrelin and subsequent suppression of appetite [13,14].
Why this rating
Based on a review of multiple studies, including controlled trials, but noting the scarcity of long-term data.
Source
A ketogenic diet for reducing obesity and maintaining capacity for physical activity
E. Angela Murphy et al. · Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care · 2019
DOI 10.1097/mco.0000000000000572
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