Research
Hormonal
There is likely a threshold of ketosis (blood β-hydroxybutyrate) below which appetite suppression does not occur, with evidence suggesting this threshold may be lower than 0.5 mM, potentially allowing for less restrictive carbohydrate intake.
You might not need to restrict carbohydrates to the extreme to stop feeling hungry. If you are on a keto diet, aim for moderate ketosis (around 0.5 mM blood ketones) rather than very high levels, as this may be sufficient to suppress appetite while allowing more food flexibility.
ModerateConditionalMEDIUM confidence
This finding suggests that if a threshold of circulating β-hydroxybutyrate for appetite control exists, it may be lower than 0.5 mM, and that higher levels (and accordingly more severe dietary carbohydrate restriction) may not be necessary to prevent an increase in appetite in response to energy restriction.
Why this rating
Based on meta-regression limitations and qualitative review of excluded studies; not directly quantified in the main meta-analysis.
Source
Do ketogenic diets really suppress appetite? A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Alice A. Gibson et al. · Obesity Reviews · 2014
DOI 10.1111/obr.12230
Meta-analysis · 12 studiesCited 362×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
Related findings · Hormonal
- Initial treatment for type 2 diabetes should be a combination of metformin and either an SGLT-2 inhibitor or a GLP-1 receptor agonist to achieve cardiorenal protection, rather than monotherapy or older agents like sulfonylureas.Strong
- For patients with specific monogenic obesity syndromes (leptin deficiency, POMC/PCSK1/LEPR mutations), targeted pharmacotherapy (recombinant leptin or setmelanotide) is highly effective and should be prioritized, unlike in polygenic obesity.Strong
- Continued weekly administration of 2.4 mg subcutaneous semaglutide prevents weight regain and promotes further weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity, whereas switching to placebo results in significant weight regain.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →