Research
Macro partitioning
A ketogenic diet has similar effects on maximal strength or strength gains from resistance training compared to a higher-carbohydrate diet, although a minority of studies show superior effects for non-ketogenic diets.
If your goal is to build strength, you can do so on a ketogenic diet. Studies show similar strength gains compared to high-carbohydrate diets. However, some studies suggest non-ketogenic diets might be slightly superior, so monitor your progress and adjust if needed.
GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
A ketogenic diet tends to have similar effects on maximal strength or strength gains from a resistance training program compared to a diet higher in carbohydrates. However, a minority of studies show superior effects of non-ketogenic comparators.
Why this rating
Based on review of controlled trials showing similar strength gains.
Source
International society of sports nutrition position stand: ketogenic diets
Alex Leaf et al. · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2024
DOI 10.1080/15502783.2024.2368167
narrative_reviewCited 17×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- A ketogenic diet (defined as <50g carbohydrate/day or blood ketones ≥0.5 mM) has largely neutral or detrimental effects on athletic performance compared to a higher-carbohydrate diet, despite significantly increasing fat oxidation rates.Good
- A ketogenic diet tends to cause greater losses in body weight, fat mass, and fat-free mass compared to higher-carbohydrate diets, likely due to differences in calorie and protein intake and fluid shifts rather than the diet itself being inherently superior for fat loss.Good
Related findings · Macro partitioning
- Total daily protein intake of 1.6 g/kg/day is sufficient for maximizing resistance training-induced muscle gains, with an upper confidence interval of 2.2 g/kg/day.Strong
- Resistance exercise training combined with sufficient dietary protein intake acts synergistically to maximize skeletal muscle hypertrophy, with protein intake saturating around 1.6 g/kg/day for general populations and potentially requiring 2.0-2.2 g/kg/day for resistance-trained individuals.Strong
- Trans fats should be completely eliminated from the diet, as they increase LDL cholesterol, decrease HDL cholesterol, and are directly associated with increased coronary risk.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 →