Once you’ve been on a keto diet for a few weeks or more, you will likely feel great and have lots of energy. If your LDL increases after starting a keto or low carb diet, please read our guides on LDL hyper-responders, the potential dangers of LDL cholesterol, and how to lower LDL cholesterol. However, individuals with diabetes or insulin resistance often respond to low carb eating with improved lipid markers overall, as discussed earlier. In some cases, elevations in LDL-cholesterol and LDL-particle number have occurred in people who eat keto or low carb diets with less fat and more protein than the classic ketogenic diet.
However, these side effects are rare and we suspect they may vary with the variety of foods eaten. It is true that some people following ketogenic diets have experienced adverse effects, including kidney stones and vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Does eating a keto diet pose any health risks? Although research on long-term health effects is needed, the evidence to date suggests that keto diets providing adequate nutrition are unlikely to cause harm.
