Ricerc@Sapienza

First identified as a feasible treatment for intractable epilepsy, the ketogenic diet
(KD) has recently gained popularity thanks to growing evidence on applications such
as weight loss, most importantly, but also NAFLD, cancer, neurologic conditions and
chronic pain. As with any treatment, whether pharmacologic or not, the KD might
not be an appropriate intervention for every individual, and a number of contraindications
have been proposed, now deeply rooted into clinical practice, excluding de

Context

We compared the efficacy, safety and effect of 45-day isocaloric very-low-calorie ketogenic diets (VLCKDs) incorporating whey, vegetable or animal protein on the microbiota in patients with obesity and insulin resistance to test the hypothesis that protein source may modulate the response to VLCKD interventions.
Subjects and Methods

Very low-calorie ketogenic diets (VLCKD) are an effective and increasingly used tool for weight loss. Traditionally considered high protein, ketogenic diets are often looked at with concern by clinicians due to the potential harm they pose to kidney function. We herein evaluated the efficacy and safety of a VLCKD in patients with obesity and mild kidney failure. A prospective observational real-life study was conducted on ninety-two patients following a VLCKD for approximately 3 months.