Adverse Effects of Ketogenic Diet and its Recovery in Rats

Park, Hee Dong; Kim, Dong Wook; Kang, So Hee; Kim, Jae Moon

Abstract

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: We tried to investigate the impact of prolonged KD on liver, and their recovery in rats. METHOD: KD was administered to 25 male Sprague-Dawley rats, while 25 control rats were fed with standard rodent chow. Liver function and serum lipids were evaluated in 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 weeks of KD group and RD group. To evaluate the recovery of liver function, regular diet (RD) was provided after the 3 weeks of KD and liver function and hyperlipidemia were evaluated in 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 weeks (25rats). Plasma ALT (Alanine aminotransferase), AST (Aspartate aminotransferase), HDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol and triglycerides were measured in all rats. Liver was stained with Oil Red O and analysed with Visus image analysis system.
RESULTS
Liver enzymes and serum lipids were markedly elevated in KD group and were partly correlated with the duration of KD. But these abnormal liver enzymes and lipids were rapidly normalized between 1 to 3 weeks after KD cessation. Liver weight/body weight ratio was smaller in KD rats in spite of visible fatty liver. Oil Red O stain showed that the longer period of KD causes more lipids in liver. During the recovery stage, liver lipids started to decreases 1 week after the RD and normalized 4 to 5 weeks afterwards.
CONCLUSION
Although the KD has impact on liver in most rats, abnormal liver function, hyperlipidemia, and fatty liver induced by certain period of KD were reliably normalized within short duration of regular diet.