Impact of the ketogenic diet on body fat, muscle mass, and exercise performance: a review

Abstract

[Purpose] The purpose of this review was to investigate the effects of the ketogenic diet (KD), on body fat, muscle mass, and exercise performance. As the KD is a subject of ongoing debate, we also present the existing evidence regarding its potential benefits in the aforementioned areas of body fat, muscle mass, and exercise performance.[Methods] A literature search was conducted using the keywords “ketogenic diet, low-carbohydrate diet, high-fat diet, body fat, muscle mass, and exercise performance” in PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar.[Results] The KD effectively reduced body fat in the short term and, preserved muscle mass during weight loss, however, its impact on exercise performance remains inconclusive owing to various factors.[Conclusion] While controversial, it is undeniable that the KD has the potential to affect body fat, muscle mass, and exercise performance. Consequently, additional research is required to elucidate the underlying mechanisms across various populations, optimize their implementation, and understand their long-term effects.