P. Jia, B. Huang, Y. You, H. Su and L. Gao (2021). Ketogenic diet aggravates kidney dysfunction by exacerbating metabolic disorders and inhibiting autophagy in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Biochemical and biophysical research communications, 573, 13-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.08.003

PubMed 34375764

[Abstract]
AIMS: To assess the effects of a ketogenic diet on metabolism and renal fibrosis in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were randomly divided into a ketogenic diet group and a normal diet group. Blood glucose and metabolites were measured after 4 weeks. Renal autophagy-related protein expression was detected by Western blot, and renal fibrosis was detected by Masson staining.

RESULTS: Compared with the normal diet, the ketogenic diet led to significantly decreased glucose tolerance and metabolism; overactivated the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system; and reduced renal autophagy-related protein expression in SHRs; Masson staining and other experiments showed that the ketogenic diet had no significant effect on hypertensive renal fibrosis.

CONCLUSION: A Ketogenic diet could lead to disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism, increase hypertension by activating the RAAS, reduce renal autophagy levels and aggravate renal parenchymal damage. Therefore, a ketogenic diet, as a kind of natural therapy, should be vigilantly monitored to prevent further damage in patients with hypertension.