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Cognitive effects of ketogenic weight-reducing diets
R R Wing1, J A Vazquez, C M Ryan
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA, USA.
Summary
Ketogenic diets may negatively impact cognitive flexibility, particularly in the initial stages. While weight loss was similar, performance on tasks requiring mental processing worsened on the ketogenic diet.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Science
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Human Health
Background:
- Weight-reducing diets are popular for managing obesity.
- Ketogenic diets, characterized by very low carbohydrate intake, are one such diet.
- Potential impacts of ketogenic diets on cognitive function require investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effects of ketogenic weight-reducing diets on cognitive performance.
- To compare cognitive outcomes between ketogenic and nonketogenic very low energy diets.
Main Methods:
- A randomized double-blinded study involving 21 overweight women (mean BMI = 41 kg/m2).
- Participants were assigned to either a ketogenic or nonketogenic liquid formula very low energy diet for 28 days.
- Cognitive performance, focusing on attention and mental flexibility, was assessed periodically.
Main Results:
- Both diets resulted in comparable weight loss (mean = 8.1 kg).
- Attention task performance showed no significant difference between diets.
- Performance on the Trail Making Test, assessing mental flexibility, was adversely affected by the ketogenic diet, particularly within the first week.
Conclusions:
- Ketogenic diets may negatively impact cognitive flexibility.
- Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore effects on other complex cognitive tasks like problem-solving.