Ketogenic diets are increasingly used for various neurological disorders and conditions like type 2 diabetes, and have also gained popularity among healthy adults. However, one of the negative consequences from consuming a ketogenic diet is an increase in circulating LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
One potential explanation for the rise in LDL-C during nutritional ketosis is changes to the gut microbiome. Dietary supplementation with prebiotics and probiotics can modulate gut microbial composition and activity. Prebiotics are substrates that selectively support the growth of beneficial microorganisms, whereas probiotics are live microorganisms. When pre- and probiotics are consumed in combination, these are referred to as synbiotics.
This study will conduct a 12-week randomised controlled trial (RCT) in men and women (Synbiotic versus Placebo, N=64) undergoing a ketogenic diet at University of Bath. We will examine the effect of synbiotic treatment on LDL-C concentrations, lipoprotein profile and the gut microbiota (University of Leeds).
This collaborative project funded, under the BBSRC Industrial Partnership Award (IPA) scheme, includes a leading multinational company interested in gut health and arose from activities coordinated by the BBSRC-funded ORIC hub INFORM.
This project will establish whether synbiotic treatment prevents a ketogenic diet from increasing LDL-C. In addition to characterising key mechanisms and distal effects on host metabolism, this research will lay the foundations for new strategies and products to help people to get the benefits of ketogenic diets more safely.