Modification of Lipoproteins by Very Low-Carbohydrate Diets
Open accessAbstract
Very low-carbohydrate diets (VLCDs) are popular, but remain controversial. This review summarizes the latest studies that have examined the effects of VLCDs on lipoproteins and related risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Prospective studies indicate that VLCDs improve the lipoprotein profile independently of weight loss. Although not as effective at lowering LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), VLCDs consistently improve postabsorptive and postprandial triacylglycerols (TAGs), HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), and the distribution of LDL-C subfractions to a greater extent than low-fat diets. VLCDs also improve proinflammatory markers when associated with weight loss. Studies usually report mean lipid responses, but individual data indicate a large degree of variability in the magnitude and in some cases the direction (e.g., LDL-C) of lipoprotein responses to both low-fat and VLCDs. Such variability makes it hard to defend a single diet recommendation, especially considering the potential for low-fat/high-carbohydrate diets to exacerbate TAG, HDL-C, and other characteristics of the metabolic syndrome. Considering the effectiveness of VLCDs in promoting fat loss and improving the metabolic syndrome, discounting or condemning their use is unjustified. We encourage a more unbiased, balanced appraisal of VLCDs.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The preservation of circulating HDL-C and the hypotriacylglycerolaemic effect of a VLCKD might be explained by the reduction in postprandial lipaemia.
“As discussed by Volek et al. (33) , the preservation of the circulating HDL-C and the hypotriacylglycerolaemic effect of a VLCKD might be explained by the reduction in the dieting individuals' postprandial lipaemia.”
From Very-low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet <i>v.</i> low-fat diet for long-term weight loss: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (2013) · cites this paper as [33]
Hypocaloric high-protein/low carbohydrate diet appears to generate the greatest ES for change relative to all hypocaloric and low fat diets.
“a hypocaloric high-protein/low carbohydrate diet appears to generate the greatest ES for change relative to all hypocaloric, and low fat, diets.”
Cites
Detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults (Adult Treatment Panel III)
Grundy, S. M., Becker, D. M., Clark, L. T., Cooper, R., Denke, M. A., Howard, J. L., Hunninghake, D. B., Illingworth, D. R., Luepker, R. V., McBride, P. E., et al. (2002) · Civil War Book Review · Cited by 12,198 · see citing works
A Randomized Trial of a Low-Carbohydrate Diet for Obesity
Foster, G. D., Wyatt, H. R., Hill, J. O., McGuckin, B. G., Brill, C., Mohammed, B. S., Szapary, P. O., Rader, D. J., Edman, J. S., & Klein, S. (2003) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejmoa022207 · Cited by 1,794 · see citing works
Dansinger, M. L., Gleason, J. A., Griffith, J. L., Selker, H. P., & Schaefer, E. J. (2005) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.293.1.43 · Cited by 1,726 · see citing works
Atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype. A proposed genetic marker for coronary heart disease risk
Austin, M. A., King, M. C., Vranizan, K. M., & Krauss, R. M. (1990) · Circulation · doi:10.1161/01.cir.82.2.495 · Cited by 1,411 · see citing works
A Low-Carbohydrate as Compared with a Low-Fat Diet in Severe Obesity
Samaha, F. F., Iqbal, N., Seshadri, P., Chicano, K. L., Daily, D. A., McGrory, J., Williams, T., Williams, M., Gracely, E. J., & Stern, L. (2003) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejmoa022637 · Cited by 1,267 · see citing works
Yancy, W. S., Olsen, M. K., Guyton, J. R., Bakst, R. P., & Westman, E. C. (2004) · Annals of Internal Medicine · doi:10.7326/0003-4819-140-10-200405180-00006 · Cited by 946 · see citing works
Stern, L., Iqbal, N., Seshadri, P., Chicano, K. L., Daily, D. A., McGrory, J., Williams, M., Gracely, E. J., & Samaha, F. F. (2004) · Annals of Internal Medicine · doi:10.7326/0003-4819-140-10-200405180-00007 · Cited by 831 · see citing works
Brehm, B. J., Seeley, R. J., Daniels, S. R., & D’Alessio, D. A. (2003) · The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism · doi:10.1210/jc.2002-021480 · Cited by 830 · see citing works
Stem, L., Iqbal, N., Seshadri, P., & Chicano, K. L. (2004) · ACC Current Journal Review · doi:10.1016/j.accreview.2004.07.103 · Cited by 629 · see citing works
Yu-Poth, S., Zhao, G., Etherton, T., Naglak, M., Jonnalagadda, S., & Kris-Etherton, P. M. (1999) · The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/69.4.632 · Cited by 584 · see citing works
Parks, E. J., & Hellerstein, M. K. (2000) · The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/71.2.412 · Cited by 530 · see citing works
A ketogenic diet favorably affects serum biomarkers for cardiovascular disease in normal-weight men
Sharman, M. J., Kraemer, W. J., Love, D. M., Avery, N. G., Gómez, A. L., Scheett, T. P., & Volek, J. S. (2002) · The Journal of Nutrition · doi:10.1093/jn/132.7.1879 · Cited by 312 · see citing works
Self-citationSondike, S. B., Copperman, N. M., & Jacobson, M. Z. (2003) · The Journal of Pediatrics · doi:10.1067/mpd.2003.4 · Cited by 311 · see citing works
McAuley, K. A., Hopkins, C. M., Smith, K. J., McLay, R. T., Williams, S. M., Taylor, R. W., & Mann, J. I. (2005) · Diabetologia · doi:10.1007/s00125-004-1603-4 · Cited by 275 · see citing works
Effect of 6-month adherence to a very low carbohydrate diet program
Westman, E. C., Yancy, W. S., Edman, J. S., Tomlin, K. F., & Perkins, C. E. (2002) · The American Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1016/s0002-9343(02)01129-4 · Cited by 253 · see citing works
Meckling, K. A., O’Sullivan, C., & Saari, D. (2004) · The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism · doi:10.1210/jc.2003-031606 · Cited by 233 · see citing works
Phinney, S. D., Bistrian, B. R., Wolfe, R. R., & Blackburn, G. L. (1983) · Metabolism · doi:10.1016/0026-0495(83)90105-1 · Cited by 173 · see citing works
Seshadri, P., Iqbal, N., Stern, L., Williams, M., Chicano, K. L., Daily, D. A., McGrory, J., Gracely, E. J., Rader, D. J., & Samaha, F. F. (2004) · The American Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2004.04.009 · Cited by 169 · see citing works
Brehm, B., Spang, S. E., Lattin, B., Seeley, R., Daniels, S., & D'Alessio, D. (2005) · Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism · doi:10.1210/jc.2004-1540 · Cited by 167 · see citing works
Sharman, M. J., Gómez, A. L., Kraemer, W. J., & Volek, J. S. (2004) · The Journal of Nutrition · doi:10.1093/jn/134.4.880 · Cited by 167 · see citing works
Self-citationVolek, J. S., Sharman, M. J., Gómez, A. L., DiPasquale, C., Roti, M., Pumerantz, A., & Kraemer, W. J. (2004) · Journal of the American College of Nutrition · doi:10.1080/07315724.2004.10719359 · Cited by 164 · see citing works
Self-citationWilli, S. M., Oexmann, M. J., Wright, N. M., Collop, N. A., & Key, L. L. (1998) · Pediatrics · doi:10.1542/peds.101.1.61 · Cited by 159 · see citing works
Capacity for Moderate Exercise in Obese Subjects after Adaptation to a Hypocaloric, Ketogenic Diet
Phinney, S. D., Horton, E. S., Sims, E. A. H., Hanson, J. S., Danforth, E., & LaGrange, B. M. (1980) · Journal of Clinical Investigation · doi:10.1172/jci109945 · Cited by 149 · see citing works
Long-term effects of a ketogenic diet in obese patients.
Dashti, H. M., Mathew, T. C., Hussein, T., Asfar, S., Behbahani, A. I., Khoursheed, M., Al-Sayer, H. M., Bo-Abbas, Y. Y., & Al-Zaid, N. S. (2004) · PubMed Central · Cited by 143 · see citing works
Sharman, M. J., & Volek, J. S. (2004) · Clinical Science · doi:10.1042/cs20040111 · Cited by 143 · see citing works
Self-citationVolek, J. S., Sharman, M. J., Gómez, A. L., Kraemer, W. J., & Scheett, T. P. (2003) · Journal of Nutrition · doi:10.1093/jn/133.9.2756 · Cited by 130 · see citing works
Self-citationEffects of high-protein, low-carbohydrate dieting on plasma lipoproteins and body weight
LAROSA, J. C., FRY, A. G., MUESING, R., & ROSING, D. R. (1980) · Journal of the American Dietetic Association · doi:10.1016/s1094-7159(21)03514-5 · Cited by 116 · see citing works
Volek, J. S., Gómez, A. L., & Kraemer, W. J. (2000) · Journal of the American College of Nutrition · doi:10.1080/07315724.2000.10718935 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
Self-citationVery-low-carbohydrate weight-loss diets revisited.
Volek, J. S., & Westman, E. C. (2002) · Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine · doi:10.3949/ccjm.69.11.849 · Cited by 77 · see citing works
Self-citationAude, Y. W., Agatston, A. S., Lopez-Jimenez, F., Lieberman, E. H., Almon, M., Hansen, M., Rojas, G., Lamas, G. A., & Hennekens, C. H. (2004) · Archives of Internal Medicine · doi:10.1001/archinte.164.19.2141 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
Meckling, K. A., Gauthier, M., Grubb, R., & Sanford, J. (2002) · Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology · doi:10.1139/y02-140 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
Ketogenic diet modifies the risk factors of heart disease in obese patients
Dashti, H. M., Bo-Abbas, Y. Y., Asfar, S., Mathew, T. C., Hussein, T., Behbahani, A. I., Khoursheed, M., Al-Sayer, H. M., & Al-Zaid, N. S. (2003) · Nutrition · doi:10.1016/s0899-9007(03)00161-8 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Hays, J. H., DiSabatino, A., Gorman, R. T., Vincent, S., & Stillabower, M. E. (2003) · Mayo Clinic Proceedings · doi:10.4065/78.11.1331 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
Rabast, U., Kasper, H., & Schönborn, J. (1978) · Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism · doi:10.1159/000176222 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Low-carbohydrate–high-protein diets
Kappagoda, C. T., Hyson, D. A., & Amsterdam, E. A. (2004) · Journal of the American College of Cardiology · doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2003.06.022 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Katzel, L. I., Busby‐Whitehead, M. J., Rogus, E. M., Krauss, R. M., & Goldberg, A. P. (1994) · Metabolism · doi:10.1016/0026-0495(94)90244-5 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Reducing the Serum Cholesterol Level With a Diet High in Animal Fat
Newbold, H. L. (1988) · Southern Medical Journal · doi:10.1097/00007611-198801000-00013 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Carbohydrate: Friend or Foe? Summary of Research Needs
Schneeman, B. O. (2001) · Journal of Nutrition · doi:10.1093/jn/131.10.2764s · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Physicians recommendations for and personal use of low-fat and low-carbohydrate diets
La Puma, J., Szapary, P., & Maki, K. C. (2005) · International Journal of Obesity · doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0802840 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Beyond weight loss: a review of the therapeutic uses of very-low-carbohydrate (ketogenic) diets
Paoli, A., Rubini, A., Volek, J. S., & Grimaldi, K. A. (2013) · European Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1038/ejcn.2013.116 · Cited by 885 · see citing works
Self-citationBueno, N. B., de Melo, I. S. V., de Oliveira, S. L., & da Rocha Ataide, T. (2013) · British Journal of Nutrition · doi:10.1017/s0007114513000548 · Cited by 778 · see citing works
Accurso, A., Bernstein, R. K., Dahlqvist, A., Draznin, B., Feinman, R. D., Fine, E. J., Gleed, A., Jacobs, D. B., Larson, G., Lustig, R. H., et al. (2008) · Nutrition & Metabolism · doi:10.1186/1743-7075-5-9 · Cited by 263 · see citing works
Self-citationNutritional ketosis for weight management and reversal of metabolic syndrome
Gershuni, V. M., Yan, S. L., & Medici, V. (2018) · Current Nutrition Reports · doi:10.1007/s13668-018-0235-0 · Cited by 239 · see citing works
Dietary carbohydrate restriction improves metabolic syndrome independent of weight loss
Hyde, P. N., Sapper, T. N., Crabtree, C. D., LaFountain, R. A., Bowling, M. L., Buga, A., Fell, B., McSwiney, F. T., Dickerson, R. M., Miller, V. J., et al. (2019) · JCI Insight · doi:10.1172/jci.insight.128308 · Cited by 210 · see citing works
Bhanpuri, N. H., Hallberg, S. J., Williams, P. T., McKenzie, A. L., Ballard, K. D., Campbell, W. W., McCarter, J. P., Phinney, S. D., & Volek, J. S. (2018) · Cardiovascular Diabetology · doi:10.1186/s12933-018-0698-8 · Cited by 190 · see citing works
Self-citationTay, J., Brinkworth, G. D., Noakes, M., Keogh, J., & Clifton, P. M. (2008) · Journal of the American College of Cardiology · doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2007.08.050 · Cited by 190 · see citing works
Evidence that supports the prescription of low-carbohydrate high-fat diets: A narrative review
Noakes, T. D., & Windt, J. (2017) · British Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.1136/bjsports-2016-096491 · Cited by 178 · see citing works
Clark, J. E. (2015) · Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders · doi:10.1186/s40200-015-0154-1 · Cited by 158 · see citing works
The impact of aerobic exercise on HDL quantity and quality: a narrative review
Franczyk, B., Gluba-Brzózka, A., Ciałkowska-Rysz, A., Ławiński, J., & Rysz, J. (2023) · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · doi:10.3390/ijms24054653 · Cited by 142 · see citing works
Volk, B. M., Kunces, L. J., Freidenreich, D. J., Kupchak, B. R., Saenz, C., Artistizabal, J. C., Fernandez, M. L., Bruno, R. S., Maresh, C. M., Kraemer, W. J., et al. (2014) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0113605 · Cited by 112 · see citing works
Self-citationWood, R. J., Fernandez, M. L., Sharman, M. J., Silvestre, R., Greene, C. M., Zern, T. L., Shrestha, S., Judelson, D. A., Gomez, A. L., Kraemer, W. J., et al. (2007) · Metabolism · doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2006.08.021 · Cited by 87 · see citing works
Self-citationJabekk, P. T., Moe, I. A., Meen, H. D., Tomten, S. E., & Høstmark, A. T. (2010) · Nutrition & Metabolism · doi:10.1186/1743-7075-7-17 · Cited by 85 · see citing works
Paoli, A., Moro, T., Bosco, G., Bianco, A., Grimaldi, K., Camporesi, E., & Mangar, D. (2015) · Marine Drugs · doi:10.3390/md13020996 · Cited by 81 · see citing works
Alternative Dietary Patterns for Americans: Low-Carbohydrate Diets
Volek, J. S., Phinney, S. D., Krauss, R. M., Johnson, R. J., Saslow, L. R., Gower, B., Yancy, W. S., King, J. C., Hecht, F. M., Teicholz, N., et al. (2021) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu13103299 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Self-citationLow carbohydrate dietary approaches for people with type 2 diabetes-a narrative review
Wheatley, S. D., Deakin, T. A., Arjomandkhah, N. C., Hollinrake, P. B., & Reeves, T. E. (2021) · Frontiers in Nutrition · doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.687658 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
Gastrich, M. D., Lasser, N. L., Wien, M., & Bachmann, G. (2008) · Topics in Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1097/01.tin.0000312083.76447.8d · Cited by 6 · see citing works
- Authors
- Volek, J. S., Sharman, M. J., & Forsythe, C. E.
- Affiliations
- University of Connecticut (US)
- Corresponding author
- Volek, Jeff S.
- Venue
- The Journal of Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2005-06
- Volume
- 135
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1339-1342
- ISSN
- 0022-3166 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2147851061
- Cited by
- 159
- References
- 40
- Citations by year
- 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 1.76
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- eCite Digital Repository (University of Tasmania) (submittedVersion)
- Australasian Journal of Paramedicine (submittedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Diet and metabolism studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Dietary Effects on Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Lipoproteins and Cardiovascular Health
- Keywords
- very low carbohydrate diet, lipoproteins, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL subfractions, cardiovascular risk factors, weight loss, pro-inflammatory markers, metabolic syndrome, low-fat diet
- MeSH terms
- Dietary Carbohydrates, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Humans, Lipoproteins
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review