SynthesisBMC nutrition2026
Adverse events and tolerability of ketogenic diets - a systematic literature analysis.
Synthesis in BMC nutrition, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundKetogenic diets (KDs) are becoming increasingly popular in the treatment of various diseases, not just pharmacoresistant epilepsy. Despite the growing use of this dietary approach and its economic rationale, a systematic overview of the associated adverse events remains conspicuously absent.
methodsA systematic literature search was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines in the electronic database PubMed. Prospective interventional studies documenting adverse events associated with ketogenic diets published between 2019 and 2024 were included. The recorded adverse events were categorized according to CTCAE criteria and analyzed based on frequency and diversity by diet type.
resultsA total of 36 studies involving 42 ketogenic interventions (classic KD, modified Atkins diet, MCT-based KD, LGIT) were evaluated. The included studies covered a wide range of age groups and conditions. At least one adverse event was documented in 43% of the participants (0-89%, 0.91 ± 0.71 adverse events per person). The most prevalent adverse events were gastrointestinal (40%), followed by neurological (17%), and metabolic and nutritional (12%) disorders. Constipation (24%) was the most commonly reported individual adverse event. A higher rate and severity of adverse events was observed in patients following stricter diets. The tolerability of the intervention was influenced by several factors, including age, the presence of underlying diseases, and the duration of the intervention.
conclusionsThe analysis indicates that adverse events frequently occur alongside KD and encompass a broad spectrum, with gastrointestinal complaints predominating. However, the significance of the findings is limited by the heterogeneity of dietary regimens, the lack of standardization, and the occasional inadequate documentation of adverse events. In clinical practice, it is recommended that adverse events are recorded systematically and monitored regularly.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.