Ketogenic Diet as a Possible Non-pharmacological Therapy in Main Endocrine Diseases of the Female Reproductive System: A Practical Guide for Nutritionists

Curr Obes Rep. 2023 Sep;12(3):231-249. doi: 10.1007/s13679-023-00516-1. Epub 2023 Jul 5.

Abstract

This narrative review explored the role of ketogenic diets (KDs) in improving fertility outcomes, low-grade inflammation, body weight, visceral adipose tissue, and its potential use in certain types of cancer, through its favorable actions on mitochondrial function, reactive oxygen species generation, chronic inflammation, and tumor growth inhibition. RECENT FINDINGS : Nutrition is crucial to maintain the female reproductive system's health. Evidence on the association between diet and female reproductive system has greatly expanded over the last decade, leading to the identification of specific diet therapy, particularly KDs. KDs has been proved to be an effective weight-loss tool. To date, KDs is being increasingly used in the treatment of many diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus. KDs is a dietary intervention capable of ameliorating the inflammatory state and oxidative stress through several mechanisms. Due to the increasing use of KDs beyond obesity, this literature review will provide the latest scientific evidence of its possible use in common disorders of the female endocrine-reproductive tract, and a practical guide to its use in these patients.

Keywords: Endocrine diseases; Female reproductive; Ketogenic diets; Nutritionists; PCOS; VLCKD.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2*
  • Diet, Ketogenic* / adverse effects
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Inflammation
  • Neoplasms*
  • Nutritionists*
  • Obesity