Ergogenic Properties of Ketogenic Diets in Normal-Weight Individuals: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Ketogenic diets (KDs) have received increasing attention among athletes and physically active individuals. However, the question as to whether and how the diet could benefit this healthy cohort remains unclear.

Purpose: This study was designed to systematically review the existing evidence concerning the effect of KDs on body composition, aerobic and anaerobic capacity, muscle development, and sports performance in normal-weight individuals including athletes.

Methods: A systematic search of English literature was conducted through electronic databases including PubMed, EBSCOhost, and Google Scholar. Upon the use of search criteria, 23 full-text original human studies involving non-obese participants were included in this review. For more stratified and focused analysis, these articles were further categorized based on the outcomes being examined including 1) body mass (BM) and %fat, 2) substrate utilization, 3) blood substrate and hormonal responses, 4) aerobic capacity and endurance performance, and 5) strength, power, and anaerobic capacity.

Results: Our review indicates that a non-calorie-restricted KD carried out for ≥3 weeks can produce a modest reduction in BM and %fat, while maintaining fat-free mass. This diet leads to augmented use of fat as fuel, but this adaptation doesn’t seem to improve endurance performance. Additionally, ad libitum KDs combined with resistance training will pose no harm to developing strength and power, especially when protein intake is increased modestly.

Conclusions: It appears that a non-calorie-restricted KD provides minimal ergogenic benefits in normal-weight individuals including athletes, but can be used for optimizing BM and body composition without compromising aerobic and anaerobic performance.

Key teaching points

• Ketogenic diets have received increasing attention among athletes and physically active individuals.

• It remains elusive as to whether ketogenic diets could confer ergogenic benefits for those who are normal weight but want to use the diet to improve fitness and performance.

• An interesting dilemma exists in that ketogenic diets can reduce body mass and %fat and increase fat oxidation, but they can also decrease glycogen stores and limit sports performance.

• This review concludes that a non-calorie-restricted ketogenic diet provides minimal ergogenic benefits in normal-weight individuals, but can be used to optimize body mass and composition without compromising athletic performance.

• This finding can be important for esthetic or weight-sensitive athletes because the diet may allow them to reach a target body mass without having to sacrifice athletic performance.

• The ketogenic diet-induced metabolic adaptations require a state of ketosis, and thus caution should be taken because an excessive increase in ketone bodies can be detrimental to health.

Keywords:

• Low-carbohydrate diet
• fat oxidation
• endurance
• strength
• power
• ketosis

Acknowledgement

Authors wish to thank Rebecca Bushby of TCNJ Library for her guidance during our search process and Mina Belfert, Cara Jenson, and Sean Duffy for their help with article search, retrieving, and screening. There is no funding provided during the writing of this article.