This preclinical study in rats found that a ketogenic diet significantly alters the concentrations of essential elements in the liver, kidney, and spleen, and that many of these changes differ between male and female animals.
Scientific Reports · 9 authors, 4 centres
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This preclinical study in rats found that a ketogenic diet significantly alters the concentrations of essential elements in the liver, kidney, and spleen, and that many of these changes differ between male and female animals.
The study investigated the influence of a ketogenic diet (KD) on the elemental composition of liver, kidney, and spleen tissues in male and female rats. Using total-reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) analysis, researchers measured concentrations of phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, calcium, iron, copper, zinc, and selenium. Results showed numerous elemental abnormalities in organs from KD-fed animals, with patterns often differing by gender. For example, male rats on KD showed lower concentrations of most elements in the liver, while females showed reductions primarily for copper, zinc, and selenium. The kidneys of male rats had elevated zinc and iron, while female rats showed increased phosphorus and calcium. The spleen of male rats had higher iron, while females had lower sulfur and selenium. The authors note that some abnormalities may relate to the lower intake and different composition of the high-fat diet, but other gender-specific patterns suggest metabolic effects of the diet itself.