VLCD – does it work? Is it safe?

30th August 2024, A/Prof Chee L Khoo

Up until GLP1RAs +/- GIPs were shown to be efficacious in assisting patients lose weight and keeping the weight off, long term sustainable weight loss was practically unachievable. Not everyone wants to or is able to afford bariatric surgery to assist in weight loss. Even then, the weight loss is usually not sustainable. International guidelines (including Australian) include medical nutritional therapy in the management of obesity.…

VLCD may cause initial reduction in cardiac function

March 2018, Dr Chee L Khoo

Several meta-analyses of randomised clinical trials showed that ketogenic diets induce a long-term significant improvement in body weight, diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol, when compared to low fat diets. However, rapid weight loss may cause a transient rise in plasma triglycerides which can contribute to impairment in cardiac function in the short term.

The heart has a very high energy demand, which is met almost entirely by the mitochondrial oxidation of fatty acids and carbohydrates.…