The Role of the Gut Microbiota on the Beneficial Effects of Ketogenic Diets

The ketogenic diet is a dietary regime focused on strongly reducing carbohydrate intake and increasing fat intake; leading to a state of ketosis. The ketogenic diet has gained much popularity over the years due to its effects on promoting weight loss, increasing insulin sensitivity and reducing dyslipidaemia. All these factors play a crucial role in the development of cardio-metabolic diseases; one of the greatest health challenges of the time. Moreover, the ketogenic diet has been known to reduce (epileptic) seizure activity. It is still poorly understood how following a ketogenic diet can lead to these beneficial metabolic effects. However, in recent years it has become clear that diet and the gut microbiota interact with one another and thus influence host health. The goal of this review is to summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the beneficial metabolic effects of the ketogenic diet and the role of gut microbiota in these effects.