International society of sports nutrition position stand: ketogenic diets

A ketogenic diet is generally defined by serum ketone levels above 0.5 mM, typically achieved with a daily carbohydrate intake of less than 50 grams.

• Nutritional ketosis from a ketogenic diet is not inherently harmful and should not be confused with ketoacidosis, which is a serious medical condition.
• The ketogenic diet may have neutral or negative effects on athletic performance compared to higher carbohydrate diets, despite increased fat oxidation during exercise.
• Athletic performance under a ketogenic diet may be affected by training status and the duration of the diet, with most studies showing performance decrements lasting six weeks or less.
• While a ketogenic diet may lead to greater losses in body weight and fat mass, it could also result in increased losses of lean tissue, likely influenced by calorie and protein intake.
• There is currently insufficient evidence to conclude if sex affects the response to a ketogenic diet, although there may be biological reasons for potential differences.

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