The keto diet has become one of the most popular diets in recent years. Proponents claim it can help you lose weight, improve health, and even cleanse your body. But what does the science say? Here we’ll examine whether keto truly cleanses your body.
What is ketosis?
The ketogenic or “keto” diet is centered around achieving a state of ketosis. This is when your body switches from using carbohydrates as its main source of energy to using fats. It does this by severely restricting carb intake to around 50 grams per day or less. This depletion of carbs forces your body to burn fats for fuel instead.
When fat is broken down, ketones are produced. Ketones are molecules that can serve as an alternative energy source when glucose levels are low. Although your body produces ketones regularly, the keto diet causes ketone production to skyrocket beyond normal levels.
Achieving this metabolic state of ketosis is why the keto diet leads to accelerated fat loss. Burning ketones for energy instead of glucose from carbs is the main driver behind keto’s weight loss effects. Proponents also believe it provides other cleansing benefits.
Does keto cleanse the liver?
One common claim is that keto cleanses your liver. But what does the research say about the diet’s impact on liver health?
A handful of studies have found ketosis may reduce fat accumulation in the liver. One reason is that ketosis encourages the breakdown of fat, potentially including fat stored in the liver.
One study in mice with fatty liver found six weeks on a ketogenic diet reduced fat deposits in the liver by over 30%. In a rat study, keto reversed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease compared to a high-carb diet.
Research also indicates ketosis may reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the liver. Both are linked to improved liver function.
That being said, more human research is still needed on keto and liver health. But the existing animal studies are encouraging.
Potential mechanisms
There are a few potential ways keto may help cleanse the liver:
- Increasing fat breakdown – More fat burning means less fat accumulation in the liver.
- Lowering inflammation – Ketosis reduces inflammatory markers linked to liver disease.
- Reducing oxidative stress – Ketones may help reduce compounds that damage liver cells.
Through these mechanisms, the keto diet may help reduce fat buildup and harmful inflammation/oxidation to cleanse and improve the functioning of your liver.
Does keto cleanse your blood?
Another alleged benefit of the keto diet is cleansing your blood. But does restricting carbs really help filter blood better?
There is not as much research looking specifically at keto and blood cleansing. However, we can analyze the diet’s effects on common blood contaminants and markers of blood health:
Cholesterol
Keto diets emphasize high fat intake, which could negatively impact blood cholesterol. But studies show keto actually improves cholesterol profiles:
- Raises good HDL – Higher HDL removes more bad cholesterol from blood.
- Lowers triglycerides – Triglyceride reduction also cleanses blood.
- Lowers LDL particle size – Smaller LDL is less likely to stick to arteries.
By optimizing cholesterol levels, keto may cleanse your blood of excess fat and improve heart health.
Blood sugar
Chronically high blood sugar leads to accumulation of glucose in the blood, which can make blood stickier and more damaging to vessels. But keto naturally lowers blood sugar by restricting carb intake.
Studies show that very low-carb diets, including keto, reduce HbA1c (a marker of long-term blood sugar levels). This cleansing effect on blood glucose could reduce vascular harm from hyperglycemia.
Inflammation
Systemic inflammation is linked to higher risk of chronic illness and all-cause mortality. Research indicates ketosis suppresses chronic inflammation by lowering inflammatory cytokines like IL-6 and CRP.
Via these anti-inflammatory effects, keto may help cleanse your blood of these harmful immune factors.
Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs)
AGEs are harmful compounds formed when glucose reacts with proteins. Higher blood sugar leads to more AGE accumulation, which damages blood vessels. But AGE levels decrease during ketosis, likely due to lower blood sugar.
By reducing AGEs, keto may cleanse blood of these toxic compounds.
In summary, achieving ketosis appears to optimize various markers of blood health. The diet may cleanse blood by reducing cholesterol, sugar, inflammation, and AGEs.
Does keto cleanse your gut?
Gut health is a buzzword these days. Can the keto diet cleanse your gut microbiome and digestive system?
A healthy gut contains a diversity of beneficial bacteria. But poor diets can reduce microbial diversity and support overgrowth of harmful bacteria.
Very low-carb diets like keto have been found to increase the diversity of gut bacteria. One study even showed keto reversed some of the negative effects from a high-sugar diet on gut health.
There are a few ways keto may cleanse your gut:
- Lowering sugar intake – Less sugar means less food for harmful bacteria.
- Increasing fiber – Keto includes low-carb veggies with cleansing fiber.
- Reducing inflammation – Ketosis suppresses gut inflammation from bad bacteria.
By optimizing your gut microbiome, keto may help cleanse your digestive system.
But higher protein and fat can be constipating
On the flip side, keto is generally low in gut-cleansing fiber, since many high-fiber foods are off-limits. The diet is also very high in fat and protein, which can be constipating for some.
This potential for constipation may counteract some of keto’s gut-cleansing benefits. Make sure to include plenty of low-carb veggies for fiber and stay hydrated on keto.
Does keto cleanse your kidneys?
Your kidneys act as filters to cleanse waste and toxins from your blood. Can the metabolic state of ketosis support better kidney cleansing?
High blood sugar and diabetes are major risk factors for kidney disease. Because keto lowers blood sugar and insulin levels, it may protect kidney function in people with diabetes.
There is also evidence keto reduces kidney damage and inflammation in animal models of kidney disease. The diet may do this via antioxidant effects and lowering blood pressure.
However, keto may only improve kidney function when kidney damage is already present. In healthy people without kidney issues, keto does not appear to significantly impact kidney cleansing or function.
Dehydration can counteract benefits
Although keto may help cleanse failing kidneys, the diet also has a dehydrating effect. Glycogen stores are depleted to kickstart ketosis, driving water loss.
Dehydration places stress on your kidneys and could counteract any cleansing benefits. Focus on drinking plenty of water and mineral-rich broths if following a keto diet.
Does keto cleanse your lymphatic system?
The lymphatic system serves as a drainage network to remove toxins, cellular debris, and metabolic waste. This critical cleansing system relies on regular contraction and relaxation of your muscles and breathing. Can keto provide lymphatic cleansing benefits?
There is no evidence that simply entering ketosis provides direct cleansing or stimulation of lymph fluid movement. However, indirect factors may help:
- Weight loss – Less fatty tissue compresses lymph vessels, improving flow.
- Lower inflammation – Reduces lymphatic congestion.
- Increased circulation – Better blood flow benefits lymphatic drainage.
Additionally, many people report increased energy on the keto diet. This provides more opportunities for active lymphatic stimulation through exercise, rebounding, massage, etc.
Risk of fatigue and electrolyte imbalance
That said, keto adaptation can be fatiguing at first, making exercise more difficult. The diuretic effect and electrolyte losses may also hinder lymphatic flow.
With proper hydration and mineral replenishment, keto’s cleansing lymphatic benefits could outweigh the risks. But fatigue and lethargy may be unavoidable for some getting started.
Does keto cleanse your skin?
Many people also use keto for skin cleansing benefits. Can ketosis cleanse your skin and improve complexion?
Certain aspects of the keto diet may promote better skin health:
- Higher vitamin A intake – Vitamin A-rich animal foods fight acne.
- Omega-3 fats – Keto includes anti-inflammatory omega-3s that calm the skin.
- Lower blood sugar – Reducing blood sugar can minimize breakouts.
But keto also heavily restricts fruits, beans, and other foods rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients that protect your skin from aging.
The diet is also very high in dairy and low in gut-friendly fiber, both of which are linked to increased acne for some people. These potential drawbacks may counteract keto’s skin-cleansing properties.
As with most topics, individual factors like genetics, lifestyle, and microbiome will determine whether keto clogs or cleanses your skin. It may take self-experimentation to find out if it works for you.
Does keto cleanse your cells?
Cellular cleansing is another proposed benefit. This theory is based on research showing ketones have antioxidant effects inside cells.
When your cell mitochondria burn ketones for energy, they may produce fewer reactive oxygen species than when glucose is burned. This could reduce oxidative stress on a cellular level.
Ketones may also stimulate pathways involved in combating oxidative stress and inflammation.
Through these mechanisms, keto may help cleanse cells of toxins and oxidative damage that can accelerate aging.
But losing crucial micronutrients
On the other hand, many micronutrient-rich plant foods are restricted on keto, like fruits, starchy veggies, beans, and grains. Unless carefully optimized, it may be difficult to meet all your vitamin and mineral needs.
Some micronutrients like magnesium and polyphenols have their own antioxidant and cleansing benefits. By lacking these crucial nutrients, keto may fail to cleanse cells in other ways.
Does keto cleanse your body?
Based on the evidence, keto appears to provide some cleansing effects, but also has potential drawbacks:
| System | Cleansing pros | Cleansing cons |
|---|---|---|
| Liver | – Reduces fat accumulation – Lowers inflammation |
|
| Blood | – Optimizes cholesterol – Lowers blood sugar – Reduces inflammation |
|
| Kidneys | – Protects kidney function in diabetes | – Can cause dehydration |
| Gut | – Increases microbiome diversity | – Lower fiber intake – Higher fat/protein |
| Skin | – Higher vitamin A – More omega-3s |
– Lacks phytonutrients – Higher dairy |
| Cells | – Ketones have antioxidant effect | – Lacks many micronutrients with antioxidant properties |
Keto appears most likely to cleanse the liver and blood by lowering fat accumulation, reducing inflammation, and optimizing cholesterol and blood sugar markers. The diet may also cleanse the kidney, gut microbiome, skin, and cells under certain circumstances.
However, risks like dehydration, reduced fiber and micronutrient intake, and increased fat/dairy intake may hinder keto’s cleansing capacity in some areas.
Other diets may cleanse as well or better
While keto has some cleansing benefits, other diets can also serve to detoxify the body:
- Whole foods plant-based diet – Very high in micronutrients, gut-cleansing fiber, and phytonutrients.
- Intermittent fasting – Allows cells to upregulate autophagy processes to cleanse damaged components.
- Low-sugar diet – Minimizes blood sugar spikes to optimize blood cleansing.
- Low sodium diet – Reduces fluid retention for better lymphatic cleansing.
An optimal cleansing diet focuses on high micronutrient foods, plant phytonutrients, fiber, intermittent fasting, and minimal processed foods/sugar.
Should you try keto for cleansing?
Keto offers some potential cleansing benefits, especially for liver and blood health. However, risks like fatigue, micronutrient inadequacy, dehydration, and gut issues may also exist.
Other diets focused on whole plant foods, fasting, fiber, and low sugar likely offer similar cleansing effects with fewer downsides.
That said, keto may benefit certain individuals over other diets based on genetics, health status, and personal tolerances.
Consider a modified keto diet
A modified keto diet may maximize benefits while minimizing drawbacks. Strategies include:
- Emphasizing plant-based fats like olive oil over dairy fats.
- Including low-carb fruits and starchy veggies for nutrients.
- Incorporating intermittent fasting to upregulate cellular cleansing.
- Eating plenty of low-carb greens for gut-cleansing fiber.
- Staying well hydrated with mineral-rich fluids.
An individualized, nutrient-dense keto plan like this may optimize cleansing while preventing micronutrient deficiencies and other issues.
The bottom line
The keto diet may provide cleansing benefits, especially for the liver and blood. But it has potential drawbacks as well. An optimized keto plan focused on micronutrients, plant foods, and hydration can maximize cleansing ability.
Other diets high in fiber, fasting, phytonutrients, and whole foods may offer similar and potentially greater cleansing effects for some people. It likely comes down to individual factors to determine if keto is the best diet for your cleansing needs.
