Benefits of High-fat Keto Diet

May 2, 2026

A new study suggests that eating more fat rather than less could help the body gain greater benefits from exercise when blood sugar levels are high, offering an unexpected perspective on how diet and physical activity work together to support metabolic health.

According to Science Daily, the research, led by exercise medicine scientist Sarah Lessard at Virginia Tech, found that a ketogenic diet helped normalise blood sugar levels in mice and significantly improved how their muscles responded to exercise. The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications.

Exercise is widely known to improve the body’s ability to absorb and use oxygen, a key indicator linked to long-term health and longevity. Regular physical activity also helps control weight, strengthen the heart and build muscle. However, individuals with elevated blood sugar often fail to experience some of these benefits, particularly improvements in oxygen uptake during exercise. High blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, is associated with increased risks of heart and kidney disease and can disrupt the body’s metabolic response to physical activity. The new study suggests that dietary changes may help restore these benefits.

In the research, mice with high blood sugar were placed on a ketogenic diet, which is high in fat and very low in carbohydrates. Within one week, their blood sugar levels returned to normal.

“After one week on the ketogenic diet, their blood sugar was completely normal, as though they didn’t have diabetes at all,” Lessard said. Over time, the diet also altered the structure of the animals’ muscles. Researchers observed that the muscles developed more oxidative properties and responded better to aerobic exercise. The mice that followed the diet and exercised regularly on running wheels also developed more slow-twitch muscle fibers, which are associated with greater endurance.

According to Lessard, the results show that the body used oxygen more efficiently, indicating higher aerobic capacity. The ketogenic diet works by pushing the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where fat rather than sugar becomes the primary source of energy. This approach contrasts with the low-fat diets traditionally recommended in many health guidelines. While the diet remains debated, it has been linked to benefits for certain medical conditions such as epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.