Purpose of review 

There is an extensive literature on the efficacy of the low carbohydrate diet (LCD) for weight loss, and in the improvement of markers of the insulin-resistant phenotype, including a reduction in inflammation, atherogenic dyslipidemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia. However, critics have expressed concerns that the LCD promotes unrestricted consumption of saturated fat, which may increase low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) levels. In theory, the diet-induced increase in LDL-C increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The present review provides an assessment of concerns with the LCD, which have focused almost entirely on LDL-C, a poor marker of CVD risk. We discuss how critics of the LCD have ignored the literature demonstrating that the LCD improves the most reliable CVD risk factors.

Recent findings 

Multiple longitudinal clinical trials in recent years have extended the duration of observations on the safety and effectiveness of the LCD to 2–3 years, and in one study on epileptics, for 10 years.

Summary 

The present review integrates a historical perspective on the LCD with a critical assessment of the persistent concerns that consumption of saturated fat, in the context of an LCD, will increase risk for CVD.

中文翻译：

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低碳水化合物饮食：对饱和脂肪，脂质和心血管疾病风险的关注是否合理？

审查目的 

关于低碳水化合物饮食（LCD）减肥的功效以及改善胰岛素抵抗性表型的标志物，包括减少炎症，动脉粥样硬化血脂异常，高血压和高血糖症，已有大量文献报道。但是，批评者对LCD促进无限制消耗饱和脂肪表示担忧，这可能会增加低密度脂蛋白（LDL-C）的水平。从理论上讲，饮食引起的LDL-C升高会增加罹患心血管疾病的风险（CVD）。本综述提供了对LCD的关注评估，LCD几乎完全集中在LDL-C（不良的CVD风险指标）上。我们讨论LCD的批评者如何忽略文献，这些文献表明LCD改善了最可靠的CVD危险因素。

最近的发现 

近年来的多项纵向临床试验已将有关LCD的安全性和有效性的观察时间延长至2-3年，而一项关于癫痫病的研究则延长了10年。

概要 

本综述结合了LCD的历史观点和对持续关注的严格评估，即在LCD的情况下食用饱和脂肪会增加CVD的风险。