Author(s): Pitotti Giovanna*, Vincenti Sara, Basciani Sabrina and Michelini Sandro
Background: Lipedema is a disease of the subcutaneous adipose tissue that was first clinically recognized in the mid-1900s.
Lipedema can have a significant impact on physical appearance, mental health, and well-being: people with lipedema, lovingly called “Lippies”, not only complain about their physical appearance, but also the presence of a bunch of symptoms that worsen the quality of life, which is why it is important to study treatments that may have positive effects mainly in the affected areas.
Reducing inflammation is the main target of the multidisciplinary treatment of lipedema.
Many studies have shown a significant reduction in body fat and in the painful component of lipedema following integrated treatment and, above all, the high fat ketogenic diet.
Therefore, we compared the efficacy of a High Fat Ketogenic Diet (HFKD) in patients suffering from lipedema to test the hypothesis that this approach is more effective than a Low Carb Antinflammatory non-ketogenic Diet (LCAD) on reducing the anthropometric measures in the affected areas and on improving symptoms.
Methods: Forty-eight female patients followed two different dietary regimens, for 8 weeks. Group A (24 subjects) was assigned a HFKD, based on 1100 Kcal daily, 70% fat, 20% protein, 10% carbohydrates. Group B diet was a low carb with starchy carbohydrate, average daily Kcal around 1400, 45% fat, 25% protein, 30% carbohydrates.
To evaluate the effectiveness of both dietary regimens, anthropometric measurements were carried out and a questionnaire evaluating the degree of symptoms was administered at time zero (first meeting) and at time 1 (after 8 weeks).
Results: Although both regimens had a very positive effect on the analyzed parameters, HFKD proved to be more effective than LCAD in reducing the circumferences in the affected areas and in improving the main symptoms such as pain, heaviness, fatigue and swelling.
Conclusions: High fat ketogenic diet led to significant fat loss in the lower limbs, the most affected area by the development of lipedema, and a greater improvement in the key symptoms afflicting Lippies.
HFKD can used as a real therapeutic tool capable of improving the typical symptoms of lipedema, pain, heaviness and swelling of the lower limbs, and of promoting the reduction of circumference in the areas most resistant to conventional diets.
