Background
Very low carbohydrate (<5 %), high fat (>70 %) (VLCKD) diets have previously been shown to decrease fat mass in obese or overweight individuals. The very high fat, high cholesterol diet has caused alarm and researchers question its safety. However, because lipids provide the raw substrate necessary for the biosynthesis of anabolic hormones such as testosterone the diet may have implications for athletes. PURPOSE: Therefore the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 11 weeks of VLCKD dieting on safety, blood lipid profile, and anabolic hormone status.