The key to this is the short term of the study. While I was subscribed to the low-carb support list, there was plenty of anecdotal evidence that the cholesterol goes up at first, then goes down and usually improves significantly over the original numbers. Which reminds me, I need to go get a checkup! John Pavao ---------- There's a nice study by Phinney et al (80) Metabolism 32(8):757-7680 "The Human Metabolic Response to Chronic Ketosis Without Caloric Restriction: Physical and Biochemical Adaptation" showing that a ketogenic diet *elevates* total cholesterol while leaving HDL unchanged. The study involved 9 lean men who were switched from a calorically adequate high carb diet containing 1.75 g/kg bodywt P, 67% C, 33% F to a calorically comparable ketogenic diet containing <20g/d C, identical P, and 83-85% F. Over a four week period, average cholesterol rose from 159 to 208. HDL was unchanged at 40. Weights were essentially unchanged.