Can Keto diet be life threatening? Mishti Mukherjee's death raises alarm

Actor Mishti Mukherjee died from kidney failure on Friday night, October 2. She worked in films and music videos.

Mukherjee passed away at a hospital in Bengaluru where she breathed her last, according to a statement by the actor's publicist.

She was reportedly in a lot of pain before her death. Mukherjee was cremated on Saturday. She is survived by her parents and brother Mukherjee made her debut with the film Life Ki Toh Lag Gayi in the year 2012. She had a guest appearance in the movie.

The actor also starred in many Telugu and Bengali projects as well as several dance numbers. However, she used to be in the news mostly for controversies. In 2014, Mukherjee was apprehended along with her father and brother for running an alleged prostitution racket and possession of pornographic content.

However, the actor refuted the charges, claiming that she and her family were framed in false cases.

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What led to Mishti Mukherjee's kidney failure?

As per media reports, the actor's family had cited kidney failure as the reason for her untimely death. According to an official statement by her publicist, "Mishti Mukherjee, who marked her brilliance in many films and music videos with her ace acting, is no more. Due to keto diet, her kidney failed in Bangalore, and she breathed her last on Friday night, the actress suffered a lot of pain. Unforgettable and unfortunate loss. May her soul rest in peace."

What is Keto diet and how does it impact the kidneys?

As per media reports, Mukherjee was suffering from kidney disease due to the keto diet which resulted in her untimely death. The keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet designed to promote weight loss. Since this diet is usually low in protein, it may overload a person's kidneys.

An ideal keto diet must comprise around 75 per cent fat, 20 per cent protein, and 5 per cent carbs per day. The main idea behind following this kind of diet is to remove all sources of carbs, which a human body uses as fuel and rather use fat as the energy source (for the body). This process is called ketosis and generally occurs within three to four days of following the diet.

Is Keto diet effective?

Although the Keto diet is touted to have many health benefits, various studies also link it to detrimental side effects, particularly if followed for a long time. This kind of diet may put a lot of stress on a person's kidneys and could lead to kidney stones.

According to a report published in IANS, Salil Jain, Director-HOD, Nephrology and Renal Transplant, Fortis Memorial Research Institute in Gurugram is of the opinion that the Keto diet is high in fats and proteins and low on carbohydrates. If a person consumes a lot of these foods, red meat in particular, it may result in a higher risk of forming kidney stones.

"It may also worsen the kidney functioning of those who already have kidney diseases. The theory is that higher intake of animal food products can make your urine more acidic i.e. increase level of excretion of calcium from your urine," Jain said.

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How harmful is Keto diet?

The IANS report further cited Priya Bharma, Senior Dietician, Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute in New Delhi, saying that the Keto diet is "one of the hardest diet schedules to follow, which primarily focuses on weight loss. It surely has the potential risk of other health problems as the user is on high proteins and fats intake."

She noted that a person with ideal or lesser body weight is generally not suggested to go for the diet. Bharma highlighted that a person should not continue Keto diet for "more than 45 days in one go as the body starves for other nutrients as well as high protein puts pressure on the kidney without other related precautions."

According to various studies, one of the potential side-effects of the Keto diet are kidney stones.

Thus, it is not only essential to drink a lot of water to mitigate the stress from a person's kidneys, but it is also suggested to speak to a medical care provider for supplementation as that can lessen the risk of developing kidney stones.