Relationship between Aging and Ketogenic Diet: A Bibliometric Analysis (1995-2025).

Abstract

Background: The potential benefits of the ketogenic diet (KD) on ageing are currently receiving increasing attention. Although there are various studies on this subject in the existing literature, there is a lack of systematic review and bibliometric analysis.

Aim: This study aimed to present a bibliometric overview and visualization analysis of the existing studies examining the relationship between KD and ageing, identify trends in this field, and provide a basis for future research and sustainable development goals.

Materials and methods: This study involved a systematic review of the literature. In this study, Scopus (Elsevier) and Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) databases were used for bibliometric analysis. In the study, all articles, reviews, and other types of publications on KD and ageing published between 1995 and 2024 were analysed. Studies covering the years 1995-2025 and including the keywords 'ketogenic diet OR ketogenic diets OR ketone diet AND aging AND PUB YEAR > 1995 AND PUBYEAR < 2025' in the title were included. The VOSviewer software (VOSviewer v.1.6.10) was utilized to visualize the data. The data obtained were evaluated by bibliometric methods, such as keyword analysis and cluster analysis.

Results: A significant increase in the number of studies on KD and ageing was observed. In the study, when the data obtained from WoSCC and Scopus databases and VOSviewer analysis results were evaluated together, a total of 10,170 scientific documents in the Scopus database and a total of 168 scientific documents were identified in the Web of Science database between 1995-2025 worldwide. The author publishing the most on the subject was found to be Cunnane, S.C. The country contributing the most to the field was found to be the United States of America (USA). The institution that produced the most documents was Harvard Medical School. In a total of 10,170 records, the most preferred type of publication was articles. Nutrients journal was the journal with the highest number of publications. According to the results of keyword analysis, the words "ketogenic diet" and "aging" were the most frequently used and most strongly related words.

Conclusion: The results of this study showed a significant increase in the number of studies investigating the effects of KD on ageing. More high-quality, randomised controlled clinical trials are needed in this field. In particular, there is a lack of studies examining the effects of KD on age-related diseases at the molecular level.