5 Studies On The Paleo Diet - Does It Work?

NUTRITION u Evidence Based
5 Studies on the Paleo Diet — Does It Work?

Written by Kris Gunnars, BSc — Medically reviewed by Atli Arnarson BSc, PhD — Updated on March 13, 2020
The diet The studies Weight loss Cholesterol & triglycerides Blood sugar & insulin
Blood pressure Safety Limitations Bottom line
The paleo diet is one of the most popular diets.
However, not all health professionals and mainstream nutrition organizations support it.
While some say it’s healthy and reasonable, others believe it may be harmful. Scientific studies can help us
decide.
This article looks at five studies on the paleo diet, examining its effects on body weight and various health
markers.
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A quick primer on the paleo diet
The paleo diet aims to recreate the eating pattern that human hunter-gatherers presumably followed.
Supporters argue that it’s a healthy option, as there’s no evidence that hunter-gatherers experienced the same
diseases that modern humans do.
The diet includes unprocessed animal and plant foods, including meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and
seeds.
It shuns processed foods, sugar, dairy products, and grains, although some versions allow foods like dairy and
rice.
The studies
The following studies all looked at how the paleo diet affected human health. The research is published in
respected, peer-reviewed scientific journals.
1. Lindeberg S, et al. A Palaeolithic diet improves glucose tolerance more than a Mediterranean-like diet in
individuals with ischaemic heart disease. Diabetologia, 2007.
Details. This study involved 29 males with heart disease and high blood sugar or type 2 diabetes. For 12 weeks,
14 participants followed a paleolithic diet while 15 followed a Mediterranean-like diet. There were no calorie
restrictions.
The researchers focused mainly on the following outcomes: glucose tolerance, insulin levels, weight, and waist
circumference.
Glucose tolerance. The glucose tolerance test measures how quickly the body clears glucose from the blood.
It’s a marker for insulin resistance and diabetes.
This graph shows the difference between the groups. The solid dots are the baseline, and the open dots are
after 12 weeks on the diet. The paleo group is on the left, and the control group is on the right.
As the graphs show, only the paleo diet group saw a significant improvement in glucose tolerance.
Weight loss. Both groups lost a significant amount of weight. Participants in the paleo group lost an average of
11 pounds (5 kg). Those following the Mediterranean diet lost 8.4 pounds (3.8 kg), on average. The loss was
significant in both groups, but the difference between the groups was not statistically significant.
Waist circumference. The paleo diet group experienced a 2.2-inch (5.6-cm) reduction in waist circumference,
on average, compared with 1.1 inches (2.9 cm) in the Mediterranean diet group. The difference was statistically
significant.
A few important points:
The 2-hour area under the curve (AUC) for blood glucose fell by 36% in the paleo group, compared with
7% in the control group.
All members of the paleo group had normal blood sugar levels after 12 weeks, compared with 7 of 15
patients in the other group.
The paleo group consumed 451 fewer calories per day, without intentionally restricting calories or portions.
They consumed 1,344 calories, on average, while the Mediterranean group consumed 1,795.
Conclusion. A paleolithic diet may improve measures of waist circumference and glycemic control, compared
with a Mediterranean-like diet.
2. Osterdahl M, et al. Effects of a short-term intervention with a paleolithic diet in healthy volunteers. 
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2008.
Details. Fourteen healthy medical students followed a paleolithic diet for 3 weeks. There was no control group.
Weight loss. The participants lost an average of 5 pounds (2.3 kg), their body mass index (BMI) decreased by
0.8, and waist circumference decreased by 0.6 inches (1.5 cm).
Other markers. Systolic blood pressure went down by 3 mmHg.
Conclusion. The participants lost weight and slightly reduced their waist circumference and systolic blood
pressure.
3. Jonsson T, et al. Beneficial effects of a Paleolithic diet on cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetes: a
randomized cross-over pilot study.  Cardiovascular Diabetology, 2009.
Details. In this crossover study, 13 individuals with type 2 diabetes followed two diets — a paleolithic diet and a
typical diabetes diet — each for 3 months.
Weight Loss. Participants on the paleo diet lost 6.6 pounds (3 kg) more and lost 4 cm (1.6 inches) more off their
waistlines, compared with the diabetes diet.
Other Markers:
HbA1c. This measure of 3-month blood sugar levels decreased by 0.4%, falling more among those on the
paleo diet than among those on the diabetes diet.
HDL (good) cholesterol. HDL cholesterol levels rose by 3 mg/dL (0.08 mmol/L) on the paleo diet,
compared with the diabetes diet.
Triglycerides. Levels fell by 35 mg/dL (0.4 mmol/L) on the paleo diet, compared with the diabetes diet.
Conclusion. The paleo diet caused more weight loss and improvements in several cardiovascular risk factors,
compared with a diabetes diet.
4. Frassetto, et al. Metabolic and physiologic improvements from consuming a paleolithic, hunter-gatherer
type diet.  European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2009.
Details. Nine healthy individuals consumed a paleolithic diet for 10 days. Calorie control ensured they did not
lose weight. There was no control group.
Health effects:
Total cholesterol: went down by 16%

LDL (bad) cholesterol: went down by 22%
Triglycerides: went down by 35%
Insulin AUC: went down by 39%
Diastolic blood pressure: went down by 3.4 mmHg
5. Ryberg, et al. A Palaeolithic-type diet causes strong tissue-specific effects on ectopic fat deposition in
obese postmenopausal women. Journal of Internal Medicine, 2013.
Details. Ten healthy females with a BMI over 27 consumed a modified paleolithic diet for 5 weeks. There was
no control group. The researchers measured their liver fat, muscle cell fat, and insulin sensitivity.
Weight loss. The participants lost an average of 9.9 pounds (4.5 kg) and experienced a 3.1-inch (8-cm)
reduction in waist circumference.
Liver and muscle fat. The fat contents of liver and muscle cells are a risk factor for metabolic disease. In this
study, there was an average reduction in liver fat of 49%, but no significant effect on the fat content of muscle
cells.
This graph shows how the fat content of liver cells decreased:
As you can see, those who had a lot of liver fat (fatty liver) had the most significant decrease.
Other effects:
Blood pressure: fell from an average of 125/82 mmHg to 115/75 mmHg, although it was only statistically
significant for diastolic blood pressure (the lower number)
Fasting blood sugars: decreased by 6.35 mg/dL (0.35 mmol/L), while and fasting insulin levelsdecreased
by 19%
Total cholesterol: decreased by 33 mg/dL (0.85 mmol/L)
Triglycerides: went down by 35 mg/dL (0.39 mmol/L)
LDL (bad) cholesterol: went down by 25 mg/dL (0.65 mmol/L)
HDL (good) cholesterol: decreased by 7 mg/dL (0.18 mmol/L)
ApoB: decreased by 129 mg/L (14.3%)
Conclusion. During the 5-week study, the women experienced weight loss and reductions in liver fat. They also
had improvements in several important health markers.
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Weight loss and waist circumference
This graph shows the amount of weight loss in the studies.
*In Lindeberg, et al the weight loss difference was not statistically significant (1  ).
The graph does not include the study by Frassetto, et al, as it controlled for calories to make sure the
participants didn’t lose weight (4  ).
It’s worth noting the following:
None of the participants had instructions to restrict calories, but they spontaneously reduced calorie intake
by 300–900 calories per day.
The participants ate fewer carbs and more protein than in their usual diet.
The graph below shows the effect on waist circumference. This is a marker for a type of visceral fat that
accumulates around the organs, as well as a risk factor for various diseases.
The studies showed statistically significant reductions in waist circumference. Decreasing waist circumference
may reduce the risk of diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
In the study by Ryberg, et al, participants lost an average 47% of liver fat after 5 weeks on the paleo diet, an
effect that’s likely to improve health (5  ).
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Cholesterol and triglycerides
Four of the studies (studies 2 to 5) reported changes in total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good)
cholesterol, and blood triglycerides.
Two studies saw reductions in total cholesterol. However, in two others, the difference was not statistically
significant (2  , 3  , 4  , 5  ).
Two studies observed a statistically significant reduction in LDL (bad) cholesterol (4  , 5  ).
Two studies noted a statistically significant difference in HDL (good) cholesterol. One study showed a decrease,
the other an increase (3  , 5  ).
All of the studies showed reductions in blood triglyceride levels, but the difference was not statistically
significant in one study (2  ).
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Blood sugar and insulin levels
All of the studies looked at markers of blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity.
However, the researchers used different measuring methods, so it’s not possible to compare the results in a
graph.
The results of these studies suggest that the paleo diet can lead to improvements in insulin sensitivity and
glycemic control, although the results were not always statistically significant (1  , 2  , 3  , 4  , 5  ).
Blood pressure
Four of the studies (numbers 2–5 above) looked at blood pressure levels before and after the intervention.
Overall, the studies observed mild reductions in blood pressure.
However, the results were not conclusive:
In one study (number 2  ), the decrease in systolic blood pressure (the higher number) was statistically
significant.
In studies 3–5, the decrease in diastolic blood pressure (the lower number) was statistically significant.
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Safety
Overall, participants tolerated the paleo diet well, and there were no reports of adverse effects.
Limitations of the studies

These studies had several limitations:
All were small, with the number of participants ranging from 9–29.
The studies did not last long, ranging from 10 days to 12 weeks.
Only 2 out of 5 studies had a control group.
Additionally, the paleo diet used in the studies is not the typical paleo diet that many people follow today.
It was a “conventional” paleo diet that restricted dairy and sodium, emphasized lean meats, and used canola oil.
Lean meats and canola oil aren’t very popular in the paleo community today, but the original book, “The Paleo
Diet” by Dr. Loren Cordain, recommended these. All the studies used this version of the diet.
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The bottom line

These studies are too small and too short in duration to form a definitive conclusion about the paleo diet.
However, the diet is growing in popularity, and research on its effectiveness continues. For example, in 2019 a
systematic review and meta-analysis looked at findings from 1,088 articles. The results supported the use of the
paleo diet in reducing weight, BMI, and waist circumference (6  ).
As researchers carry out larger and longer studies, more evidence may emerge to support the health benefits
of the paleo diet.
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Last medically reviewed on March 13, 2020
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NUTRITION u Evidence Based

5 Studies on the Paleo Diet — Does It Work?

Blood pressure Safety Limitations Bottom line

The paleo diet is one of the most popular diets.

A few important points:

Other markers. Systolic blood pressure went down by 3 mmHg.

Total cholesterol: went down by 16%

It’s worth noting the following:

Start the new year with a healthy mindset

Enter your email JOIN IN

Get Healthline's daily Nutrition newsletter

Your privacy is important to us Sponsored by

Overall, the studies observed mild reductions in blood pressure.

However, the results were not conclusive:

Limitations of the studies

The bottom line

Start a custom weight loss program

Last medically reviewed on March 13, 2020

READ THIS NEXT

Can the Keto Diet Help Prevent Migraine

Do Vegetarians Eat Eggs?

Are Sugar Alcohols Keto-Friendly?

Is Sour Cream Keto-Friendly?

Most Diets Don’t Work for Weight Loss

Don’t Let a Fear of Pesticides Stop You

Paleo Diet Review: Does It Work for Weight

Sugar Busters Diet Review: Does It Work

The Ornish Diet: Can It Improve Health and

Get our wellness newsletter

Enter your email SIGN UP

Your privacy is important to us

About Us Advertising Policy

Newsletters Privacy Policy

License Our Content

Find an Online Doctor

© 2005-2021 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. All

About | Careers | Advertise with us

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