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Dr. Eric Westman, MD, MHS

Dr. Eric Westman is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Duke University. Board Certified in Obesity Medicine and Internal Medicine, Dr. Westman founded the Duke Lifestyle Medicine Clinic in 2006 after 8 years of clinical research on low carbohydrate & ketogenic diets.

Dr. Westman combines clinical research and clinical care to deliver lifestyle treatments for obesity, diabetes and tobacco dependence. He is an internationally known researcher specialising in low-carbohydrate nutrition and is Past-President and Master Fellow of the Obesity Medicine Association and Fellow of The Obesity Society.

Dr. Westman is also an editor of the textbook “Obesity: Evaluation & Treatment Essentials”, and author of the New York Times Bestseller “The New Atkins for a New You”, “Cholesterol Clarity”, and “Keto Clarity”. He is co-founder of the companies Adapt Your Life, and Heal Diabetes Clinics, which are based on low carbohydrate concepts.

Books by Dr. Eric Westman, MD

Video Presentations of Dr. Eric Westman, MD

"Keto Medicine - The Practice of Carb Restriction" - Dr. Eric Westman, MD

Dr. Eric Westman is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Duke University. Board Certified in Obesity Medicine and Internal Medicine, Dr. Westman founded the Duke Lifestyle Medicine Clinic in 2006 after 8 years of clinical research on low carbohydrate & ketogenic diets.

Dr. Westman combines clinical research and clinical care to deliver lifestyle treatments for obesity, diabetes and tobacco dependence. He is an internationally known researcher specialising in low-carbohydrate nutrition and is Past-President and Master Fellow of the Obesity Medicine Association and Fellow of The Obesity Society.

Dr. Westman is also an editor of the textbook “Obesity: Evaluation & Treatment Essentials”, and author of the New York Times Bestseller “The New Atkins for a New You”, “Cholesterol Clarity”, and “Keto Clarity”. He is co-founder of the companies Adapt Your Life, and Heal Diabetes Clinics, which are based on low carbohydrate concepts. 

"Evidence-based vs. Internet-based Keto" - Dr. Eric Westman, MD

20 Years Low Carb Experience with Dr. Eric Westman, MD

Few people have as much experience helping patients use a low-carb lifestyle to improve their health as Dr. Westman. He has been doing this for over 20 years, and he approaches low-carb medicine from both a research and clinical perspective. Through the years, he's shared valuable insights about the clinical utility of low-carb lifestyles.

With his extensive knowledge, he's helped thousands of patients revitalize their heath. Interested in low carb? Then here's your chance to hear a veteran practitioner share his wisdom. 

"LCHF and Diabetes: Theory and Clinical Experience" - Dr. Eric Westman, MD

Dr. Eric C. Westman is an associate professor of medicine at Duke University Health System and director of the Duke Lifestyle Medicine Clinic.

Dr. Westman combines clinical research and clinical care to deliver lifestyle treatments for obesity, diabetes and tobacco dependence. He is an internationally known researcher specialising in low-carbohydrate nutrition and is co-author of 'The New Atkins For A New You', 'Keto Clarity' and 'Cholesterol Clarity'. He has also helped do several high-quality scientific studies on low carb.

Dr. Westman is currently the vice president of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians and a fellow of the Obesity Society and the Society of General Internal Medicine. 

Scholarly Articles from Dr. Eric Westman, MD

The effect of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-glycemic index diet on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus - Nutrition & MetabolismObjective Dietary carbohydrate is the major determinant of postprandial glucose levels, and several clinical studies have shown that low-carbohydrate diets improve glycemic control. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that a diet lower in carbohydrate would lead to greater improvement in glycemic control over a 24-week period in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Research design and methods Eighty-four community volunteers with obesity and type 2 diabetes were randomized to either a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet (<20 g of carbohydrate daily; LCKD) or a low-glycemic, reduced-calorie diet (500 kcal/day deficit from weight maintenance diet; LGID). Both groups received group meetings, nutritional supplementation, and an exercise recommendation. The main outcome was glycemic control, measured by hemoglobin A1c. Results Forty-nine (58.3%) participants completed the study. Both interventions led to improvements in hemoglobin A1c, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and weight loss. The LCKD group had greater improvements in hemoglobin A1c (-1.5% vs. -0.5%, p = 0.03), body weight (-11.1 kg vs. -6.9 kg, p = 0.008), and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (+5.6 mg/dL vs. 0 mg/dL, p < 0.001) compared to the LGID group. Diabetes medications were reduced or eliminated in 95.2% of LCKD vs. 62% of LGID participants (p < 0.01). Conclusion Dietary modification led to improvements in glycemic control and medication reduction/elimination in motivated volunteers with type 2 diabetes. The diet lower in carbohydrate led to greater improvements in glycemic control, and more frequent medication reduction/elimination than the low glycemic index diet. Lifestyle modification using low carbohydrate interventions is effective for improving and reversing type 2 diabetes.
Editorial: Carbohydrate-Restricted Nutrition and Diabetes MellitusInsulin resistance is characterized by elevated insulin levels. The most commonly used approaches to treat conditions caused by insulin resistance, including Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM), involves medications. The management of insulin resistance with medications then typically leads to a need for "intensification of medications" to improve glycemic control.(1) However, giving medications like insulin to treat insulin resistance and/or T2DM does not cure these conditions-it perpetuates or even worsens the insulin resistance. This consequence is especially likely if medication treatment leads to weight gain, because weight gain leads to a worsening of the insulin resistance. A alternative approach to the treatment of insulin resistance is to use strategies that lower insulin blood levels, including non-pharmacologic treatments.Obesity Medicine is a medical subspecialty that treats T2DM by targeting underlying contributors of insulin resistance and T2DM: obesity and lifestyle. One of the lifestyle approaches used by obesity medicine specialists is a carbohydrate-restricted diet.(2) Several studies have shown that a carbohydrate-restricted diet can lead to improvements and even reversal of T2DM. (3,4) Because many barriers exist to the implementation of carbohydrate-restricted diets into medical practice, this Special Issue invited articles related to the use of carbohydrate-restriction for T2DM. In this issue, the paper topics range from theoretical to practical aspects of the use...
The Ketogenic Diet for Refractory Mental Illness: A Retrospective Analysis of 31 InpatientsBackground and HypothesisThe robust evidence base supporting the therapeutic benefit of ketogenic diets in epilepsy and other neurological conditions suggests this same metabolic approach may also benefit psychiatric conditions.Study DesignIn this retrospective analysis of clinical care, 31 adults with severe, persistent mental illness (major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizoaffective disorder) whose symptoms were poorly controlled despite intensive psychiatric management were admitted to a psychiatric hospital and placed on a ketogenic diet restricted to a maximum of 20 grams of carbohydrate per day as an adjunct to conventional inpatient care. The duration of the intervention ranged from 6 to 248 days.Study ResultsThree patients were unable to adhere to the diet for >14 days and were excluded from the final analysis. Among included participants, means and standard deviations (SDs) improved for the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores from 25.4 (6.3) to 7.7 (4.2), P < 0.001 and the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale from 29.6 (7.8) to 10.1 (6.5), P < 0.001. Among the 10 patients with schizoaffective illness, mean (SD) of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) scores improved from 91.4 (15.3) to 49.3 (6.9), P < 0.001. Significant improvements were also observed in metabolic health measures including weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, and triglycerides.ConclusionsThe administration of a ketogenic diet in this semi-controlled setting t...