Well, I doubt I have anything helpful, but good luck! :-)

Anyone? please

Maybe if you have some specific questions you'll get better answers. It's tough when you just ask for 'long term effects' without clarifying what types of effects you're wondering about. There are people on here with a ton more knowledge than me about keto, but they need to know what you want to learn about in order to give you the information.

Good luck! :-)

You could try asking the question on paleohacks.com. Lots of answers there.

Okay I'm trying to research what effects staying in ketosis long term has on the body and struggling to find out much that doesn't include, obese, diabetic, epilepsy or short term studies.

Background on me
I'm a natural bodybuilder-not competing this year, I'm menopausal, reasonably lean, in recovery from bulimia, found getting into ketosis easy, enjoy this style of eating as its low volume and no food cravings and full of energy. Never felt so well.

I was intending to do a CKD but unsure whether just to stay in keto, hence the research.

Do any of you have any info, links or personal experiences that you think will be of interest to me ? A few of you seem to be very well informed and want to learn as much as I can if this is to be for ever way of eating
TIA

You'll likely find very little studies/info/articles about people being in ketosis for an extended duration without a medical reason to do so. There are many in bodybuilding circles that cycle a ketogenic diet for years ... but not many that STAY ketogenic - for reasons I'll get into below...

If you look at the basic biochemistry involved, I'd suggest a CKD rather than staying in ketosis - and the primary reason is that you mention you're a natural bodybuilder.

We do know that insulin is the 2nd most anabolic hormone - if you're looking for hypertrophy, you need it. Obviously you don't need to be hyperinsulinemic, but you still need modest amounts of circulating insulin, which staying in ketosis long-term doesn't provide - unless you're already insulin-resistant.

*IF* you decide to stay in ketosis, I'd recommend you eat reasonable amounts of carbohydrate in the meal prior-to your workout (in order to properly fuel high-intensity strength-training) as well as some fast-acting protein and carbohydrate in your post-workout meal - to stimulate insulin-secretion to drive the anabolic process into gear. It's easy to do this AND stay ketogenic. Just watch the macro profiles in your other meals.

I dont think there will be any serious side effects long term if you are fine now.

This is a diet promoted by doctors when patients have certain illnesses... maybe i put too much faith in doctors but i would trust that, and as a sufferer of hypothyroidism (which no specialist seems capable of stabalising) I have felt so much more 'alive' and my thyroid levels have actually gotten to a SLIGHTY more reasonable level since being on this diet...

(I must admit i desperately miss pasta and 'real' pizza though!)