Article #123

Did you know that Alzheimer’s disease strikes someone in the US every 65 seconds? Neurodegenerative conditions are more common. We need better ways to fight them. The ketogenic diet, with its focus on fats and less carbs, is showing promise in helping with these diseases. The keto diet works by changing the body’s main energy source. It switches from glucose to ketones, which come from fats. This change helps in many conditions, from epilepsy to depression and even Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease¹.By balancing different processes in the body and brain, the keto diet can help with conditions. It also might improve how the brain and organs work. This could result in better health overall¹. In Alzheimer’s disease, for example, research found some notes of success with the keto diet. Several studies have shown its benefits, particularly for cognitive functions in mild Alzheimer’s cases. Another study highlighted how MCT oil might help too². Parkinson’s disease is also a focus. While more studies are needed, early research hints the diet could aid the nervous system. This might lead to better movement control and life quality for Parkinson’s patients¹.

Key Takeaways

• The ketogenic diet, with its high-fat, low-carb nature, may help in fighting Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s².
• It improves health by balancing various internal activities. This can lead to reduced inflammation and better brain functions¹.
• Evidence suggests the diet might protect the brain in Alzheimer’s. Studies support the use of special ketogenic compounds and MCT oil².
• More work is needed on the keto diet’s effects on Parkinson’s. Early findings are positive, hinting at a possible relief of symptoms¹.
• An extensive study is looking into how the ketogenic diet might prevent or combat Alzheimer’s³.

The Origins of the Ketogenic Diet for Neurodegenerative Diseases

In the 1920s, the ketogenic diet began as a way to treat epilepsy. Dr. Russell Wilder at the Mayo Clinic first used it. The idea came from the work of Dr. Hugh Conklin and Dr. Guelpa. They saw that the diet worked for epilepsy and wondered if it could help other brain diseases like ALS⁴.

Scientists found that the ketogenic diet might help the brain in many ways. It might protect the brain and change how the brain uses energy. A study by Dr. Prins and Dr. Matsumoto found that using ketones could help treat brain injuries⁴. Another study by Cavaleri and Bashar suggested that some ketone and butyrate might help with brain health and reduce inflammation⁴.

Researchers also looked into the diet’s effects on brain health. Dr. Maalouf, Dr. Rho, and Dr. Mattson found that it can help the brain stay healthy. They showed that it might keep the brain from diseases⁴. In mice with Alzheimer’s, a ketogenic diet made them move better, though it didn’t lower a key disease marker⁴.

There is also research on how the diet might help thinking. Dr. Reger and his team found that one part of the diet could make thinking better in those with memory problems⁴. Another group showed that using special fats in the diet could help people with Alzheimer’s think better too⁴. Dr. Taylor and his group said the diet might help with Alzheimer’s symptoms⁴.

The ketogenic diet started with epilepsy and moved on to other brain diseases. Its effect on brain health is a hot topic in research today.

Neuroprotective Effects of the Ketogenic Diet

The ketogenic diet is grabbing attention for its help with various brain-related issues. It is a low-carb, high-fat plan that shows promise for diseases like Alzheimer’s and for better brain health overall⁵. This diet could do a lot for our brains, from helping with diseases to boosting our thinking power. It works by changing how our bodies use energy, which can be a big help for our brains.

For Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, the diet might make a big difference. A study by Cunnane et al. showed that the diet helps the brain work better, even as we age⁵. It’s because of ketones, a type of fuel the diet makes. These ketones can help the brain even when it’s not using sugars well. Plus, the diet seems to help mice with Alzheimer’s do better physically⁶.

It’s also being looked at for epilepsy, a condition that causes seizures. Martin-McGill et al. found that it can help especially when medicines don’t work⁵. The diet changes how our cells work. This helps stop seizures by protecting a part of our cells that can cause them. So, the diet’s way of changing our body’s energy use might help control seizures.

And it’s not just for these diseases. Researchers are exploring how the diet might help with other brain and muscle issues⁵. It seems to improve how we move and think. People also lose weight and get healthier overall by following the diet⁵. The findings suggest it could have a wide range of benefits for how our brains work.

The diet’s benefits seem to come from various ways it changes our body’s processes. It can help in Parkinson’s by protecting certain brain cells and by providing more energy⁶. This is thanks to certain fats the diet uses, which can make our body produce more protective substances. Also, it might help keep brain cells safer in diseases by changing how our cells’ energy factories work⁷. This means the diet might not just help, but maybe even prevent, some brain diseases.

To wrap up, the ketogenic diet is proving to be good for our brains in many ways. It could help with diseases, but also improve how our brains work in general. There are still many details to figure out, but this diet could be a key to better brain health for all of us.

Ketogenic Diet and Alzheimer’s Disease

The idea of using the ketogenic diet to fight Alzheimer’s disease is getting more attention. This diet is low in carbs and high in fats. Its effects on thinking and memory, as well as amyloid-beta levels, are being studied.

Studies suggest the ketogenic diet might help people with Alzheimer’s. One research done on mice showed that a special diet improved their thinking and memory. It also helped lower harmful amyloid and tau proteins in their brains⁸.

Other studies looked at how the ketogenic diet affects people’s thinking skills. They found that this diet could help with memory, problem-solving, and planning. The improvements were clear across different areas of thinking⁸.

This diet also works well in people, not just mice. A study showed that it led to a good level of ketosis over 12 weeks. Ketosis is when the body makes and uses ketones from the diet’s fats. This state is linked to the diet’s brain-protecting benefits⁹.

However, more studies are needed to fully understand the diet’s benefits for Alzheimer’s. Researchers want to know more about how well people stick to the diet. They also are looking into any possible downsides. Such studies will help create better treatments for Alzheimer’s patients⁹.

Statistical Data	Source
14k accesses to the research article on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Ketogenic Diet	Link 1
39 citations received by the article	Link 1
27 Altmetric score indicating the attention and engagement the article has received	Link 1
22 relevant interventional studies identified for review (11 animal studies and 11 human studies)	Link 1
146 papers selected for review, resulting in 84 interventional studies after initial screening	Link 1
48.5 ± 5.2 animals on average were used in animal studies for ketogenic interventions	Link 1
Follow-up durations in animal studies varied, with durations of 8 or 12 weeks for certain studies, while others had follow-up durations of 32 and 72 weeks	Link 1
Different AD mouse models used in studies include: 3xTgAD mice, APP/PS1 mice, APP [V7171] mice, and APP+PS1 mice	Link 1
Variability noted in baseline age of animals in studies, with differences between species and models	Link 1
Specific effect of ketogenic diets on cognitive outcomes in human studies was significant, showing improvements in global cognition, memory, and executive functions	Link 1
Ketone supplementation or ketogenic diets showed efficacy in achieving ketosis in human studies	Link 1
Need for further ketogenic diet interventional studies in Alzheimer’s patients to assess efficiency, adherence, and potential adverse effects	Link 1

Ketogenic Diet and Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s is a brain disease that affects a lot of people worldwide. The ketogenic diet, known for helping with epilepsy, is also promising for those with Parkinson’s. It can make their symptoms better and improve their life, according to¹⁰ data.

There’s a lot to Parkinson’s – a mix of genes and environment affecting the brain. It starts with things like shaking and stiffness, and later, other issues may show up¹¹.

Research suggests that eating keto might help with moving and thinking for Parkinson’s patients. It could lessen shaking, make walking and standing easier, boost their mood and energy¹⁰¹¹.

One small study had seven Parkinson’s patients try the keto diet for 28 days. They reported feeling better and having fewer symptoms¹¹. In another study with 47 patients, those on keto for two months saw more improvement versus those on a low-fat diet. Their sleep, focus, and feelings of tiredness got better¹¹.

Doctors checked if the patients were really on keto by testing their blood for ketones. Turns out, they all were in ketosis, which is the goal¹¹.

The keto diet seems helpful for Parkinson’s disease. But, we need more studies to grasp how it works and how to use it best with other treatments¹¹.

But, getting Parkinson’s patients to stick to the keto diet can be hard. It also needs careful watching for bad effects and making sure they get all the right nutrients. So, it’s vital that doctors and nutritionists work closely with patients to make the diet work¹⁰.

Ketogenic Diet and Gut Microbiome

The ketogenic diet doesn’t just help with our brain and nerves. It also seems connected to the tiny world living in our guts, our gut microbiome. This connection is important because the gut microbiome affects our health and how well we think. Many studies show that the ketogenic diet might help fix issues in your gut, reduce brain inflammation, and slow down brain diseases¹².

Science finds that when our gut’s microorganisms are out of balance, it can lead to serious brain diseases¹². The ketogenic diet might help fix this imbalance, which in turn could make your brain healthier. By eating fewer carbs and more fats, the types of microorganisms in your gut can change. This change could help bring back a healthy mix of microorganisms, fixing the imbalance¹².

The ketogenic diet is also linked to making brain diseases better. It can make you think clearer and lower signs of brain inflammation¹². These good changes might be because the diet changes the gut’s microorganisms¹². But, it’s not all perfect. This diet can lower the number of certain good microorganisms in your gut¹².

It’s found that thinking might not get better if you do the ketogenic diet all the time. It actually works best if you go on and off it. This is key for brain diseases¹². So, we still need more studies. We want to fully grasp how the ketogenic diet, our gut bugs, and how we think are all connected.

Ketogenic Diet and Glutathione Levels

Glutathione is a key antioxidant that protects against oxidative stress. This stress is tied to many neurodegenerative diseases. Some studies show the ketogenic diet (KD) boosts glutathione levels in the brain. This could help protect the brain¹⁰.

Oxidative stress happens when there’s too much ROS and our bodies can’t get rid of them fast enough. This stress can harm cells and worsen neurodegenerative diseases. Glutathione works to counteract ROS, lessening the impact of oxidative stress on the brain¹⁰.

The KD’s effect on glutathione levels has been mainly looked into for epilepsy. It’s shown to cut down seizures. Epilepsy affects a big number of people globally, and some don’t respond well to normal anti-seizure drugs¹⁰.

Research, including controlled trials, has shown the KD can lower seizure numbers. In some cases, it’s cut over half of all seizures. This underscores the KD’s potential as another choice for helping manage epilepsy¹⁰.

When looking at many studies together, the KD has shown good results for managing seizures. These effects range from 42% in adults to as high as 55% in kids when following a strict 4:1 KD¹⁰. This suggests the KD has a big role in handling seizures for those with hard-to-treat epilepsy¹⁰.

The specific link between glutathione levels and diseases like Alzheimer’s is less detailed here. But, the KD is believed to help these conditions too. Its boost in glutathione could be key to protecting against these diseases¹³.

Neurodegenerative Disease	Impact of Ketogenic Diet	Reference
Epilepsy	Reduces seizures and increases glutathione levels	10
Alzheimer’s Disease	Potential therapeutic benefits and increased glutathione levels	13
Parkinson’s Disease	Potential therapeutic benefits and increased glutathione levels	13

More studies are needed to fully grasp how the KD boosts glutathione and protects against neurodegenerative diseases. Still, current findings hint at a strong connection between the diet, higher glutathione, and brain protection¹⁰¹³.

Adding the KD to management plans for neurodegenerative diseases may offer a way to increase glutathione levels. This could help lessen oxidative stress, better brain health, and slow disease advance. More studies are necessary to uncover the complete impact of the KD on glutathione and its therapeutic use in different neurodegenerative diseases¹⁰¹³.

Contraindications of the Ketogenic Diet

The ketogenic diet has many possible benefits. Yet, it’s not right for everyone. Think about some important points before you start.

Older people should be careful with the ketogenic diet. It might bring health risks and be hard to keep up with¹⁴.

People with type 1 diabetes need to watch out too. The diet can change their blood sugar levels a lot. They’ll need to stay on top of this change¹⁵.

If someone has kidney, liver, or heart issues, they should talk to their doctor before trying this diet. It could make things harder for these organs¹⁶.

Those with eating disorders must be very careful. They should only try this diet with professional help. It can make their issues worse, affecting both body and mind¹⁶.

Always put safety first. Talk to a doctor before starting the ketogenic diet, especially if any of the mentioned conditions apply to you.

Long-Term Effects and Considerations

The impact of the ketogenic diet on brain health is still under investigation¹⁷. Some studies suggest it might help fight brain diseases. But switching between types of food could also be beneficial. It’s vital to think about what each person needs and wants when trying this diet¹⁸.

Long-Term Effects of the Ketogenic Diet

Studies in mice show the ketogenic diet could help with memory problems in Alzheimer’s disease models¹⁷. This diet boosts a substance called beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) more than a regular diet does. It also increases important chemicals for brain health and growth, especially in female mice¹⁷. And people on the diet tend to have more BHB in their blood than others¹⁷.

Effect	Summary
Synaptic Plasticity	The ketogenic diet increases important brain health chemicals in both sexes and female mice with Alzheimer’s disease17.
Blood Beta-Hydroxybutyrate	Those on the ketogenic diet have higher levels of BHB in their blood17.

One study found that a ketogenic diet affects genes related to memory and brain health¹⁷. It changes how some genes work. This means 141 genes stop working as much, but 213 genes work harder. It’s like tweaking a recipe for better brain health.

Considerations for Long-Term Implementation

The ketogenic diet could be good for brain health. But not everyone should try it for a long time. People with specific health issues might not do well with this diet¹⁸. This includes some pregnant or breastfeeding women and anyone with serious kidney, liver, or heart problems¹⁸.

If you have a gene that makes Alzheimer’s disease more likely, be careful with this diet¹⁸. It could affect your blood fats. So, it’s very important to pick a diet that matches your health needs and genes if you’re looking at this for brain diseases¹⁸.

Role of Ketogenic Diet in Brain Health

The ketogenic diet is great for the brain. It focuses on making sure our bodies use energy well and on giving our brains what they need. This special diet helps people switch how their bodies use energy. This is very good for brain health.

Many are looking at the ketogenic diet for diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Over 50 million have Alzheimer’s, and this might jump to over 150 million by 2050¹⁹. So, we need to find new ways, like this diet, to fight these diseases.

For Alzheimer’s, it’s key to offer diets that fit individual needs. Most patients are women. And, some groups, like Caucasians and Japanese, have more risk. Age also matters, with most cases showing up between 70 and 80²⁰. Knowing who is more likely to get sick helps us help them better.

The ketogenic diet might help those with Alzheimer’s by changing what they eat. Less carbs and more fats help the body make a special energy type called ketones²⁰. This might make Alzheimer’s symptoms better. Research says these diets could lower brain inflammation and help the brain work better¹⁹. These are big steps in fighting this disease.

This diet can also help with Parkinson’s. It seems to make brain connections better and helps with thinking and movement²¹. For those with Parkinson’s, this diet might lower their symptoms²¹. It could be a good extra treatment to deal with this disease.

It’s important to understand how this diet changes our brains. The diet makes the body do ketosis. This means the body starts using ketones for brain power²¹. When done right, this diet can really help our brains and fight diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Personalized Interventions for Optimal Brain Health

Making diets that fit individuals is key for the ketogenic diet. We look at a person’s body and goals to plan the best diet. This way, the diet works better and the person sticks with it longer. It’s good for their health.

Benefit	Role of Ketogenic Diet
Enhanced Brain Function	The ketogenic diet stimulates the production of ketone bodies, which provide an alternative energy source for the brain and support cognitive function19.
Neuroprotection	Ketogenic diets have been found to exert a neuroprotective effect by reducing brain inflammation, improving mitochondrial function, and reducing the impact of β-amyloid protein plaques19.
Optimized Glutamate Activity	Regulating glutamate activity in specific brain areas through the ketogenic diet can improve cognitive function and mood disorders associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as AD19.

Tailored diets can do a lot for our brains. They can help the way our mitochondria work and might fight off diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Using the right food plans for each person is really powerful. It can help keep our brains healthy for the long run.

Latest Research and Applications

Ongoing research is helping us understand more about ketogenic therapies. They look into how these diets affect our cells’ powerhouses (mitochondria) and help with conditions related to the brain. This work is opening up new ways to treat diseases that harm the brain. It focuses on how our cells turn food into the energy needed for brain health.

The Power of Ketogenic Therapies

Doctors have been using ketogenic diets for about a hundred years to help with epilepsy in kids who don’t respond to regular treatment. These diets that put the body into a state called ‘ketosis’ can also help with certain brain conditions like AD and PD. By changing the way the brain uses energy, they offer new hope for these diseases.

Different stages of brain diseases might benefit from ketosis in various ways. Therapies can range from specific diets to supplements that encourage ketosis. There are many tools available to trigger this metabolic state.

Advancements in Neurodegenerative Diseases

A special oral compound called AC-1202 is being used to fight brain diseases nowadays. It has an ingredient called caprylic acid. Newer studies are showing how diets that lead to ketosis might improve not just epilepsy, but also brain conditions like PD and AD. They seem to offer different good things for each disease.

Alzheimer’s Disease

MCT oil, a supplement used to boost ketosis, has shown to help people with AD think better in various research studies. These studies were carefully reviewed and ranked based on how strong their evidence was. Across the board, MCT oil came out as a helpful addition to the diet in these cases.

Parkinson’s Disease

Studies give low to moderate evidence that a ketogenic diet can help with PD’s non-movement symptoms. Yet, its overall effect is labeled as “C,” not very strong. This shows there’s more to learn about how these diets can best be used against PD.

Further Insights and Potential

These diets might help our brains in several ways. They could make up for the sugar our brains lose the ability to use with age, for instance. Also, not just for brain diseases, but they might also help control seizures or even support weight loss. This is exciting news for those studying health and the brain.

• – A 2006 study pointed out that a ketogenic diet could be a fresh approach in treating a specific muscle disease⁴.
• – In 2000, a substance called D-beta-hydroxybutyrate showed promise in protecting brain cells from diseases like AD and PD⁴.
• – The year 2009 saw a focus on the effects of a certain ketogenic product in people with Alzheimer’s⁴.
• – By 2018, a new diet that increases a specific kind of ketone was linked to less anxiety, better memory, and fewer Alzheimer’s symptoms in a study on mice⁴.
• – There’s evidence to suggest that the ketogenic diet protects brain cells in another type of animal research⁴.
• – In 2018, a product high in MCTs was found to improve thinking in people with Alzheimer’s⁴.
• – Also in 2018, a study reported that the ketogenic diet could actually work in people with Alzheimer’s⁴.

New studies and practical uses are showing us that ketogenic therapies could be important in dealing with brain diseases. By aiming at how our cells make and use energy, they hold a lot of promise. These approaches could change the lives of many facing brain health challenges.

Using different layouts for information and adding images makes reading more interesting and enjoyable. This way, learning about complex topics can be both clear and engaging.

Conclusion

The ketogenic diet shows great promise for diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Studies suggest it can protect the brain and improve its performance. It also seems to be good for motor skills and blood flow to the brain2

But, this diet might not work for everyone. It depends on the person, so it’s vital to find what’s best for each individual. More research is also needed about its long-term benefits for the brain2, 3

With more and more people suffering from brain diseases, finding new treatments is key. The ketogenic diet’s link with ketone bodies and how it changes our metabolism is worth exploring more2, 3

Source Links

1. https://www.nutraingredients.com/Article/2022/05/09/keto-diet-may-aid-neurological-diseases-researchers-say – Keto diet may aid neurological diseases, researchers say
2. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2023.1123290/full – Frontiers | Ketogenic interventions in mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease: A systematic review and critical appraisal
3. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/a-mediterranean-based-ketogenic-diet-may-help-lower-alzheimers-disease-risk – Alzheimer’s: Mediterranean-based keto diet may lower risk
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6356942/ – Role of Ketogenic Diets in Neurodegenerative Diseases (Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease)
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9890290/ – Ketogenic Diet: An Effective Treatment Approach for Neurodegenerative Diseases
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8650112/ – Neuroprotection by the Ketogenic Diet: Evidence and Controversies
7. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41420-023-01549-0 – Neuroprotective effect of a medium-chain triglyceride ketogenic diet on MPTP-induced Parkinson’s disease mice: a combination of transcriptomics and metabolomics in the substantia nigra and fecal microbiome – Cell Death Discovery
8. https://alzres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13195-020-00615-4 – Are ketogenic diets promising for Alzheimer’s disease? A translational review – Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy
9. https://alzres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13195-021-00783-x – Randomized crossover trial of a modified ketogenic diet in Alzheimer’s disease – Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy
10. https://www.jneurology.com/articles/exploring-the-therapeutic-potential-of-the-ketogenic-diet-on-neurological-disorders-a-comprehensive-review.html – Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of the Ketogenic Diet on Neurological Disorders: A Comprehensive Review
11. https://www.ruled.me/parkinsons-disease-ketogenic-diet/ – Parkinson’s Disease and The Ketogenic Diet – Ruled Me
12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9614261/ – Regulation of gut microbiome by ketogenic diet in neurodegenerative diseases: A molecular crosstalk
13. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/10/2270 – The Relationship of Ketogenic Diet with Neurodegenerative and Psychiatric Diseases: A Scoping Review from Basic Research to Clinical Practice
14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9739023/ – The Role of Ketogenic Diet in the Treatment of Neurological Diseases
15. https://www.news-medical.net/health/Ketogenic-Diet-Indications-and-Contra-Indications.aspx – Ketogenic Diet Indications and Contra-Indications
16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6277302/ – Ketogenic Diets for Adult Neurological Disorders
17. https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-024-05860-z – Ketogenic diet and BHB rescue the fall of long-term potentiation in an Alzheimer’s mouse model and stimulates synaptic plasticity pathway enzymes – Communications Biology
18. https://www.ifm.org/news-insights/ketogenic-diet-neurodegenerative-diseases/ – Ketogenic Diet in Neurodegenerative Diseases
19. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2021.744398 – Frontiers | Can Ketogenic Diet Improve Alzheimer’s Disease? Association With Anxiety, Depression, and Glutamate System
20. https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/14/1/25 – A Potential Role for the Ketogenic Diet in Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment: Exploring Pre-Clinical and Clinical Evidence
21. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13311-021-01067-w – Nutritional Ketosis in Parkinson’s Disease — a Review of Remaining Questions and Insights – Neurotherapeutics