Title:Ketogenic Diet: An Effective Treatment Approach for Neurodegenerative
Diseases
Volume: 20
Issue: 12
Author(s): Ye Tao, Sean X. Leng and Haiyan Zhang*
Affiliation:
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China
Keywords:
Ketogenic diet, neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, brain gut axis.
Abstract: This review discusses the effects and mechanisms of a ketogenic diet on neurodegenerative
diseases on the basis of available evidence. A ketogenic diet refers to a high-fat, mediumprotein,
and low-carbohydrate diet that leads to a metabolic shift to ketosis. This review systematically
summarizes the scientific literature supporting this effective treatment approach for neurodegenerative
diseases, including effects on mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, neuronal apoptosis,
neuroinflammation, and the microbiota–gut-brain axis. It also highlights the clinical evidence
for the effects of the ketogenic diet in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and
motor neuron disease. Finally, it discusses the common adverse effects of ketogenic therapy.
Although the complete mechanism of the ketogenic diet in the treatment of neurodegenerative
diseases remains to be elucidated, its clinical efficacy has attracted many new followers. The ketogenic
diet is a good candidate for adjuvant therapy, but its specific applicability depends on the type
and the degree of the disease.