Parkinson’s and a ketogenic diet

Question 1

Neuroprotective effect

Answer

The ketogenic diet has a neuroprotective effect, it protects nerve cells.

Question 2

Increased autophagy

Answer

Have you ever heard of autophagy? It is a kind of “cleaning operation” in which cell debris from old or sick cells is removed. If that does not happen, or at least not sufficiently, the cell rubbish is deposited. As a result this rubbish disturbs the healthy cells and can even destroy them. With age more and more cells die off, so more and more rubbish is created that has to be removed. As a result, cells that are actually healthy can be destroyed by the debris. With Parkinson’s, as already mentioned, the dying off of nerve cells also plays a very large role. So it stands to reason that increased autophagy could counteract the destruction of some cells with age. And how can this autophagy be boosted? With a ketogenic diet. The ketone bodies that are formed boost the cleaning operation in the brain and could therefore prevent diseases such as Parkinson’s. If you would like to know more about autophagy, you can read up on it in our article on bulletproof coffee.

Question 3

Ketone bodies as an energy source for the brain

Answer

In Parkinson’s patients it is assumed that the uptake of glucose into the brain is limited in the affected cells. There is therefore a risk that these cells do not get enough energy and as a result suffer an energy shortage. The ketone bodies produced during a ketogenic diet, however, can reach the brain cells by another route. Unlike glucose, ketone bodies can therefore prevent an energy shortage in the brain cells.

Question 4

Fewer free radicals

Answer

With a ketogenic diet the power stations of our cells (the so called mitochondria) can work better, for example. As a result fewer free radicals are formed. And what is good about few free radicals? Quite simply, free radicals can destroy cells. That means: fewer free radicals, more happy, healthy cells.

Question 5

Anti-inflammatory effect

Answer

Another point that is discussed is an anti-inflammatory effect of the keto diet, which could consequently support a better “performance” of the nerve cells. We have a detailed article about the anti-inflammatory effect that you can read on our blog.

Question 6

Lower apoptosis

Answer

It is also assumed that the ketogenic diet can reduce so called apoptosis. Apop what? Apoptosis means cell death. If this is reduced, fewer cells die off. Our nerve cells would therefore be protected.

Question 7

State of research

Answer

Unfortunately the body of studies on Parkinson’s patients and a ketogenic diet is not yet very extensive. Cell culture experiments and animal studies above all have been carried out, while studies with humans are still very rare at present. The few experiments that do exist showed positive effects of ketone bodies on the course of Parkinson’s syndrome. The motor abilities of rats with Parkinson’s improved, for example, when they were given a ketogenic diet³. For around a month Parkinson’s patients ate a ketogenic diet and at the end were able to improve their Parkinson’s score (a kind of assessment of the degree of the disease). Even though the authors could not rule out a placebo effect, it is encouraging for further investigations⁵. In 2018 a study showed that an eight week low-fat or ketogenic diet in Parkinson’s patients was able to reduce the motor and non-motor symptoms. The ketogenic diet was additionally able to improve the non-motor symptoms even more strongly than the low-fat diet that was examined². In future these studies definitely have to be expanded further, in order to understand the mechanisms and therapeutic potential better.