Eating a keto diet prevented the mild cognitive impairment that’s often seen in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease by altering the way brain cells connect and communicate, new research has found. The researchers suggest that adopting the diet may be a way of delaying the onset of full-blown Alzheimer’s.
Despite its hype, the low-carb, high-fat, moderate protein ketogenic or keto diet remains somewhat controversial. In the ‘pros’ column, studies have found that keto may extend lifespan, protect against epileptic seizures, and enhance chemotherapy treatments. As far as its ‘cons,’ nutritionists have argued that long-term the diet is fundamentally unhealthy, and it’s been found to contribute more to climate change than other diets.
The findings of a new study by researchers at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) would most likely be considered a ‘pro.’ The researchers found that, at least in mice, eating a keto diet significantly delayed the mild cognitive impairment usually seen in the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s disease by increasing levels of the molecule beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB).
“The data support the idea that the ketogenic diet in general, and BHB specifically, delays mild cognitive impairment, and it may delay full-blown Alzheimer’s disease,” said Gino Cortopassi, one of the study’s corresponding authors. “The data clearly don’t support the idea that this is eliminating Alzheimer’s disease entirely.”
The keto diet started life in 1921 as a way of suppressing epileptic seizures, and although its mechanism of action remains a mystery, it’s still a treatment option for juvenile epilepsy, especially when seizures are resistant to treatment. More recently, it’s been explored as a way of boosting cognitive functioning and alleviating the symptoms of neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s disease and ALS.
The goal of the diet is to shift from using glucose as the body’s main fuel source to burning fat for energy. When the glucose supply is too low for the body’s energetic needs – which is what happens with the keto diet, given the very small amounts of glucose-giving carbs eaten – the liver…