MS: Keto diet may improve fatigue, mood, and quality of life

 

• A preliminary study has found that participants with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) who followed a ketogenic diet for 6 months experienced improvements in fatigue, mood, and the quality of life.
• The study also demonstrated improvements in walking distance, disability, and finger dexterity.
• Still, determining the potential for a keto diet to be a complementary MS treatment will require further research.

MS is a chronic neurological disease that affects nearly 2.3 million adults globally. At least two to three times as many women have MS, compared with men. At present, there is no cure.

In a person with MS, the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the insulation around nerves, which is called myelinTrusted Source. This insulation helps nerves efficiently transmit electrical impulses.

Some people with MS experience mild symptoms with little or no impairment, but for most people with MS, symptoms worsen over time, eventually leading to varying degrees of disability.

Disease-modifying treatments can suppress the immune response that characterizes MS. This can reduce the number and severity of attacks and delay progression. Still, not everyone responds to this treatment.

Insulin resistance and inflammation

Recent research indicates that a ketogenic diet, which is low in carbohydrates and high in fat, might benefit people with MS.

Decreased carbohydrateTrusted Source consumption reduces glucose and insulin levels. This causes the body to produce ketones from fats, and ketones serve as an alternative fuel source.

Previous studiesTrusted Source have suggested that ketones may aid in the regenerationTrusted Source of demyelinated nerves and reduce inflammation. This led investigators to evaluate a keto diet’s safety, tolerability, and effects in participants with relapsing-remitting MS.

People with this condition have periods of new or worsening symptoms, which are called “exacerbations” or “relapses.” These are followed by periods of remission, when the symptoms improve or disappear.

The authors of the recent study will present their preliminary findings at the American Academy of Neurology’s 74th Annual Meeting, in Seattle.

The study included 65 participants with relapsing-remitting MS. They followed a strict modified Atkins diet for 6 months. This involved eating 2–3 ketogenic meals every day. Each meal contained a source of protein plus 2–4 tablespoons of fat and 1–2 cups of nonstarchy vegetables.

The lead author of the study, Dr. J. Nicholas Brenton, director of the Pediatric and Young Adult MS and Related Disorders Clinic and associate professor of pediatrics and neurology at the University of Virginia, told MNT:

“Participants were instructed to restrict net carbohydrates to 20 grams or less each day and encouraged to increase healthy fat intake. Adherence to the diet was monitored by daily urine tests to measure ketones, a metabolite produced by the body when it is burning fats.”

Before the study began and at 3 months, 6 months, or both, the researchers recorded participant-reported fatigue, depression, and quality of life scores. They also assessed how much MS had affected the participants’ functioning with validated tests.

The researchers also measured levels of two cytokines — adiponectin and leptin. Fatty tissue releases these cytokines, which play a role in regulating metabolism, inflammation, and obesity.

In the study, 83% of the participants complied with diet for 6 months.

Source: Medical News Today