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Jan 3

Can Ketones Fight Alzheimer’s? Assessing the Ketogenic Diet When It Comes to Brain Health – Being Patient

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Youve likely heard about the ketogenic diet a diet that emphasizes eating a low amount of carbs, and a lot of protein and fats. The goal of the diet is to release more ketones a type of acid that the body can use for fuel into the bloodstream, to help jumpstart weight loss. But could ketones also help fight against Alzheimers disease?

A recent study argues so. Published in The Journal of Neuroscience and conducted by researchers including Aiwu Cheng, a biologist with the National Institute on Aging, the study claims that increasing the amount of ketones in the body may actually help battle Alzheimers disease.

During the early stages of Alzheimers disease, the brain may lose GABAergic interneurons, which help keep other neurons in the brain from over-firing. In Alzheimers, its possible beta-amyloid impairs the function of these interneurons. Beta-amyloid also damages mitochondria, the metabolic source in cells. It does this by weakening SIRT3, a protein that preserves mitochondria and neurons.

To test out the effect of ketones on the brain, Cheng and her fellow researchers genetically modified mice to have lower levels of SIRT3. When placed on a diet supplemented with ketones, the mice had fewer problems associated with decreased SIRT3: They experienced fewer seizures and had a better chance of lengthening their lifespan. It turns out the ketones were linked to the increase in SIRT3 levels, leading the researchers to conclude that ketones may help boost brain health in early stages of Alzheimers disease.

Past research has pinpointed ketones ability to boost mitochondrial activity, and to act as a supplement for the brain instead of having to rely on glucose. For these reasons, its being explored as a possible therapeutic channel for Alzheimers.

The study may hint at the benefits of a ketogenic diet. Cheng, however, is quick to point out that ketones arent naturally found in foods we eat; rather, theyre the product of a metabolic process in the liver that releases them into the body. And sticking to a ketogenic diet may not be the best way to get more of them.

We have concerns about the side effects of the ketogenic diet, Cheng said in an interview with Being Patient. The ketogenic diet, which is high in fat, may boost ketones but it also increases triglycerides and cholesterol, which isnt so good for the long-term.

Instead, Cheng argues, Exercise and intermittent fasting are two other ways to boost ketone generation in the body. She added that when we increased ketones in the animal model, it was beneficial in fighting Alzheimers disease.

Past research has examined fasting as one way to fight against brain deterioration. One study found that fasting triggered an increase in several metabolites associated with better brain health, including leucine, isoleucine and ophthalmic acid.

A popular trend in recent years, the ketogenic diet has made its rounds among people striving for weight loss, as well as among body builders and those who simply want to sculpt their diets for good health.

However, the evidence behind the ketogenic diet as the magic bullet for health remains unsubstantiated. Some studies did not find enough evidence to back these claims up. But the diet still holds some fascination, and continues to be investigated for its effects on the brain and overall health.

Ed Blonz, a nutritionist and assistant clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) believes the idea of supplementing the body with ketones may make some sense for the brain. In a past interview with Being Patient, he explained how the brain ends up burning fat if it runs out of glucose one of the key goals of the ketogenic diet.

One of the secondary fuels is a breakdown product of fats, Blonz said. Now, when were not eating, we use fats for energy to fuel the body, but when we dont have glucose, the fats dont burn completely. Theyre only partially metabolized and one of those bi-products is whats called a ketone or a ketone body. Thats the substance which has the ability to go into our blood, cross that blood-brain barrier and provide fuel for the brain, even when we havent had a meal in days or weeks.

Its these ketones that may hold keys for brain health and possible therapies for Alzheimers disease, but researchers are still in the process of investigating them further.

In the meantime, Blonz echoes Chengs point that the ketogenic diet may not be the best way to boost ketones in the body.

On a biochemical level, using ketones as a source of energy for the brain does make some sense, Blonz said in another interview with Being Patient. In fact, the body relies on this alternative source of fuel when there is not food availablelikely an evolutionary advantage for when the food supply is less stable. However, a person does not need to adopt a ketogenic diet to produce ketones. In addition to messing with the bodys acid-base balance, carbohydrates get cut out of a keto diet, or down to a minimum, and this pushes many healthful foodsfruits and healthy grainsoff the plate.

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Can Ketones Fight Alzheimer's? Assessing the Ketogenic Diet When It Comes to Brain Health - Being Patient

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