Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that causes involuntary movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with walking and talking. Since keto actually started out as a dietary way to help with seizures, can keto help Parkinsons symptoms too? Seizures are also involuntary movements that happen from things happening in the brain, so it might make sense to ask this question.
What is Parkinsons Disease?
According to the Mayo Clinic, Parkinson’s is a progressive disorder, which means it starts out with mild symptoms and gets worse as time goes on. There is no cure, but medications and sometimes even surgery improves those symptoms.
Parkinson’s happens when certain nerve cells in your brain die, leading to a decrease in dopamine levels. Dopamine not only gives you the feeling of pleasure, it also helps with movement and motor control. So, the less dopamine there is, the more difficulty you have with your movements. No one knows what causes Parkinson’s, but you may be at higher risk as you age, if you are a man, if many people in your family have it, and exposure to certain environmental toxins.
Why Might Keto Help Parkinsons and Other Brain Disorders?
We recently did a blog on the fact that keto can help with epilepsy. We tend to depend on medications, but before they existed, people used the keto diet to control seizures. Why it works, we aren’t quite sure, but it does. It imitates fasting without that bad side effect of starving to death.
There is also research that shows that keto can help with Alzheimer’s disease as well. When someone has Alzheimer’s, the brain is unable to use glucose to function. So, it makes sense that switching to another energy source would make sense. There are also proven advantages to having ketones in the bloodstream, as they reduce inflammation.
What Does the Research Say? Can Keto Help Parkinsons?
According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, keto can help Parkinson’s and other brain disorders. Like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s shows a reduction in the ability for the brain to use glucose to function. Again, it makes sense that using ketones as an energy source would help. Keto helps with muscle stiffness and tremors. This makes sense as ketones reduce inflammation.
Why Can’t Keto Help Parkinsons?
There is little research about the long-term effects of being on a keto diet. This makes health professionals shy away from prescribing the diet. There are tons of people who actually have been on keto long-term, but most of those people are not in a scientific study, so their experiences are not part of research.
According to the study I read, there is also a concern that senior patients of neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s tend to be underweight. We know that keto can cause us to lose weight, which is why many people turn to it. That concerns health professionals when they are treating patients who already have a low BMI. In these cases, the recommendation is for patients to take MCT oil instead of doing a full keto diet. That way, they have ketones in their system but aren’t in full ketosis.
My Thoughts on Keto and Parkinsons
Bottom line, can keto help with Parkinson’s? The answer, according to research, is that yes it can. At least, in rats it can. Scientists aren’t prescribing the diet because of other concerns, such as long-term effects and weight loss. I understand that. However, it’s been my experience (and I’m not a research study) that once you hit your ideal weight, you stop losing. I’ve been on keto for 3 years, and I haven’t wasted away to nothing, by any means. You can be in ketosis but still take in enough calories to keep a steady weight.
For me, I plan to be on keto for the rest of my life. It’s a necessity for Bill, and I enjoy the benefits. To me, the disadvantages of keto are things that I would face with any way I choose to eat. These are things like meal planning, cooking at home, and the inconvenience of not eating packaged goods. These are also things that keep us healthy. So, if I ever fall off the wagon and develop a neurological disorder like Parkinson’s, please put me on the keto diet! I’m a believer!
Wendy
