06/16/2019
The Ketogenic Diet & Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease caused by demyelination or breakdown of the myelin coating around the nerve cells (1). This is referred to as a neurodegeneration where the physical structure of the nerve is compromised, much like the coating around an electrical wire being chipped or stripped away. Common symptoms of MS are sensory symptoms in the extremities or face, unilateral visual loss, acute or subacute motor weakness of the muslces, diplopia (double vision), gait disturbance and balance problems, Lhermitte sign (electric shock-like sensations that run down the back and/or limbs upon flexion of the neck), vertigo, bladder problems, loss of control of a limb, and pain.
Effects of Ketosis on Multiple Sclerosis
Initially, and for many years, the degeneration seen in multiple sclerosis (MS) was thought to occur because of an acute inflammatory attack on the cells by dis-regulated immune cells crossing the blood brain barrier. However, treatments focused on modulating the inflammatory attack seem to have no effect on the degeneration and demyelination. Thus, the actual definitive cause of this demyelination and neuro-degeneration has eluded us since 1868, when Jean-Martin Charcot first described it.
Recent studies point to evidence that this demyelation may be due to degeneration or breakdown of the nerve cell’s ability to use glucose as a primary fuel (2, 3). It is now theorized that MS may be due to a combination of degeneration and localized inflammation related to poor glucose uptake causing the demyelination which is seen in a number of MS cases (4, 5, 6).
Demyelination of Nerve
A. Normal nerve cell with intact myelin sheath around the axon. B. Demyelinated axion nerve losing its ionic charge due to escape of potassium. C. Radio-labled tracer allowing visualization of demyelination on PET Scan
With this dual concept in mind, ketogenic diets have demonstrated some promising results when used with neurological diseases including MS. Ketogenic diets have been used in the treatment of epilepsy since 500 B.C. and in the treatment of obesity since 1860. It is now becoming apparent that ketog