Ketogenic diet against neurological disorders in general and against migraines in particular. In a nutshell, this is the result of a research by the University of Udine, presented during the Conference “Nutrition, neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation”.
What is the ketogenic diet?
Very popular and advertised in many magazines as a weight loss regimen, it is proving to be effective in the management of some chronic diseases. For example, it has been used for some time against epilepsy.
Put simply, it is based on the drastic reduction, sometimes the total elimination, of carbohydrates for a certain amount of time. Be careful because this macro nutrient is not, as we all know, only in pasta, rice, desserts, but also for example in soy sauce and in many drinks. Our body generally uses carbohydrates, after breaking them down into simple sugars, as a source of energy. By not taking them, the body uses the fats we have stored for the same purpose, thanks to the involvement of the liver, which it produces chetonic bodies. Which you can find all the details about this diet.
Ketogenic diet against neurological disorders: worked on migraine patients
I researchers from the Neurological Clinic of the University of Udine they built the ketogenic diet on the specific needs of the patient. The team involved 35 migraine patients who followed this diet for ninety days. The fact that each person has had a specific ketogenic diet confirms that this diet must be followed only and only under the watchful eye of a doctor and cannot be done in a do-it-yourself way.
Ketogenic diet against neurological disorders: do-it-yourself banned
The research team used ketonemia assessment as a method. It is the identification of the number of ketone bodies developed by the patient following the strong reduction in the intake of fats, used by the body as an alternative energy source. To calculate this parameter, a blood sample is sufficient. To assess whether a patient is following the prescribed regimen correctly, the number of ketone bodies developed should coincide with a certain numerical value.
Ketogenic diet also useful for Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy
The ketogenic diet has also been found to be useful for reducing inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease, although still experimentally. It has given comforting and concrete results in the treatment of multiple sclerosis and epilepsy.