KD provides ketone bodies as an alternative brain fuel when glucose use is impaired, potentially rescuing energy production. Credit: Ronit HaNegby by Pexels.
The gut and brain are in constant conversation through a powerful biochemical signaling pathway. This two-way connection allows them to exchange signals that influence everything from digestion to emotional health, and studies suggest even the fate of neurodegenerative diseases.
A new review investigated whether a high-fat, low-carb way of eating, also known as the ketogenic or keto diet, could protect the brain from devastating diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis and ALS.
Screening findings published in the past 15 years revealed that the diet that has helped so many people lose weight also offers a promising way to prevent or treat diseases that damage the brain over time by improving how the body and brain use energy. The findings are published in Translational Neurodegeneration.
Cells typically rely on sugar, or glucose, for energy, but in people with neurodegenerative diseases, brain cells often struggle to use it effectively. A keto diet, which is rich in fat and low in carbohydrates, shifts the body from glucose metabolism to fat metabolism, prompting the liver to produce ketone bodies—including acetoacetate (AcAc), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and acetone—from fatty acids.
These ketone bodies serve as an alternative energy source for the brain, ensuring that protective and repair processes within nerve cells have enough fuel to function properly. The keto diet can also bring about noticeable changes in the gut microbiome. It reduces inflammation-associated bacteria while supporting microbes linked to better gut barrier health.
Ketones protecting the brain
Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, ALS and multiple sclerosis are neurodegenerative diseases whose symptoms might be very different, but they share several underlying mechanisms in which nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord slowly break down and die.
Mitochondrial dysfunction, in which the cell’s energy-producing machinery fails and reduces energy output, can be a key driver of nerve cell death and the buildup of harmful molecules that damage cells. Inflammation in the brain adds to this problem.
Key pathophysiological mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis. Credit: Translational Neurodegeneration (2026). DOI: 10.1186/s40035-026-00557-1
In 1921, Russell Morse Wilder, an American physician, designed the keto diet for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy in children. Over the decades, it gradually gained the attention of researchers studying progressive brain-related diseases. While current treatments can ease the symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases, they rarely address the underlying loss of nerve cells.
The ketogenic diet has emerged as a promising area of research, yet much of the evidence comes from animal studies and small clinical trials. Drawing on both biological research and clinical findings, this review examines the potential of the diet in real-world settings.
The review found that the keto diet may do more than provide the brain with an alternative energy source. It appears to activate autophagy, the body’s natural cellular cleanup system, helping to remove damaged cellular components and toxic protein buildup linked to brain decline. It may also reduce oxidative stress and calm chronic inflammation, both of which contribute to nerve cell damage.
People with Alzheimer’s disease experienced improvements in memory, daily functioning and quality of life without serious adverse effects. On the keto diet, patients with Parkinson’s disease experienced higher energy levels, less fatigue and improved motor function. Positive benefits were also reported in other neurodegenerative diseases.
However, sticking to the diet can be challenging. Many people struggle to maintain it in the long term, and some drop out of their studies because of its restrictive nature. Some also experience headaches, fatigue, nausea and dizziness when starting out, also known as the keto flu.
Neuroprotective mechanisms of ketogenic diet-derived β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) in neurodegenerative diseases. Credit: Translational Neurodegeneration (2026). DOI: 10.1186/s40035-026-00557-1
The researchers highlight that the keto diet is gaining ground as a promising approach for neurodegenerative diseases, thanks to its wide-ranging effects on the biological processes that drive these conditions. While preclinical results show promise, major questions remain about its long-term effects, safety and practical utility for patients in clinical settings.
Written for you by our author Sanjukta Mondal, edited by Sadie Harley, and fact-checked and reviewed by Robert Egan—this article is the result of careful human work. We rely on readers like you to keep independent science journalism alive.
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More information
Ana Margarida Salgueiro et al, Ketogenic diet as a therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases: from mechanisms to translational challenges, Translational Neurodegeneration (2026). DOI: 10.1186/s40035-026-00557-1
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This high-fat eating plan may offer a powerful way to shield the aging brain (2026, June 14)
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