The following is a summary of “A randomized feasibility trial of medium chain triglyceride-supplemented ketogenic diet in people with Parkinson’s disease,” published in the April 2024 issue of Neurology by Choi al.

Due to its potential to improve mitochondrial function, the ketogenic diet (KD) is being explored as a therapeutic approach for Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Researchers started a study to see if a KD with medium-chain triglycerides (MCT-KD) is feasible and tolerable for PD patients, also examining its impact on various aspects, including blood ketones, metabolism, medication absorption, and resting-state electroencephalography (rsEEG).

They conducted a one-week trial in the hospital, where participants were randomly assigned to either an MCT-KD or a standard diet (SD), followed by a two-week extension at home. The main focus was on the feasibility and acceptance of the KD. On day 7 of the intervention, they assessed the change in Timed Up & Go (TUG). They also looked into other measures such as the N-Back task, Unified PD Rating Scale, Non-Motor Symptom Scale, and rsEEG connectivity for further exploration.

The results showed 15 out of 16 subjects. The average acceptability score was 2.3 out of 3, indicating a willingness to continue the KD. The TUG time on Day 7 did not differ significantly between the SD and KD groups. Nonmotor symptom severity decreased by the third week, especially in the KD group. The groups had similar measures, such as UPDRS, 3-back task performance, and rsEEG. Blood ketosis was achieved by the fourth day in the KD group and, to a greater extent, by the third week than in the SD group. Plasma levels of dopamine metabolites, DOPAC, and dopamine exhibited non-significant increasing trends over three days in the KD group compared to the SD group in people with PD.

Investigators concluded that an MCT-KD was feasible and tolerable for PD patients, but further research is needed to understand its impact on symptoms and disease progression.

Source: bmcneurol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12883-024-03603-5