Important Note: This article presents preliminary research only. Parkinson’s disease treatment requires specialist neurological care. Never modify treatment without consulting your neurologist.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative condition after Alzheimer’s, affecting over 145,000 people in the UK. Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in dopaminergic neurons are central to its pathology.
Postmortem studies of Parkinson’s brains consistently show Complex I mitochondrial dysfunction — impaired ATP production in precisely the neurons that degenerate. If these neurons cannot use glucose efficiently, ketones offer an alternative fuel source.
A 2018 pilot study in NPJ Parkinson’s Disease showed improvements in motor and non-motor symptoms in PD patients following a ketogenic diet, with a 41% improvement on the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale.
Multiple rodent models of Parkinson’s show that ketones protect dopaminergic neurons from the neurotoxins used to model PD, and that ketogenic diets reduce dopaminergic cell death.
MCT oil, fatty fish, and dark leafy greens feature prominently in our keto main dishes and keto beverages.