The Ketogenic Diet and its Clinical Applications in Type I and II Diabetes

Abstract

It has been shown that metabolic-based therapies, such as nutritional ketosis, are effective to contrast seizure disorders and various acute and chronic neurological disorders . From a physiological perspective, glucose is the primary metabolic fuel for cells. However, many neurodegenerative disorders have been recently associated with impaired glucose transport and metabolism and with mitochondrial dysfunction causing energy deficits, such as in Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, general seizure disorders, and traumatic brain injury. Ketone bodies and tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates represent alternative fuels for the brain and can potentially bypass the rate-limiting steps associated with impaired neuronal glucose metabolism. Therefore, therapeutic ketosis (elevated blood ketone levels) can be considered as a metabolic therapy by providing alternative energy substrates, which may have potent cellular protective properties independent of their bioenergetic function. It has been estimated that the brain derives over 60% of its total energy from ketones when glucose availability is limited.