Some foods may do more than just keep us full—they might also help protect our brain.
A new study from the University of Missouri suggests that a special way of eating, known as the ketogenic diet, could help prevent or slow down memory loss, especially in people who are at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
The ketogenic, or keto, diet is high in fat and very low in carbohydrates. It includes foods like fish, seafood, meat, eggs, nuts, seeds, berries, leafy greens, and even high-fat dairy. Researchers believe this diet may help the brain stay healthy by changing how it gets its energy.
The research team, led by Professor Ai-Ling Lin and doctoral student Kira Ivanich, studied this effect in mice. They were especially interested in mice that had the APOE4 gene—a gene known to raise the risk of developing Alzheimer’s later in life.
What they found was interesting: female mice with the APOE4 gene had more brain energy and healthier gut bacteria when they were fed a keto diet. Male mice did not show the same changes, which suggests that women may benefit more from this kind of diet.
Normally, our brains use sugar (glucose) from carbohydrates as fuel. But people with the APOE4 gene—especially women—have trouble using this sugar efficiently.
This problem may lead to memory loss or confusion as they age. The keto diet helps the body produce ketones, a different type of fuel that the brain can use instead of sugar. This change in fuel may protect brain cells and help them stay healthy for longer.
This study also shows the importance of personalized nutrition. Instead of recommending the same diet for everyone, doctors and scientists might one day create eating plans based on a person’s genes, age, gender, and even gut bacteria.
Professor Lin says it’s important to take action early, before symptoms of Alzheimer’s start. Most people don’t show signs of the disease until after age 65, but the changes in the brain can begin much earlier. That’s why this research could help people protect their brains before problems begin.
The research was done at the Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health building at the University of Missouri. This building brings scientists and doctors together under one roof, with powerful imaging tools that allow fast progress from animal studies to human trials.
For Ivanich, this work is personal. Her grandmother had Alzheimer’s disease, and that experience inspired her to study ways to prevent it. She hopes the research will help people live healthier, longer lives with strong brain function.
The study, titled “Ketogenic diet modulates gut microbiota-brain metabolite axis in a sex-and genotype-specific manner in APOE4 mice,” was published in the Journal of Neurochemistry.
If you care about Alzheimer’s disease, please read studies about New Alzheimer’s treatment: anti-inflammatory drug may prevent memory loss and findings of The diabetes drug surprise: a possible shield against Alzheimer’s?
For more about brain health, please read studies about Scientists find connection between fungus and Alzheimer’s disease and findings of Scientists find links between COVID-19 and Alzheimer’s disease.
The study is published in the Journal of Neurochemistry.
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