The keto diet has become well-known for helping people lose weight by cutting out most carbohydrates and eating more fats.
But it has also been used for nearly a hundred years to help people who suffer from epilepsy, especially those who do not respond well to regular medicines.
Now, researchers at the University of Virginia have found out how this diet actually helps the brain, and their discovery could lead to new treatments for epilepsy and maybe even diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s—without the need to follow the strict diet itself.
The study, published in the journal Annals of Neurology, was led by Dr. Jaideep Kapur, a brain expert at the University of Virginia. He and his team found that a chemical made in the body during the keto diet, called beta-hydroxybutyrate, plays an important role in calming down brain activity.
When people follow the keto diet, their bodies switch from using sugars to using fats as the main source of energy. This process creates ketones, and one of the main ketones is beta-hydroxybutyrate.
The team discovered that this ketone helps reduce seizures by interacting with a special part of brain cells called a receptor. The receptor, named HCAR2, is found in areas of the brain linked to seizures and is also seen in special brain immune cells that help protect the brain.
When beta-hydroxybutyrate connects to this receptor, it helps calm down overactive brain cells. These overactive brain cells are often the reason why seizures happen. Overactivity in the brain can also be seen in the early stages of Alzheimer’s and in other conditions like autism.
One exciting part of the study is the possibility that people may get the benefits of the keto diet without actually needing to follow it. The keto diet can be very hard for many people because it involves eating mostly fat, very little carbohydrates, and almost no sweets or bread. This can lead to stomach problems and other side effects.
However, the researchers found that a common vitamin called niacin (also known as vitamin B3) can also work on the same brain receptor. This means that future drugs may be able to give people the brain benefits of keto without forcing them to change their diets so dramatically.
The researchers looked closely at how this receptor works in the brain, especially in a part called the hippocampus. This is an important area for memory and is also where many seizures begin.
They saw that the HCAR2 receptor is in certain brain cells that are already known to be involved in seizures. It’s also found in microglia, which are tiny cells that act like the brain’s own immune system.
The scientists say that more research is needed, especially to see if niacin or similar drugs can help people in the same way as the keto diet. They are now studying how this brain receptor also affects the immune system in the brain.
If they can understand this better, it may lead to new ways to help people with not only epilepsy but also other brain problems like Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis.
In summary, the study shows how the keto diet protects the brain, and the key is a chemical made during the diet that helps calm brain cells. This opens the door for creating new treatments that do not require a difficult diet. It brings hope for easier and more comfortable ways to manage epilepsy and other brain diseases in the future.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about a breakfast linked to better blood vessel health, and drinking too much coffee could harm people with high blood pressure.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about unhealthy habits that may increase high blood pressure risk, and results showing plant-based protein foods may help reverse diabetes.
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