Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have discovered how the popular ketogenic (keto) diet protects the brain from seizures and may even help fight neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
This new understanding could lead to easier treatments without the need for strict dieting.
The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that has been used for more than 100 years to help patients with epilepsy who don’t respond to medication. While doctors have long seen the benefits, they didn’t know exactly how the diet worked to prevent seizures—until now.
The research team, led by Dr. Jaideep Kapur, co-director of the UVA Brain Institute, published their findings in the journal Annals of Neurology.
They found that the body turns fat into a substance called β-hydroxybutyrate when on the keto diet. This substance then interacts with a special brain receptor called HCAR2, calming down overactive brain cells and reducing the chance of seizures.
Kapur explained that this discovery is important because many people find the keto diet hard to follow. It requires giving up nearly all sugars and carbohydrates and eating large amounts of fat.
While the diet has powerful effects on the brain, it also comes with side effects such as stomach problems and low energy. Now, thanks to this research, scientists may be able to create medications that provide the same brain benefits without needing to follow the strict diet.
Interestingly, one existing drug—niacin (also known as vitamin B3)—already activates the HCAR2 receptor. Niacin is currently used to lower cholesterol, but this study suggests it may also help reduce seizures or support brain health.
The team discovered that β-hydroxybutyrate, a ketone produced during the keto diet, affects brain activity by calming neurons. Neurons are brain cells that communicate with each other.
When they become too excited or overactive, they can trigger seizures. This overactivity is also seen in early Alzheimer’s disease, autism, and possibly other brain conditions.
As part of their work, the researchers mapped where the HCAR2 receptor is found in the brain. They discovered that it’s located in a part of the brain called the hippocampus, which is often where seizures begin. The receptor is found in certain brain cells linked to seizures and in immune cells called microglia that protect the brain from damage.
This research opens the door to new types of treatment. Instead of asking patients to follow a difficult diet, doctors could one day offer pills that mimic the brain effects of keto. These new therapies might help people with epilepsy, but they may also benefit those with other brain conditions like multiple sclerosis or Alzheimer’s.
Dr. Kapur and his team are now exploring how the HCAR2 receptor works with brain immune cells. If they can understand this connection better, they may be able to create new treatments for many brain-related disorders.
The findings suggest that the future of brain health might not rely on strict diets, but on smart medicine that mimics nature’s effects. By tapping into how our bodies and brains respond to natural substances like ketones, scientists hope to make treatments safer, easier, and more accessible to everyone.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies that vitamin D can help reduce inflammation, and vitamin K may lower your heart disease risk by a third.
For more health information, please see recent studies about foods that could sharp your brain, and results showing cooking food in this way may raise your risk of blindness.
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