Global Courant
A ketogenic diet is characterized by eating a lot of healthy fats and few carbohydrates.
There are indications that people with multiple sclerosis can benefit from this type of diet, according to the German Association of Neurologists (BVDN).
Neurologists point to the results of studies according to which the physical difficulties and fatigue of those affected by this disease were reduced after having followed this ketogenic diet for six months.
They also improved their walking speed, their mood, and their quality of life.
The immune system attacks nerve cells
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease. This means that the immune system attacks the body itself.
In the case of multiple sclerosis, immune cells attack the nervous system. As a consequence, impulses between nerve cells are only transmitted at a slower rate. The consequences are, for example, a feeling of numbness in the arms and legs or problems with walking.
According to the German Association of Neurologists, this disease can generally be well controlled by medication. But food is another resource that can also be used additionally.
Why exactly ketogenic?
There is a possible explanation for why a high-fat ketogenic diet might be especially suitable in these cases. And, according to the BVDN, there is evidence that multiple sclerosis alters the energy metabolism of the brain.
As a result, the metabolism of the nerve cells is modified and they resort to fats as a source of energy. “In this context, a ketogenic diet is apparently well suited to provide the necessary amount of fat for energy production,” says neurologist Gereon Nelles of the BVDN.
The fats that are added by a ketogenic diet come, for example, from fish, meat, vegetable oils, dried fruits and nuts.
In this way, the ketogenic diet makes possible a greater energy metabolism in the cells, and this can mitigate the symptoms or problems caused by multiple sclerosis.
