Can The Ketogenic Diet Relieve Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms?

There are indications that people suffering from multiple sclerosis can benefit from this type of diet, according to the German Association of Neurologists (BVDN).

Neurologists point to the results of studies showing that physical difficulties and fatigue in people with this disease were reduced after following this ketogenic diet for six months.

They also improved their walking speed, mood, and 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 multiple sclerosis, immune cells attack the nervous system. As a result, impulses between nerve cells are transmitted only at a slower rate. The consequences are, for example, a feeling of numbness in the arms and legs or problems walking.

According to the German Association of Neurologists, this disease can generally be controlled well with medication. But nutrition is another resource that can also be used in addition.

Why ketogenic in particular?

There is one possible explanation for why a high-fat ketogenic diet might be particularly suitable in these cases: According to the BVDN, there is evidence that multiple sclerosis disrupts the brain’s energy metabolism.

As a result, the metabolism of nerve cells is altered and they turn to fat as a source of energy. “In this context, a ketogenic diet is very well suited to providing the necessary amount of fat for energy production,” says neurologist Gereon Nelles from the BVDN.

Fats that are added through a ketogenic diet come from, for example, fish, meat, vegetable oils, nuts, and walnuts.

In this way, the ketogenic diet enables greater energy metabolism in the cells, and this can mitigate the symptoms or problems caused by multiple sclerosis.