Ketogenic diet

[Annie11]

I was diagnosed 4 yrs ago and already at maximum of Sinemet. Someone suggested this diet to me to reduce Parkinsons side effects. Any comments or suggestions

[Bailey_Texas]

What dose of Sinemet are you taking.

[Annie11 in reply to Bailey_Texas]

100/25 3 tabs q 3 hrs

[silvestrov]

The entire point of the ketogenic diet is make the liver produce keytones, which are a alternative source of energy for the human brain. Normally, the brain uses glucose from carbohydrate as energy and with the KD the body is starved of energy so it breaks down fat and uses it as an energy source. There is an alternative option to going on the KD and that is to use either coconut oil or just go ahead and purchase medium chain tryglycerides. MCT are converted by the liver into keytones which pass the blood brain barrier and are used as energy. PWP have mitochondrial dysfunction - an energy imbalance, and keytones are used as energy to help correct the problem. Coconut oil consists of 60 % MCT and one gentleman gradually felt better after working up to 8 tablespoons a day. If you use pure MCT you could use a lower dose. It all depends on if you have a proper functioning liver. Of course finding that 'sweet spot' of MCT effectiveness is a matter of experimentation.

More about MCT:

alzdiscovery.org/cognitive-...

Coconut oil and Parkinson's: naturalnews.com/042624_coco...

Medium-chain triglyceride ketogenic diet, an effective treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy and a comparison with other ketogenic diets.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/235...

Pure medium chain triglycerides:

nowfoods.com/MCT-Oil-32-oz.htm

[Annie11 in reply to silvestrov]

Thank you silvestrov... I have in the past 4 years gained 25 lbs and so the diet would have served dual purpose for me...but I will read the info you sent...you sound very chemistry background or are you just well read

[silvestrov in reply to Annie11]

I wish I could say I am a chemist but in reality I am just an OCD researcher. Perhaps you could supplement the KD with MCT.

I hope it helps you!

PS. A word from the Mayo clinic about weight loss and the use of coconut oil.

mayoclinic.org/healthy-life...

[Hidden]

That diet did not work for me.

[Annie11]

Thank you for your replies

[jeeves19]

Hi Annie. Generally if you have a positive reaction to the CO or MCT oil then - in my opinion - the K diet is worth pursuing. I didn't really feel much better after taking the CO and then thought I needed to 'go some more' and get more ketones (the K diet in its fullest form creates many more ketones than being soley on CO). But I can't honestly say I felt much better on this either, so I ditched it. My only area of self doubt was that I read somewhere that the diet serves muscles, bone etc for the first four weeks and then after this period feeds the brain more intensely. I gave it 3/4 weeks, fell off the wagon, then did another 4 weeks. There was no moment of clarity/relief, but maybe I didn't give it long enough? As I said, the CO works for some and not others. Which camp do you fall into?!

[pen1]

Just a word of caution - for some, including me, protein effectively cancels out the effects of l-dopa (eg madopar, sinemet etc) I understand this is because protein somehow blocks the blood-brain barrier so that the l-dopa can't get to where it's needed. The 'official' advice is currently not to eat protein within an hour of taking l-dopa. As always with PD we're all different so suck it and see!

[ssnowhite]

Be cautious. I do believe that elimination of processed food/processed sugar WILL help; sugar is in most of the processed food AND is inflammatory. That being said; do serious on-line research on the best way to transition a ketogenic diet- the diet is high protein, high fat, no sugar and severely limiting carbs. As you know, protein ties up the PD meds- this diet will mean even less medication reaches your system. You will need to be vigilant as to timing of dosing and meals; consult a nutritionist AND let your doctor in on your plan-show him your web findings as many are not familiar with the research being done on this diet/PD. Also, transitioning will take time-and you may feel worse for a while. As a first step you may want to look into the paleolithic diet... it is along the same vein; not as severe (can use either the MCT oil or coconut oil) and may garner the results you seek.

[itwasinthetubes in reply to ssnowhite]

Ketogenic diet is actually moderate protein not high protein as high amounts of protein create an insulin response which pushes ketones out of blood circulation. So, you can't be in deep ketosis when eating too much protein.

[Donzim]

This is used primarily for seizure control. It is very difficult to do if one uses it strictly. No carb/high fat increases ketones (puts one into ketosis). It must change the electrical system. Read Newport on the use of a high fat (coconut oil/mctoil). Meant to increase ketones.

[Annie11 in reply to Donzim]

Thank you I will

[satwar]

Hi Annie11,

I have been following a ketogenic diet for the past 3-4 years. I started off taking coconut oil as per Mary Newport, and had some improvement in reducing the tremor, but in my research about ketones I found a ketogenic diet book by Phinney & Volek which talked about raising the ketones to higher levels by controlling diet.

My tremor has been greatly reduced and I can walk without dragging my feet (I walk 5km in 50 minutes every day). I have found that the higher I can drive the ketones the better off I feel. There are many days now where I don't even know I have Parkinson's. The only problem is that my body regulates ketone levels and sometimes the ketones slide lower than expected. There are however sports performance ketone supplements to boost ketones, they work well but they are expensive.

I can't say the disease progression has stopped but I am sure it has slowed down. My neurologist can't understand how I have not had required an increase in medication levels since 2009. I am so reliant on ketones that I will never go back to a conventional carbohydrate diet, I know what awaits me if I fall off the wagon. It seems that I learn something every day. If you are serious about ketogenic diet I would recommend you purchase a blood ketone/glucose monitor so can learn how various foods affect your keytones.