AH. Choi, M. Delgado, KY. Chen, ST. Chung, A. Courville, SA. Turner, S. Yang, K. Airaghi, I. Dustin, P. McGurrin, T. Wu, M. Hallett, et al. (2024). A randomized feasibility trial of medium chain triglyceride-supplemented ketogenic diet in people with Parkinson's disease. BMC neurology, 24(1), 106. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883-024-03603-5

PubMed 38561682

[Abstract]
BACKGROUND: A ketogenic diet (KD) may benefit people with neurodegenerative disorders marked by mitochondrial depolarization/insufficiency, including Parkinson's disease (PD).

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate whether a KD supplemented by medium chain triglyceride (MCT-KD) oil is feasible and acceptable for PD patients. Furthermore, we explored the effects of MCT-KD on blood ketone levels, metabolic parameters, levodopa absorption, mobility, nonmotor symptoms, simple motor and cognitive tests, autonomic function, and resting-state electroencephalography (rsEEG).

METHODS: A one-week in-hospital, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled diet (MCT-KD vs. standard diet (SD)), followed by an at-home two-week open-label extension. The primary outcome was KD feasibility and acceptability. The secondary outcome was the change in Timed Up & Go (TUG) on day 7 of the diet intervention. Additional exploratory outcomes included the N-Back task, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, Non-Motor Symptom Scale, and rsEEG connectivity.

RESULTS: A total of 15/16 subjects completed the study. The mean acceptability was 2.3/3, indicating willingness to continue the KD. Day 7 TUG time was not significantly different between the SD and KD groups. The nonmotor symptom severity score was reduced at the week 3 visit and to a greater extent in the KD group. UPDRS, 3-back, and rsEEG measures were not significantly different between groups. Blood ketosis was attained by day 4 in the KD group and to a greater extent at week 3 than in the SD group. The plasma levodopa metabolites DOPAC and dopamine both showed nonsignificant increasing trends over 3 days in the KD vs. SD groups.

CONCLUSIONS: An MCT-supplemented KD is feasible and acceptable to PD patients but requires further study to understand its effects on symptoms and disease.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial Registration Number NCT04584346, registration dates were Oct 14, 2020 - Sept 13, 2022.