Efectos de la dieta cetogénica en la enfermedad del Alzheimer

Abstract

The ketogenic diet has been recognized for its growing interest in the therapy of Alzheimer's disease since it is used to improve the cognitive function affected by this pathology. In this way, it is defined as a diet characterized by a low carbohydrate and high lipid content in such a way that ketone bodies will be generated, becoming the alternative energy source for neurons, thus decreasing the adverse effects on mitochondrial function caused by carbohydrate metabolism and improving the patient’s cognitive function. This review observed results on the use of the ketogenic diet since, at the level of cognitive function, patients benefit from an improvement, together with improved mitochondrial function and a decrease in neuroinflammation, besides improving patients’ quality of life. The research results suggest that the use of the ketogenic diet is beneficial in the early stages of the disease to obtain the benefits described above, also considering that if the diet is interrupted, there may be a reversal of the benefits at the cognitive level, determining the need for further research regarding its long-term application.