Mediterranean Ketogenic Diet effect on Microbiome may protect against Alzheimers

In this pilot study involving 17 participants (11 with diagnosed mild cognitive impairment and 6 with normal cognition), researchers identified several distinct gut microbiome signatures in participants with mild cognitive impairment that were not present in participants with normal cognition.

Participants were randomly assigned to follow either a low-card modified Mediterranean-ketogenic diet or a low-fat high-carb diet for 6 weeks, then after a 6 week ‘washout’ period, switch to the other diet.

The modified Mediterranean-ketogenic diet produced changes in the gut microbiome and its metabolites that correlated with reduced levels of Alzheimer’s markers.

Our findings provide important information that future interventional and clinical studies can be based on. Determining the specific role these gut microbiome signatures have in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease could lead to novel nutritional and therapeutic approaches that would be effective against the disease.

Hariom Yadav, co-authored the study