Table 1.
Potential uses of ketogenic diet in various illnesses (clinical and laboratory studies)
| Disorder | Highest clinical class of evidence | Potential mechanisms of action |
|---|---|---|
| Neurologic | ||
| Epilepsy | I | Enhanced mitochondrial function, fatty acid effect on ion channels, neurotransmission and neurotransmitters, decreased effects from reactive oxygen species |
| Alzheimer disease/cognitive impairment | I | Decreased beta amyloid deposition, relief of block in PDH |
| Parkinson’s disease | III | Enhanced mitochondrial function |
| Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis | Enhanced mitochondrial function | |
| Traumatic brain injury | Substrate delivery, enhanced mitochondrial function | |
| Hypoxic/ischemic brain injury | Substrate delivery, enhanced mitochondrial function | |
| Autism | III | Enhanced mitochondrial function |
| Depression | III | Enhanced mitochondrial function |
| Headaches | III | Enhanced mitochondrial function |
| Narcolepsy | III | Enhanced mitochondrial function |
| Metabolic | ||
| GLUT-1 deficiency | III | Substrate delivery |
| PDH deficiency | III | Substrate delivery |
| PFK deficiency | III | Substrate delivery |
| Glycogenosis type V (McArdle disease) | III | Substrate delivery |
| Other | ||
| Cancer (astrocytomas, prostate, gastric) | III | Substrate delivery |
| Cardiac ischemia | Substrate delivery, enhanced mitochondrial function | |
GLUT-1—glucose transporter type 1; PDH—pyruvate dehydrogenase; PFK—phosphofructokinase.