Ketogenic diet shows promise for MS, but more research needed
Analysis finds it may help ease fatigue, improve neurological function
A ketogenic diet — which involves eating a very low amount of carbohydrates and replacing them with fat — may help ease fatigue, improve neurological function, and boost life quality in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new analysis.
Researchers stressed that available data on the effects of diet in MS are limited. Still, they said the findings “provide preliminary evidence supporting the safety and potential efficacy of [ketogenic diets] as an adjunctive intervention for MS management.”
The paper, “Safety and Efficacy of Ketogenic Diet in the Management of Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review,” was published in Cureus.
MS patients on ketogenic diet reported less depression
Maintaining a healthy, well-balanced diet is important for everyone, and people with MS are no exception. Currently, there isn’t any specific diet recommended for MS. Patients are usually advised to follow general guidelines such as eating lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while minimizing intake of sugary snacks and processed foods.
Ketogenic diets are dietary patterns that focus on increasing fat intake while reducing carbs and maintaining adequate protein intake. The goal is to enter a state of ketosis, basically meaning the body is mainly burning fats for energy instead of sugar.
The ketogenic diet was originally developed to help people with certain forms of epilepsy, but scientists have been exploring whether it may offer benefits in other disorders like MS, a neurodegenerative disease caused by the immune system mistakenly attacking the myelin sheath, a protective coating around nerve fibers.
The researchers here conducted a meta-analysis where they pooled and collectively analyzed data from six prior studies that had evaluated the effect of ketogenic diets in MS. The studies were published between 2017 and 2024 and each included between 21 to 65 people with MS who were usually followed for six months.
Available data generally indicated that, after several months on a ketogenic diet, MS patients tended to report less fatigue and depression, better sleep quality, and enhanced quality of life. They also reported improved neurological function, namely lower disability scores, and improved walking ability and dexterity.
[Ketogenic diets] can be a sustainable intervention for MS patients with potentially lasting benefits.
Reductions in inflammatory markers, decreases in body fat content, and changes in gut bacteria also were reported as effects of ketogenic diets in MS patients.
Across the studies, adherence rates were generally high, with some patients maintaining the diet after completing the studies, the researchers noted.
Collectively, the data indicate that ketogenic diets “can be a sustainable intervention for MS patients with potentially lasting benefits,” the scientists concluded.
The scientists stressed, however, that these studies were all fairly small and generally didn’t follow patients for more than a few months, so additional research will be needed to more thoroughly investigate the long-term impacts and sustainability of ketogenic diets for people with MS.
“The current evidence base is limited by small sample sizes, methodological [variability], and short follow-up periods,” the researchers wrote. “Larger randomized controlled trials with standardized protocols and comprehensive outcome measures are urgently needed to definitively establish the role of ketogenic diets in the integrative management of multiple sclerosis.”
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