Could the Keto Diet Become a New Solution for Autoimmune Diseases?

Best known for its potential in promoting weight loss, the ketogenic diet is now gaining attention in the treatment of autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS). While scientists have been hypothesizing that a ketogenic diet may play a role in regulating the immune system for decades, new studies conducted by UC San Francisco researchers appear promising in this regard (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
A diet-dependent host metabolite shapes the gut microbiota to protect from autoimmunity

Go to source). The study revealed the fact that the ketogenic diet may stimulate gut microbes in creating compounds that help eliminate the inflammation and MS symptom thus giving a new direction toward treating autoimmune disorders.

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Science Behind the Keto Diet and Ketone Bodies

The diet keto is founded on a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet where the amount of carbohydrates intake is drastically reduced and one is allowed to consume unrestricted amounts of fats. In limiting carbohydrates, the body switches to derive its energy from fats and results in the formation of ketone bodies such as β-hydroxybutyrate (βHB). These ketone bodies provide energy to the cells and seem to modulate immune system function.

βHB and Its Role in Reducing Inflammation

Even more recently, in a new study led at UC San Francisco, mice with higher βHB levels were found to have fewer MS symptoms. Researchers determined βHB excites the gut microbiome to produce anti-inflammatory metabolites. One of the researchers, Dr. Peter Turnbaugh, comments that there is marked protection against inflammation in mice on a keto-supplemented diet.

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Gut Microbes and the Immune System: The Role of Lactobacillus Murinus

The research group was able to find that βHB interacted with gut bacterium, Lactobacillus murinus in producing indole lactic acid (ILA). ILA is a metabolite reported to inhibit T helper 17 immune cells from being activated. These immune cells have been found to play an essential role in the progression of autoimmunity diseases, for example, multiple sclerosis. This decreased activation of immune cells resulted in diminished inflammation and reduced symptoms in the mice.

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Dietary Supplementation as a Therapeutic Alternative

Further experiments have demonstrated that supplementation with βHB or certain strains of L. murinus alleviated the symptoms of MS in mice. Thus, it appears that a more viable and accessible remedy exists for the autoimmune patient through dietary supplements. While the implementation of this diet is clumsy and hectic, Dr. Turnbaugh demonstrated that, in fact, it is possible to manage autoimmune symptoms through less restrictive supplements.

This opens a new pathway in the treatment of such diseases, and if these findings are applicable to humans, people suffering from these diseases could easily be treated by supplement imitators that mimic the effects of the keto diet without the burdensome consequences of strict dietary adherence. Future research studies may one day result in a major breakthrough regarding the quality of life for people suffering from such kinds of disorders.

Reference:

1. A diet-dependent host metabolite shapes the gut microbiota to protect from autoimmunity - (https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(24)01242-7?_return)

Source-Medindia