Carbohydrate Restriction and Neurodegenerative Diseases

[JEV News, February 3, 2012] In the third episode of the special series on Alzheimer’s disease for the Carbohydrates Can Kill Podcast Show, aired on this Wednesday, February 1, 2012, Dr. Mary Newport and I are discussing how medium-chain triglycerides have helped her husband, Mr. Steve Newport, halt his symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and improve his cognitive functions. Recent studies shed the light on the capability of medium-chain triglycerides in providing the degenerated nerve cells the required energy for restoring their functions. Evidently, these degenerated nerve cells, as a result of inflammation facilitated by hyperglycemia, are unable to use blood glucose as their fuel for producing the needed energy.

In the first episode of this special series, several neurodegenerative diseases, along with Alzheimer’s disease, are briefly discussed. In addition, autism and ADHD, which have become serious learning disorders among children and even some adults, are also thought a result of neurodegeneration. Each neurodegenerative disease demonstrates its own characteristic symptoms based on of the location of damaged nerve cells for the respective disease. However, the symptoms of each disease are very possible a result of a mechanism similar to that for Alzheimer’s disease. That means the damaged nerve cells with impaired mitochondria are in critical need of fuel, which must be alternative to glucose. And, beta-hydroxybutyrate, a ketone, is the alternative. Medium-chain triglycerides are digested, absorbed, and delivered directly to the liver, at where they are metabolized into beta-hydroxybutyrates.

Beta-hydroxybutyrate is a byproduct of incomplete gluconeogenesis with fats, which contain fatty acids with an even number of carbons. Thus, restricting carbohydrate consumption helps generate beta-hydroxybutyrate while reducing blood glucose to the physiological level, fore instance, around 100 mg%, and requiring a low amount of insulin in the circulation. Besides the nerve cells, the heart muscles and other muscles, along with some tissues, can effectively use beta-hydroxybutyrate for producing energy. Therefore, ketosis with a normal and yet minimal amount of circulating insulin could help generate beta-hydroxybutyrate for halting the symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases.

Having realizing the pathological effects of hyperglycemia on cells, carbohydrate restriction is the first and most important step in preventing and reversing neurodegenerative disease. Only with carbohydrate restriction, could the use of medium-chain triglycerides be more effective.

Contributed by Robert Su, Pharm.B., M.D., author of Carbohydrates Can Kill and host of the Carbohydrates Can Kill Show

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http://www.carbohydratescankill.com Robert K. Su, MD

Prevention and treatment are the two approaches for dealing with diseases. It is an urgent need of finding treatment(s) for reducing symptom(s) of the disease. It is even more important to understand the cause(s) of the disease for preventing the initiation and deterioration of the disease.

For example, the recent finding of the effectiveness of medium-chain triglycerides in providing the impaired mitochondria of the brain cells of the Alzheimer’s victim has promoted the use of coconut oil or MCTs (Medium-chain Triglycerides). However, we must realized that we defeat the purpose of using coconut oil or MCTs for reducing the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, if we continue to feed the Alzheimer’s patient with more carbohydrate foods. For instance, it does not make sense to me that we add a couple of teaspoons of coconut oil to a bowl of oat meal or a multigrain cereals. We must realize feeding the Alzheimer’s patient with more carbohydrate foods will increase the blood sugar level (hyperglycemia), which is the very cause of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Many senseless medical and nutritional approaches are the prime examples, such as treating the diabetic with diabetic medicine and/or insulin and letting or even promoting carbohydrate foods to him at the same time.