Stephen Cunnane - Can Ketones Slow Down Alzheimer’s?

This lecture is part of the IHMC Evening Lecture series.

A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) strikes fear into everyone. But can AD be slowed down; can we do something to delay when it starts and how hard it strikes? There is growing evidence that a conscientious prevention approach can help one resist AD. The prevention approach to AD is the same as for what are called the ‘chronic Western diseases’ – hypertension, type 2 diabetes and obesity. The hormone insulin appears to play a key role in AD. Insulin tends to be less effective at controlling blood sugar (glucose) in older people, especially if they are sedentary. This in turn decreases the amount of fuel getting to the brain making it harder for brain cells to talk to each other so memories gradually slip away. Our research shows that it is difficult to increase glucose supply to the brain once it has declined in older people, even with exercise. Ketones are the brain’s back-up fuel and the brain of someone with AD can use ketones as well as the brain of a young adult. Moderate exercise helps get more ketones into the brain. Some older people may not be able to exercise but one can make a ketone drink made from medium chain triglyceride (MCT) in one’s kitchen. We are in the middle of a trial with an MCT drink in people at high risk of AD. The early results show a significant benefit for memory. There will be no miracle cures for AD but a prevention approach may delay and/or slow it down.

A major focus of Dr. Cunnane’s research over the past 30 years has been to develop a better understanding of the role of omega-3 fatty acids and ketones in human brain development and function. His team uses PET and MR imaging to study the impact of aging on brain structure and fuel metabolism. This information is applied to the development of keto-neurotherapeutic strategies for reducing the risk and progression of aging-associated cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. He has published over 300 peer-reviewed research papers and five books. Two of his books highlight the concept that the key role of ketones for normal human brain development was of importance to overcoming the nutritional, metabolic and structural constraints on human brain evolution: Survival of the Fattest: The Key to Human Brain Evolution (World Scientific 2005), and Human Brain Evolution: Influence of Fresh and Coastal Food Resources (Wiley, 2010). Dr. Cunnane was elected to the French National Academy of Medicine in 2009. In Oct 2017, he received the Chevreul Medal from the French Society for the Study of Lipids for outstanding contributions in the area of omega-3 fatty acid metabolism and the role of ketones in optimal brain function during aging.

[ekondigg]

On the coconut oil and MCT oil issue, here's my experience with our mother in law. She doesn't have mild cognitive impairment, rather full blown Alzheimer's, having deteriorating to the point around a year and a half ago to no longer speaking but making whooping noises instead. Having read about ketogenic possibly helping I tried a quick test by giving her 3 teaspoons of coconut oil per day, thinking to do that for a month and see if there was any effect. If there was, then move on to a ketogenic diet for her. But in just a couple of days she had stopped whooping, and not long after was talking again. So I put her on a ketogenic diet and after a while dropped the coconut oil, since the ketogenic diet is more effective in producing ketones. Except that she started whooping again. So I went back to coconut oil – plus ketogenic diet. After a few weeks she was able to follow the TV and read (even though somewhat laboriously). She has been stable at this level for 14 months now with no further deterioration. I give her 4 teaspoons of coconut oil per day, every 3-4 waking hours, along with the ketogenic diet.
This indicates to me that something else in coconut oil is going on as well as ketone production, which Dr Cunnane hinted at. It would be great if someone could do a study on this, as I don't think I'm the only one to have noticed the effect.

[artsiecrafty]

Thank you. At seventy, I have been low carb or Keto with intermittent fasting for three years. My A1C went down to 5.2. I am fighting memory loss also with exercise and painting classes. Finding joy in life is key.

[chubbieminami]

I started a ketogenic diet and 18 hour intermittent fasting diet with MCT oil. Found out that MCT oil works for dementia. Wasn't sure but I started sprinkling MCT on my parents' food. My parents who both have dementia so I can do experiments. Turns out my dad is showing some slight improvements. My mom can still function very well but she cannot remember anything after one or 2 minutes. Today, my mom showed 2 signs that MCT is working. I showed her an unusual plant which started growing in the garden. It was my 2nd time telling her. Her response was "Yes, you told me several days ago." and she was not surprised or fascinated with the plant because she remembered. I am very pleased. My parents also take plasmalogen for their brain and this also works. Now they are taking MCT and plasmalogen.

[jbzahm]

Maria, this is so interesting and I know how this can work. My daughter-in-law’s 2 1/2 year old niece was flown all over the country for having more then a 100 seizures a day. Finally they found a doctor in Delaware that took her off carbs using a Keto diet and within a few short weeks she was fine. She is now in 1st grade and doing just fine. I truly believe diet makes a big difference in all of us. To much processed food and a decline in our soil that is affecting all of us. The obesity is out of control. Too many fast food places and way to many preservatives.

[deborahbehr]

Just started my AD journey. Loved this talk. Thank you

[myralhf]

I can attest low carb-high good fat works. I had a few episodes of memory issues and transient amnesia. Within the first week of Keto my cognition improved. Watched improvement over 1.5yrs with testing with brain neurologist and psych eval to ensure I was ok and not dementia. I past, and so grateful...walked this path and researched alone. My doc told me there wasn't anything he could do...this attitude in allopathic medicine is so wrong! it was a scary journey alone.

[natarajtribino]

My Mother has AD and everytime she eats baanas, blueberries, or grapes, even oranges her symptomology gets exacerbated . She can no longer eat sweet fruits. This makes sense if we consider that there is insulin resistance in the brain

[nigelwiseman]

The keto diet is exploding. There is now so much on the internet about it. A low-carb high-fat diet solved my diabetes problem. No more meds. When people get the idea that medicine has sold us a lie with the pyramid diet, people will start to realize that diet is something to be experimented with. What doctors tell us is no longer valid. As folks say below, a low-carb high-fat diet can be really easy to do. More veg, a bit more fat, just no carbs. It is not a horrible greasy diet at all. Olive oil, sesame oil, coconut oil, MCT oil for bulletproof coffee, no supermarket oils. When you get into a low-carb high-fat diet, hunger pangs become much milder. Then you can easily do intermittent fasting, which is the ultimate way to get into dietary ketosis and get the body into repair mode (and autophagy).

[kaceeboxers]

Great presentation and wish more Health care practitioners encouraged ketogenic diet. I live in Ocala and would have loved attending your presentation but was unaware. Sure sounds like my beloved veterinarian ( now retired) was in attendance and asked a question toward the end.

[belvedere]

Cunnane is talking about buying MCT oil from health food store etc, or waiting to get approval. One researcher at NIH said he was working on isolating the active ingredient, presumably so he can patent it and make loads of money. Why? This is food, approval is not needed, buying it at a specialized shop is unnecessary. It is coconut oil. You do not need to do anything special to obtain. And thank God for that, even if I am not religious.

[malgorzatawieladek]

Thank you .
Eat less, best quality, natural, read labels on products, do not eat carbs, be in the nature, exercise! Its our brain, our gut, our money, our life. 🙌❤

[Kinkle_Z]

My sister's husband was FINALLY diagnosed with Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), an early onset type of dementia, a behavioral, not so much a memory problem disorder. The frontal lobe and anterior portions of the temporal lobes begin to shrink, with entanglements of Tau protein seen at autopsy; everything at the back of the brain works fine. (Is anyone thinking a metabolic disorder of the brain?) He's had this for 5 years now and he's just now getting the Dx because doctors always misdiagnose this as a psychiatric problem or as Alzheimers, even though it's the second most frequent cause of dementia. For a year now I've been encouraging my sister to feed him MCT oil and stop giving him carbs but she didn't believe it. Nobody ever believes me even though I have a strong medical and biochem background. Sigh... I sure wish researchers would look into Diabetes Type 3 for Alzheimer's, which my mom died of, and for FTD which my brother in law is now dying of. Note - my sister has dished out seed oils and margarine in her house for years and I suspect that plays a major role! But mostly...it's insulin resistance, carbohydrate resistance.

[UltimateTrackMom]

Mary Newport's husband has unfortunately passed away. She has a website and maybe you can glean more information about her efforts in Alzheimer research.

[Kinkle_Z]

34:44 - No. Polycystic Ovary disease is caused by insulin resistance. Not the other way around.

[elisafrye]

Fascinating, Scientifically valid information and much food-for-thought, as well as for the body! 👍🥳🥰. And the comments section is also very interesting! 👍

[PaulHigginbothamSr]

I just walked my big rottweiler 1 1/2 miles and after listening to this I just took another tablespoon of mct oil. Alzheimers is a horrible disorder. At the pet food store as we were walking out I turned towards the back of the store instead of the front to leave. Something I never would have done ten years ago. So exercising and taking a tablespoon of mct oil seems I am still dropping in performance. I still understand correctly where I need to drive to, and my driving has improved 100% since taking this supplement. I have recently, (past month), also started k2 m7 supplement dropping atorvastatin to try to keep my heart arteries clear. Statins seem to not extend life at all and have bad effects on our brain tissue, never mentioned this to my primary physician since he does not seem to understand insulin resistance in the brain, but seems tied to the standard American Care philosophy. I no longer even believe in the standard American philosophy of cancer genesis, but the mitochondrial failure that causes cancer and can be reduced by giving the mitochondria enough keytones, especially in the brain.

[SteveP]

What is so difficult about a ketogenic diet? I have been eating ketogenically for 2 years now with no difficulty at all. Why MCT oil? My sister's partner diagnosed with AD, has stabilized the progress of AD with coconut oil, a natural source of MCT, although she gives it to him by stealth, as he does not like the taste!

[CelineNoyce]

What is really terrifying is that some very important people have serious issues with the mind. And they are not eating properly. I work for some people who need sharp minds and they don't have it. Is this why our country is so messed up? What happens when we start getting people to understand what their mind can be like on ketones. I have heard that silicon valley fasts for this purpose, and it seems, they own the world.

[rachelwren-vipond]

great stuff! Just started taking MCT time will tell. thanks for your work

[LSUB]

Ketogenic is actually very easy to stick to. All the advantages is the thing that keeps you to sorting out all carbohydrates.BUT always start with sorting out the carbs from you house; all pasta, rice, cookies, bread, flour, fruit (YES, fruit too), cereals, potatoes and of course the most important: sugar. All kind of sweetener; white, brown, honey, etc etc... if it tastes sweet => Into the junk with it.
4, 5 years now.