It’s been understood for decades now that ketosis — a metabolic state in which ketones produced by the liver increase in response to sugar/carbohydrate deprivation increase, indicating the usage of stored fat for energy rather than sugar — does amazing things for brain health, as well as for the health of numerous other organs.
If you have ever done a long-term water fast (usually defined as 72 hours or more), you might be able to personally attest to this fact.
Now, on the back of a newly released study, we have greater insight into the mechanics behind the benefits that ketones deliver.
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It’s not just that ketones provide an alternative, more stable energy source (as opposed to sugar, levels of which often fluctuate wildly in high-carbohydrate diets) — they also appear to assist in clearing misfolded proteins from the brain, one of the hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Via Neuroscience News (emphasis added):
Ketone bodies, produced by the body to provide fuel during fasting, have roles in regulating cellular processes and aging mechanisms beyond energy production.
Research at the Buck Institute shows that ketone bodies can best be understood as powerful signaling metabolites affecting brain function in aging and Alzheimer’s disease.
A new study demonstrates that ketone bodies and similar metabolites have profound effects on the proteome and protein quality control in the brain.
Whereas, previously, the prevailing theory behind the proven benefits of increased ketone levels for brain health was that they reduced inflammation and/or increased energy supply to brain cells, which is true, the researchers discovered a more direct action by ketones: by changing the structure of misfolded proteins, ketone bodies catalyze their removal through the process of autophagy — a biological term that literally means “self-eating” translated from its original Greek and that refers to the ongoing recycling of damaged or dysfunctional cell parts so they can be replenished with younger, healthier parts.
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Continuing:
Buck Institute scientists, working in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease and aging, and in the nematode C. elegans, reveal the ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate interacts directly with misfolded proteins, altering their solubility and structure so they can be cleared from the brain through the process of autophagy…
Senior author John Newman, MD, PhD, an assistant professor at the Buck, says many theorized that the ketone body-based improvements were caused by increased energy to the brain or a reduction in brain inflammation, with reported improvements in amyloid plaques in mouse models being an indirect by-product.
“Now we know that’s not the whole story,” he said. “Ketone bodies interact with damaged and misfolded proteins directly, making them insoluble so they can be pulled from the cell and recycled.”
So, how can you increase your ketone levels if you’re interested in a bit of cellular self-cleaning?
The easiest way is through fasting and/or a ketogenic diet, which calls for consuming almost entirely (ideally healthy) fats and proteins and limiting net carbs to under 20 grams per day. By reducing carbohydrate intake, you force your liver to produce ketones which your body begins to use for fuel in lieu of blood sugar. You can also opt for MCT oil (found naturally in coconut oil), which is directly converted by the liver into ketones.
