Don't Expect Miracles. But Many Studies Report Improvement of Various Diseases with the Plant-Based Ketogenic Diet

Zoe "I have a close friend from very early childhood whose baby has autism. She had to leave her job to care for him. She's tried every supplement and program people recommend, but says nothing seems to change much. She tells me autism rates have multiplied recently. She and her husband are wonderful, kind people, but their lives have become hard since the diagnosis. They weren't financially struggling before, but now they are. Listening to her, my heart aches, and there's nothing I can do but listen. Caring for the child seems extremely difficult. — Are there ketogenic-diet studies on autism?"

Dr. Lee "Yes, there are. There are studies on the ketogenic diet's beneficial effects in autism, and there are also molecular studies on the mechanisms behind those effects. 'Molecular' here refers to investigations into more fundamental causes — gene-level effects, biochemical mechanisms, neurotransmitter relationships, and so on. As we look at these studies, please keep two things in mind. First, even when scientific results are good, we cannot guarantee 100% effectiveness for every individual. The literature itself shows a spectrum — some respond strongly, some moderately, and some not at all. So please don't have outsized expectations. Second, the improvement effects of a ketogenic diet on any given disease are not produced through a single pathway. Although the phrase 'ketogenic diet' is one term, in the body it acts through many improvement pathways. For example, the diet lowers blood glucose and insulin and raises ketone bodies. This smooths blood flow and improves the delivery of oxygen and nutrients body-wide. Lower insulin reduces blood inflammation. Reduced inflammation and smoother blood flow let white blood cells work better, raising immunity. Beyond what I've just sketched, there are many more benefits. A plant-based ketogenic diet adds antioxidants, vitamins and phytochemicals on top of all this, while abundant fiber helps stabilize blood sugar and adsorbs metabolic waste and excess cholesterol for elimination — providing more positive inputs to the body. These effects also synergize with each other, producing even more remarkable outcomes."