A ketogenic diet may reduce fatigue, improve neurological function and enhance daily life for people with multiple sclerosis, new analysis suggests.
The diet, which involves eating very little carbohydrate and replacing it with fat, was linked to benefits in six studies involving people with MS.
Researchers stressed the evidence is limited but said the findings “provide preliminary evidence supporting the safety and potential efficacy of ketogenic diets as an adjunctive intervention for MS management.”
Multiple sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks myelin – the protective coating around nerve fibres.
The ketogenic diet switches the body’s fuel source from sugar to fat, a state called ketosis.
The review covered studies published between 2017 and 2024, each involving 21 to 65 patients, most tracked for around six months.
After several months on the diet, patients often reported less fatigue and depression, better sleep and improvements in walking and hand dexterity. Reductions in inflammation, lower body fat and changes in gut bacteria were also seen.
Most patients stuck to the diet, with some carrying on after the studies ended.
The researchers concluded: “Ketogenic diets can be a sustainable intervention for MS patients with potentially lasting benefits.”
However, researchers warned the studies were small and short-term.
“The current evidence base is limited by small sample sizes, methodological variability, and short follow-up periods,” they wrote.
“Larger randomised controlled trials with standardised protocols and comprehensive outcome measures are urgently needed to definitively establish the role of ketogenic diets in the integrative management of multiple sclerosis.”
The ketogenic was first developed to treat epilepsy.
At present, no specific diet is recommended for MS, with advice focused on eating fruit, vegetables and whole grains while limiting processed foods and sugar.
