Coconut Oil and Ketones

Thursday, October 21, 2010

2nd Ketone Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland

Steve, our daughter Joanna, and I travelled to Edinburgh, Scotland in early October 2010 to attend the 2nd symposium on ketones called “Dietary Interventions for Epilepsy and Other Neurologic Diseases,” where I presented two abstracts on posters. One was Steve’s case study and the other was caregiver reports of responses of persons with dementia to medium chain fatty acids. I hope to get the chart up on the website very soon. Dr. Veech’s work and/or his ketone ester were discussed in several of the presentations. About 150 people attended, mostly pediatric neurologists, PhD researchers, and dieticians, who are interested in and involved in ketogenic diet and other ketone research. Several of the presenters were from John Hopkins University, where the ketogenic diet has been used for many decades for childhood epilepsy. This diet is used primarily in children who do not respond to anti-convulsant medication, but recently has been used in adults as well. We met a man named Mike from England who had resistant epilepsy who became seizure free on this diet and has remained so for about three years ago. The diet has even been tried as a first line (before medication) at John Hopkins with success in some infants with infantile spasms. About 18-20% of children with drug resistant epilepsy become seizure free and another 35-40% have a reduction in their seizures by at least 50%. They do not know exactly why it works and also why it works in some people and not in others. This is the same thing that we see in our friends with Alzheimer's that some respond to the ketones from coconut oil and/or MCT oil and some do not.
The strictest form of the diet calls for about 75-80% of the total calories to be consumed as fat and the rest as a combination of carbohydrate and protein. The protein is calculated to allow the child to grow, or the adult to maintain lean body mass. Some of the presenters have done research showing that less strict forms of the diet may work for some people. There is an MCT oil modification of the diet, using 60% of the calories as MCT oil, a modified Atkins diet, and the Low Glycemic Index Diet. Any of these diets could be tried with the help of a dietician in someone with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS, traumatic brain injury and potentially some other neurologic diseases. There are some small studies and case studies suggesting that this could be beneficial. One study showed that following stroke, the ketogenic diet can help preserve brain volume.
Another section of the conference focused on cancer and the ketogenic diet with caloric restriction (20-40% less than maintenance calories). Dr. Tom Seyfried presented his research showing that glioblastomas shrink by as much as 80% in response to this type of diet. He believes that at least 80% of cancerous tumors would shrink with this approach, since most cancers can use only glucose as fuel and cannot use ketones. On this type of diet as the blood sugar becomes low, the blood supply and energy to the tumor dwindles as well as the tumor(s), even in the case of metastatic tumors. He has some human case studies as well as plenty of animal studies to support this.
The organizers for this conference were www.matthewsfriends.org and for the previous conference in 2008 www.charliefoundation.org. Both of these organizations were founded by parents of children with epilepsy who responded to the ketogenic diet, and either of these can provide information and dietician help with these diets. The next conference will be in 2012 and they are seriously considering including a section on Alzheimer’s disease.
We had a wonderful time in Edinburgh, although the travelling back and forth is not much fun. Steve did amazingly well, although there was some confusion when we were out after dark. The hardest part was trying to figure out the best times to give him his oil since we were five hours ahead there. It is always good to get back home - much less confusion there!

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posted by Dr. Mary Newport at 5:57 PM

9 Comments:

  • I have anecdotal evidence that even a not-neccessarily ketogenic diet, but just a high fat diet containing olive oil, coconut oil, and cod liver oil has held deadly childhood AT/RT brain cancer at bay. My daughter did have an almost complete resection, 2 rounds of chemo and radiation but this has not been enough to keep it at bay for most kids. We started this diet 2 weeks into her radiation treatment. What started as a treatment for esophagitis because of the vitamin E in olive oil and coconut oils ability to perpetuate vitamin E turned into a whole host of health benefits. We actually did not do the recommended stem cell chemo as planned and are now over 2 months out from radiation with no treatment and tumor free. Actually, a bundle of nerves on her spine that no one knows what they are, has actually shrank! She gets 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and 3-6 ml of coconut oil with each meal since the first of July. My gut told me this would work as well due to my own research in the past that the brain could use coconut oil as fuel and is anti-cancerous. I hope to get this info out to people, that even though she may not make it long term, it can at least give parents a few more months with their child that they wouldn't otherwise have.

    By Anonymous Weldon, At October 23, 2010 8:05 PM  

  • Glad to hear of another open-minded MD! Are you familiar with "excitotoxins"? If not, you owe it to yourself and your husband to look objectively into artificial sweeteners and food additives. Russell Blaylock's book would be a good start.

    I would be curious to know how much aspartame, food colorings and MSG is being consumed by the kids NOT responding to the coconut oil.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At November 12, 2010 6:46 AM  

  • Dear Dr. Newport:

    Thank you for sharing your personal findings with your husband and the promise of intervention that any of us can implement without the obstacle of patented material.

    I cared for my mother for the past three years. In addition to a dramatic living foods diet which gave positive results, intervening with fresh pressed turmeric juice gave her more ability on the days of the juice. She is in late stages Alzheimer’s, and on the days she had the drink, she would be more expressive and have the ability to move her arms on her own, something she had previously lost. We discontinued the treatment due to her getting an upset stomach on a couple of times following her drinking the juice.

    We needed to do more in working up a suitable combination. I combined 1.5 ounces of the juice with 6.5 ounces of fresh pressed sugar cane juice. While my mother is diabetic, our intensely fresh high vegetable no artificial or processed sugar diet is perhaps why there was no issue with the sugar cane juice. There could be a number of other foods with which to combine the turmeric that may be synergistic and yet more healthy.

    Following a lecture series, it was herbalist Chris Kilham of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst who told me that turmeric is the one herb that has been found to remove amyloid plaque in animal (rat) studies.

    Please note three things. I also get a marked improvement in my head when I drink the juice. Importantly, also note that neither did I obtain nor did my mother exhibit any improvement on taking a manufactured capsule of concentrate turmeric. Much is often lost in the processing or heating of our foods. The turmeric I used is fresh living turmeric that is not heated at any stage in the process. Third, note that I used a Norwalk juicer to press the juice from the turmeric. My understanding is that there are certain juices that provided cure for certain cancers in a study sometime back at John Hopkins that could only be duplicated when the juices were fresh pressed from the Norwalk. Before my decision to purchase an (expensive) Norwalk, the opinion in the community was that more micronutrients were obtained with its system and press (i.e., in comparison to centrifugal juicers, etc.).

    In light of the Eli Lilly drug study termination, note that my mother (as well as me) has always gotten mouth scores/fever blisters from time to time, presumably from the herpes simplex virus. It may well be more important to attack the virus than to remove the brain’s sole defense against the virus.

    Please let me know if you learn anything further pertaining to the elimination of the herpes virus or the application of turmeric to the Alzheimer’s condition.

    Thank you again for sharing.

    Sincerely yours,

    Mark J. Miller
    4525 Indian Trace Drive
    Alpharetta, Georgia 30004
    phone: 770.889.8087
    email: markjmiller@email.com

    By Blogger markjmiller, At November 16, 2010 1:19 PM  

  • Dear Dr. Newport:

    Thank you for sharing your personal findings with your husband and the promise of intervention that any of us can implement without the obstacle of patented material.

    I cared for my mother for the past three years. In addition to a dramatic living foods diet which gave positive results, intervening with fresh pressed turmeric juice gave her more ability on the days of the juice. She is in late stages Alzheimer’s, and on the days she had the drink, she would be more expressive and have the ability to move her arms on her own, something she had previously lost. We discontinued the treatment due to her getting an upset stomach on a couple of times following her drinking the juice.

    We needed to do more in working up a suitable combination. I combined 1.5 ounces of the juice with 6.5 ounces of fresh pressed sugar cane juice. While my mother is diabetic, our intensely fresh high vegetable no artificial or processed sugar diet is perhaps why there was no issue with the sugar cane juice. There could be a number of other foods with which to combine the turmeric that may be synergistic and yet more healthy.

    Following a lecture series, it was herbalist Chris Kilham of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst who told me that turmeric is the one herb that has been found to remove amyloid plaque in animal (rat) studies.

    Please note three things. I also get a marked improvement in my head when I drink the juice. Importantly, also note that neither did I obtain nor did my mother exhibit any improvement on taking a manufactured capsule of concentrate turmeric. Much is often lost in the processing or heating of our foods. The turmeric I used is fresh living turmeric that is not heated at any stage in the process. Third, note that I used a Norwalk juicer to press the juice from the turmeric. My understanding is that there are certain juices that provided cure for certain cancers in a study sometime back at John Hopkins that could only be duplicated when the juices were fresh pressed from the Norwalk. Before my decision to purchase an (expensive) Norwalk, the opinion in the community was that more micronutrients were obtained with its system and press (i.e., in comparison to centrifugal juicers, etc.).

    In light of the Eli Lilly drug study termination, note that my mother (as well as me) has always gotten mouth scores/fever blisters from time to time, presumably from the herpes simplex virus. It may well be more important to attack the virus than to remove the brain’s sole defense against the virus.

    Please let me know if you learn anything further pertaining to the elimination of the herpes virus or the application of turmeric to the Alzheimer’s condition.

    Thank you again for sharing.

    Sincerely yours,

    Mark J. Miller
    email: markjmiller@email.com

    By Blogger markjmiller, At November 16, 2010 1:21 PM  

  • Thank you for sharing your personal findings with your husband and the promise of intervention that any of us can implement without the obstacle of patented material.

    I cared for my mother for the past three years. In addition to a dramatic living foods diet which gave positive results, intervening with fresh pressed turmeric juice gave her more ability on the days of the juice. She is in late stages Alzheimer’s, and on the days she had the drink, she would be more expressive and have the ability to move her arms on her own, something she had previously lost. We discontinued the treatment due to her getting an upset stomach on a couple of times following her drinking the juice.

    We needed to do more in working up a suitable combination. I combined 1.5 ounces of the juice with 6.5 ounces of fresh pressed sugar cane juice. While my mother is diabetic, our intensely fresh high vegetable no artificial or processed sugar diet is perhaps why there was no issue with the sugar cane juice. There could be a number of other foods with which to combine the turmeric that may be synergistic and yet more healthy.

    Please note three things. I also get a marked improvement in my head when I drink the juice. Importantly, also note that neither did I obtain nor did my mother exhibit any improvement on taking a manufactured capsule of concentrate turmeric. Much is often lost in the processing or heating of our foods. The turmeric I used is fresh living turmeric that is not heated at any stage in the process. Third, note that I used a Norwalk juicer to press the juice from the turmeric. My understanding is that there are certain juices that provided cure for certain cancers in a study sometime back at John Hopkins that could only be duplicated when the juices were fresh pressed from the Norwalk. Before my decision to purchase an (expensive) Norwalk, the opinion in the community was that more micronutrients were obtained with its system and press (i.e., in comparison to centrifugal juicers, etc.).

    In light of the Eli Lilly drug study termination, note that my mother (as well as me) has always gotten mouth scores/fever blisters from time to time, presumably from the herpes simplex virus. It may well be more important to attack the virus than to remove the brain’s sole defense against the virus.

    Please let me know if you learn anything further pertaining to the elimination of the herpes virus or the application of turmeric to the Alzheimer’s condition.

    Thank you again for sharing.

    Sincerely yours,

    Mark J. Miller
    email: markjmiller@email.com

    By Blogger markjmiller, At November 16, 2010 1:22 PM  

  • Dear Dr. Newport:

    Thank you for sharing your personal findings with your husband.

    I cared for my mother for the past three years. In addition to a dramatic living foods diet which gave positive results, intervening with fresh pressed turmeric juice gave her more ability on the days of the juice. She is in late stages Alzheimer’s, and on the days she had the drink, she would be more expressive and have the ability to move her arms on her own, something she had previously lost. We discontinued the treatment due to her getting an upset stomach on a couple of times following her drinking the juice.

    We needed to do more in working up a suitable combination. I combined 1.5 ounces of the juice with 6.5 ounces of fresh pressed sugar cane juice. While my mother is diabetic, our intensely fresh high vegetable no artificial or processed sugar diet is perhaps why there was no issue with the sugar cane juice. There could be a number of other foods with which to combine the turmeric that may be synergistic and yet more healthy.

    Please note three things. I also get a marked improvement in my head when I drink the juice. Importantly, also note that neither did I obtain nor did my mother exhibit any improvement on taking a manufactured capsule of concentrate turmeric. Much is often lost in the processing or heating of our foods. The turmeric I used is fresh living turmeric that is not heated at any stage in the process. Third, note that I used a Norwalk juicer to press the juice from the turmeric. My understanding is that there are certain juices that provided cure for certain cancers in a study sometime back at John Hopkins that could only be duplicated when the juices were fresh pressed from the Norwalk. Before my decision to purchase an (expensive) Norwalk, the opinion in the community was that more micronutrients were obtained with its system and press (i.e., in comparison to centrifugal juicers, etc.).

    In light of the Eli Lilly drug study termination, note that my mother (as well as me) has always gotten mouth scores/fever blisters from time to time, presumably from the herpes simplex virus. It may well be more important to attack the virus than to remove the brain’s sole defense against the virus.

    Please let me know if you learn anything further pertaining to the elimination of the herpes virus or the application of turmeric to the Alzheimer’s condition.

    Thank you again for sharing.

    Sincerely yours,

    Mark J. Miller
    email: markjmiller@email.com

    By Blogger markjmiller, At November 16, 2010 1:24 PM  

  • Dear Dr. Newport:

    Thank you for sharing your personal findings with your husband.

    I cared for my mother for the past three years. In addition to a dramatic living foods diet which gave positive results, intervening with fresh pressed turmeric juice gave her more ability on the days of the juice. She is in late stages Alzheimer’s, and on the days she had the drink, she would be more expressive and have the ability to move her arms on her own, something she had previously lost. We discontinued the treatment due to her getting an upset stomach on a couple of times following her drinking the juice.

    We needed to do more in working up a suitable combination. I combined 1.5 ounces of the juice with 6.5 ounces of fresh pressed sugar cane juice. While my mother is diabetic, our intensely fresh high vegetable no artificial or processed sugar diet is perhaps why there was no issue with the sugar cane juice. There could be a number of other foods with which to combine the turmeric that may be synergistic and yet more healthy.

    Please note three things. I also get a marked improvement in my head when I drink the juice. Importantly, also note that neither did I obtain nor did my mother exhibit any improvement on taking a manufactured capsule of concentrate turmeric. Much is often lost in the processing or heating of our foods. The turmeric I used is fresh living turmeric that is not heated at any stage in the process. Third, note that I used a Norwalk juicer to press the juice from the turmeric. My understanding is that there are certain juices that provided cure for certain cancers in a study sometime back at John Hopkins that could only be duplicated when the juices were fresh pressed from the Norwalk. Before my decision to purchase an (expensive) Norwalk, the opinion in the community was that more micronutrients were obtained with its system and press (i.e., in comparison to centrifugal juicers, etc.).

    In light of the Eli Lilly drug study termination, note that my mother (as well as me) has always gotten mouth scores/fever blisters from time to time, presumably from the herpes simplex virus. It may well be more important to attack the virus than to remove the brain’s sole defense against the virus.

    Please let me know if you learn anything further pertaining to the elimination of the herpes virus or the application of turmeric to the Alzheimer’s condition.

    Thank you again for sharing.

    markjmiller@email.com

    By Blogger markjmiller, At November 16, 2010 1:26 PM  

  • Hi All,

    I have read most of this blog and comments, and am distressed to see people recommending "diet" soda and Splenda to make coconut oil more palatable...

    Please do the research on MSG and Aspartame.

    These excitotoxins are insidious poisons which both cross the blood brain barrier and cause many of the diseases which Mary has noted in this blog:

    On Aspartame truth:
    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6551291488524526735

    http://www.dorway.com/

    On MSG truth (and other "flavor enhancers" in processed foods):

    http://www.msgtruth.org/
    http://www.mpwhi.com/main.htm


    I know that it's nearly impossible at this time to find any chewing gum that DOESN'T contain aspartame for my son. That's telling...

    Research aspartame and MSG (under it's myriad of names, added to ALL processed foods), then remove these poisons from your diet, to discover how well you can really feel, and what is REALLY causing diseases in the 1st world which don't exist in other places where people don't consume processed foods and aspartame...

    Good luck.

    Thanks to Dr. Mary: I watched the video on You Tube, researching ways to assist a couple of friends who suffer from AD, and it was helpful!

    Every little bit helps.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At April 11, 2011 11:31 AM  

  • My knowing is the actuality that there are specific juices that offered treatment for specific cancers inside a examine sometime back again at John Hopkins

    By Anonymous Subing, At February 2, 2012 10:05 PM  

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