DO KETONES HAVE ANTI-AGING EFFECTS?

There is a tiny worm that may tell us a big story about ketones. Called Caenorhabditis elegans, or C. elegans for short, this is a transparent free-living nematode (roundworm) less than 1/8 inch long (1 mm) that moves like a snake. The worm lives only about 2 to 3 weeks and emits a blue fluorescence when it dies.  It is one of the simplest organisms that has a nervous system, consisting of 302 neurons (brain cells) and has been used extensively since 1963 in medical research.  Every type of cell in this worm has been thoroughly studied and its entire genome has been mapped out.  C.elegans is a regular passenger on space flights and on the space station and actually survived the space shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003.  It has been used to study conditions like nicotine addiction, effects of zero gravity on muscle atrophy, sleep and aging. 

            

So, what does this have to do with ketones?  A recent research study using C.elegans strongly suggests that ketones extend lifespan and have anti-aging effects.  As we age, our cells deteriorate, often leading to chronic medical conditions and brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Dietary restriction of calories slows the process of aging down and increases the lifespan of many organisms including primates and C.elegans. Dietary restriction is known to increase ketone levels and this could at least partly explain its effects on prolonging life.  Researchers in the anti-aging field look for substances that mimic dietary restriction and lead to longer lifespan and delay the onset of diseases of aging.  It turns out that the ketone betahydroxybutyrate, found in ketone salts (marketed by the Pruvit company), is one of those anti-aging substances. Medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) found in coconut oil, palm kernel oil and MCT oil, partly convert to betahydroxybutyrate as well.

            

In 2015, researchers at the University of South Florida published their study in which they found that high levels of D-betahydroxybutyrate extended the lifespan of C.elegans by 26% and that this effect was likely due, at least in part, to suppressing certain enzymes involved in inflammation and damage from reactive oxygen species. They then studied the effects of betahydroxybutyrate on models of the worm that were engineered to represent Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.  They further found that betahydroxybutyrate delayed the onset of signs of Alzheimer’s in the worm by 15% and also delayed the formation of clumps of the abnormal protein found in Parkinson’s disease by 35%.    The bottom line here is that betahydroxybutyrate prolonged the lifespan and was found to protect brain cells in the worm.

            

In an article published in 2017, Dr. Richard L. Veech and his associates at the National Institutes of Health further explain how these findings in C.elegans might be translated to prolonging human lifespan and delaying effects of aging on the brain.  The likely ketone effects involved include anti-inflammatory effects, reduction of damage from reactive oxygen species, and reducing levels of glucose and insulin.  My summary here is just a simple explanation for the very technical, complicated biochemistry involved.

            

We gigantic humans share many of the same chemical pathways as C. elegans, including those studied in the University of South Florida experiments. Do ketones have anti-aging effects?  Based on the latest information from studying this little worm, the answer to this question appears to be yes!

References:

Edwards C, J Canfield, N Copes, et al. D-beta-hydroxybutyrate extends lifespan in C. elegans. Aging Vol. 6 No. 8 (2014):1-24.

Edwards C, N Copes, PC Bradshaw. D-beta-hydroxybutyrate: an anti-aging ketone body. Oncotarget Vol. 6 No. 6 (2015): 3477-8.

Veech RL, PC Bradshaw, K Clarke, et al. Ketone bodies mimic the life span extending properties of caloric restriction. IUBMB Life Vol. 69 No. 5 (2017):305-314.

ON COCONUT OIL AND THE AHA: RESPONSE BY MARY NEWPORT MD TO THE AHA  ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON DIETARY FATS AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

The media has irresponsibly taken viral a fragment of information purporting that coconut oil may be bad for your heart from an article published in the medical journal "Circulation" 2017, 135:e1-24, as a presidential advisory committee report from the AHA, "Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease". The coconut oil industry on the other side of the world, mainly comprised of small farmers who grow and sell their coconuts, is reeling from the effects of this latest careless media campaign. They have only recently been recovering from the previous advisory put forth by the AHA.

There are some serious problems with the conclusions of the advisory committee. The four "core studies" this committee relied on were all conducted in the 1950s, were relatively small groups of "men only" in three of the four studies, were conducted in populations that almost certainly were not consuming coconut oil on any regular basis, and were studies comparing diets with ANIMAL saturated fats to diets with polyunsaturated fats. Animal and human fat is well known to store hormones, pesticides, antibiotics and other environmental substances, which could be factors in heart disease, whereas vegetable fats such as coconut oil would not be so likely to contain these potentially harmful substances.

The authors do not mention whether age and smoking were controlled for in these studies; smoking, which was very prevalent in the 1950s compared to the 2010's is a major contributor to heart disease. The raw numbers of how many people in each group had cardiac events was not presented, making the summaries difficult to evaluate. The clincher in this article is that they state on page e13, under the section on coconut oil, "Clinical trials that compared direct effects on CVD [cardiovascular disease] of coconut oil and other dietary oils have not been reported." They rely on studies of individual saturated fatty acids that show a miniscule increase in LDL (so called "bad") cholesterol but rationalize away a similar small increase in HDL (so called "good") cholesterol and an improved LDL to HDL ratio. For example, lauric acid (50% of coconut oil) resulted in a less than 1 mg/dl point increase in both LDL and HDL cholesterol, with typical LDL values ranging from less than 100 to 160 mg/dl. Could a change of less than 1 mg/dl really have that much impact?

In addition, the problem here is that natural fats such as coconut oil and even lard do not come as individual fatty acids but rather as combinations of many fatty acids with different properties, which may balance each other out. Completely ignored in this report are the saturated fats in coconut oil known as medium chain triglycerides that could balance out the longer chain fats. Coconut oil also contains some mono- and polyunsaturated fats, tauted as healthy by this committee. One of the most important details that the AHA is missing here is that 70% of the saturated fats in coconut oil are medium chain triglycerides (C6 through C12) which are either converted to ketones or burned immediately as fuel by muscle and other organs and not stored as fat. Lauric acid has some properties of medium chain and longer chain fatty acids. Ketones come from breakdown of fat and provide an alternative fuel to the brain and most other organs during starvation or fasting or to cells that are insulin resistant. In a recent study conducted in Japan, lauric acid was found to potently stimulate ketone production in astrocytes in cultures; astrocytes are brain cells that nourish other brain cells. By comparison, butter, lard and animal fat contain minimal medium chain triglycerides and medium chains are not found in soybean, olive, corn, safflower and most other oils. There are hundreds of studies of potential benefits of coconut oil; for example, lauric acid, which makes up about 50% of coconut oil, is antimicrobial - there are numerous studies showing that lauric acid kills many bacteria, viruses, fungi like candida and protozoa. Lauric acid is not found in any significant amount in soybean, corn, canola and olive oils.

A few small cholesterol studies looking at coconut oil were conducted decades ago in animals or a few men over short term and used hydrogenated coconut oil - any hydrogenated oil will increase cholesterol. Also, the diets were deficient in omega-3 fatty acids which can also increase cholesterol levels. There are studies of entire populations for whom coconut oil provides 1/3 to 2/3 of the diet showing that they were of normal height and weight, had normal blood pressure, triglycerides and cholesterol levels at all ages.

The committee surmises that people who eat saturated fats likely have other bad eating habits without any proof. These days, many, if not most, of the people who embrace coconut oil are likely embracing healthier foods as well and a healthier lifestyle in general and eating fish and/or taking omega-3 fats, which weren’t on the radar in the 1950s when the so-called “core studies” for this report were conducted.

The folks in the AHA and other organizations who perpetuate these myths about coconut oil need to really do their homework and learn more about medium chain triglycerides and study the other beneficial effects of coconut oil, which they choose to ignore. The point that some people may benefit from eating more polyunsaturated fat in place of animal fat may be very valid. However, coconut oil is not animal fat and, nevertheless, the bottom line that came out of their lengthy report is that “coconut oil is bad for your heart”, which has now been perpetuated by media who jumped on this conclusion that is not even based on direct research of coconut oil and heart disease. This message has gone viral worldwide. The impact of this could take a devastating toll on the economies of countries that produce coconut oil, mostly made up of individual farmers and their families trying to make a living. These economies were devastated in the 1960s and have been slowly recovering from the initial similar AHA statement on saturated fats in 1961 based on the same four “core studies". It is irresponsible and unconscionable for this advisory committee to make such sweeping claims without direct proof that coconut oil causes heart disease.

The AHA advisory committee should consider the negative impact their report has already had on the communities on the other side of the world, and issue a clarification that there is no direct proof that coconut oil has a negative effect on the heart. Then the committee needs to figure out how to make the clarification statement go viral.

COMBINING KETONE SALTS WITH A LOW CARB DIET TO LOSE FAT

While my highest priority is to increase awareness of ketones as alternative fuel for the brain for Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases, reducing sugar in the diet can help support that. Also, there are very many people dealing with being overweight to obese and/or with type 2 diabetes, which increases the risk of developing dementia later in life. So embracing a low carb ketogenic lifestyle could go a long way to reducing the risk and improve health overall.

Until about thirty years ago, if you wanted to lose weight, the doctor would likely tell you to cut down on sweets and starchy foods. Then along came the concept of the “low fat diet” based on, what has turned out to be, flawed research.  Rates of obesity and diabetes in the USA and many other countries have been steadily climbing ever since. Added sugar in the diet has increased from about 6 pounds per person per year in the early 1800’s to more than 130 pounds now for the average person in the USA. That is a lot of extra sugar! For most people, eating a low fat diet turns into eating a high carbohydrate (sugar) diet, and eating too much sugar is a big problem for many reasons (which will be the subject of another blog post). When you eat sugary foods, your body will crave more sugar.

So the simplest way to think of a low carb diet is to…cut down on sweets and starchy foods!  These include the obvious sweets like candy, pies and cakes, added sugars (including agave and honey), starchy vegetables like potatoes, corn and peas, rice and other grains, anything made with wheat or rice flour (breads, pasta, pastries, crackers, cookies, cereals, pancakes, muffins), fruit juices and most fruits. Berries such as blueberries and strawberries are relatively low in sugar, so would be good choices in limited amounts.  Aiming for less than 50 grams per day is reasonable and will support ketosis for most people.  Dropping to less than 20 grams per day for the first 2 or 3 weeks can hasten fat burning.  You can accomplish this by getting most of your carbs from vegetables and perhaps choosing ¼ to ½ cup of berries or a slice of whole grain bread or ¼ cup of whole grain rice per day as part of a meal.  See Carb Chart below.

Your body needs a certain amount of protein to maintain muscle and other lean tissues, especially while on a fat losing diet, but if you eat too much protein, some of it may be converted to sugar. Our goal is to lose fat, not muscle.  The best way to accomplish this is to adopt a ketogenic diet, which is a diet that raises levels of ketones.  This is a diet that is low in carbs and higher in fat, with just enough protein to maintain our muscle mass.  With a ketogenic diet, we switch from mainly burning glucose (sugar) for fuel to burning fat, and do not have to tap into muscle so much to compensate for eating fewer calories. 

Supplementing with ketone salts, can enhance fat burning by raising ketone levels even more. Ketones lower glucose levels, which lowers insulin levels (insulin puts and keeps fat on our bodies), and ketones also stimulate fat burning.

A reasonable amount of protein per day for most people is ½ gram for each pound that you weigh. So that would be 75 grams of protein for someone who weighs 150 pounds. 75 grams of protein provides about 300 calories. A couch potato might need less and an athlete or body builder might need up to twice as much.  See Protein Chart below.  Think of 3 ounces of meat or fish as about the size of a deck of cards.

One very important part of ketogenic/low carb dieting often overlooked is eating enough fat, which will help keep ketone levels elevated and promote burning fat as our primary fuel.  Medium chain triglycerides are converted by the liver to ketones, so ketone levels can be enhanced by adding MCT oil and coconut oil, which is 60% MCTs to the diet.  Some other sources of healthy fats include olive oil, olives, avocados, nuts and nut butters or milks.  If you like cow or goat milk and milk products like yogurt or soft cheeses, choose full fat versions, which contain some MCTs, and look for no added sugar.  A reasonable goal is to aim for between 60 and 100 grams of fat per day, which equates to 540 to 900 calories per day – the higher the percent of fat as the total calories in the diet, the higher you can expect your ketone levels to be.  A tablespoon of oil contains about 14 grams of fat, one large avocado has 27 grams of fat and an ounce of nuts (a small handful) has about 10 to 15 grams. Check package labels for milk and milk products.

And don’t forget your vegetables!  Vegetables contain carbohydrates but most are high in important fiber and they are a great source of many vitamins and other important nutrients. Eliminate or minimize the starchy vegetables like white and sweet potatoes, corn and peas. Include at least two cups of leafy green vegetables (1-2 grams of carbs total) and several servings per day of various colors of other fresh veges such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peppers, onions, tomatoes, squash. Most of these vegetables contain 2 to 4 grams of non-fiber carbs per one-half to one cup servings. Frozen veges are nearly as good as fresh as far as providing nutrients. Organic is even better.

Putting It All together -  

                                                                                               

Get rid of tempting high carb foods from your home.  Plan out your meals for several days at a time and shop for the foods you will need. Keep a record of what you are eating to keep you honest and help you find problems and tweak the diet if you aren’t losing weight. Get a good book that will give you total calorie and gram counts for carbs, fat and protein. Find your favorite foods and write them down for easy reference.  There are also great books and websites available now to support ketogenic dieting with tasty recipes for meals, snacks and some amazing desserts.

Consider adding coconut oil and/or MCT oil to coffee or tea in the morning to get off to a ketogenic start. Pruvit KetoKreme is a delicious and easy way to accomplish this.

Use a ketone salt supplement, such as Pruvit KetoMax or Keto//OS, to increase ketone levels. Ketones have been shown in studies to promote fat burning and suppress appetite as well. Drink plenty of water 8 to 10 glasses per day.

Eat only when you are hungry and stop when you begin to feel full. Think mainly protein, vegetables, and oil for your meals.  Consider low carb snacks once or twice a day such as cheese, nuts, coconut milk or almond milk, or veges with cream cheese or high fat dip.

You might not need to count calories to be successful, but if you do, aim for between 1250 and 1600 calories per day depending on how big you are.  If you are starting out at more than 250 to 300 pounds, you might even lose weight on 1800 to 2000 calories per day. As you lose weight you can adjust the calories downward to keep losing.

Aim for 20 to 50 grams of carbs per day, mainly as vegetables, ½ gram of protein per day for each pound that you weigh (or more if you are an active athlete), and 60 to 90 grams of fat per day.

Go one step further and add exercise to your plan.  A recent study by Dr. Stephen Cunnane and associates reported that 30 minutes of walking three days per week can triple ketone uptake in the brain!  

For more information on ketones and a link to research ketone salts, please see my website at www.coconutketones.com.  

# GRAMS PROTEIN PER SERVING	PROTEINS
25	3 ounces of cooked beef,  pork, poultry, lamb or tuna 1 cup cottage cheese or ricotta
21	3 ounces of most fish (except tuna and cod) or lobster 1 cup boiled green soybeans
15	3 ounces cod, crab or shrimp  OR 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
8	2 tablespoons peanut or almond butter
7	1 ounce hard cheese
6	1 egg  OR 8 ounces of milk OR 1 ounce soft cheese, such as brie or blue cheese OR 1 to 1 ½ ounces nuts OR ½ cup most beans
2 or less	½ cup most cooked vegetables or 1 cup leafy green vegetables 1/3 cup undiluted coconut milk or 1 ounce grated coconut 2 slices of bacon
0-1	Nearly all fruits, 1 medium or typical serving

# CARBOHYDRATE  PER SERVING (minus fiber)	SOME FOODS WITH CARBOHYDRATES
25	½  medium white potato (flesh and skin)
20	½ cup cooked whole wheat egg noodles or pasta ½ cup most beans (except green string beans) ½ cup  long grain brown or white rice, cooked
15	½ large (6 ½” diameter) whole wheat pita ½ medium whole grain bagel (3” diameter for whole bagel)
14	3 cups popcorn OR ¼ cup granola OR ½ medium sweet potato
13	½ medium banana OR 4 ounces orange juice ½ cup regular cream of wheat, prepared
12	1 medium orange OR ½ cup baked potato, flesh only 1 x 4” pancake
11	1 slice whole wheat bread (1 oz)
10	1/4 cup long grain brown rice, cooked OR ½ medium pear
9	1/4 cup cooked corn OR 1 medium peach OR ½ medium apple
6	½ cup plain Greek yogurt
4	½ cup halved strawberries
3	½ cup raspberries OR ½ cup ricotta or cottage cheese
2-4	1 medium apricot, ½ cup raspberries, 1 medium avocado 4 asparagus spears 1 ounce almonds, peanuts, Brazil nuts, walnuts, macadamias ½ cup cooked broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, green or string beans, or turnips, chopped bell or sweet peppers 1 cup boiled, chopped kale or other “greens” 1 cup chopped cucumber or celery 1 tablespoon catsup or sweet relish
0-1	1 cup of most lettuces, spinach, other leafy greens and cabbages 1 medium carrot or radish 1 cup cooked yellow or zucchini squash 1 ounce pecans or pistachios 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, mustard, dill relish, vinegar

BURNING FAT THROUGH KETOSIS – 

A SIMPLE EXPLANATION

Ketones act as a very basic fuel that can be used by nearly all of the cells in our bodies to produce the energy molecule adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is needed by every single cell to carry out its functions. Our cells can easily switch between using glucose (sugar) and ketones as fuel. As living beings, our metabolism is an extremely complex process involving hundreds of pathways and thousands of chemical reactions that operate on a continuous basis 24/7.  While most organs in our bodies can use fatty acids (breakdown products of fat) as fuel, fatty acids don’t easily cross over into the brain.  During fasting or starvation our energy hungry brains are especially dependent on the ability to use ketones as an alternative fuel. Without the availability of glucose or ketones as fuel to drive metabolism, we just simply wouldn’t exist.

But ketones are much more than fuel, not to diminish how important that is.  Ketones also enter other pathways in our metabolism. One of those has to do with BURNING FAT.   When we eat more food than we need, we store fat.  Insulin is key in making this happen.  When we eat carbohydrates (sugary and starchy foods), insulin levels rise, which allows glucose to enter cells to act as fuel.  But insulin has many other functions and is a key player in depositing fat on our bodies and keeping it there. This is a big problem for people who are prediabetic or have type II diabetes since they struggle with insulin resistance and tend to have very high insulin levels.  Very many people have insulin resistance and just don’t know it.  It can be extremely difficult to lose weight when insulin resistance is involved. When it comes to fat, ketones have the opposite effect of insulin by directly promoting the breakdown of fat to be burned as fuel.  Ketones also lower blood sugar and consequently lower insulin levels as well, making it easier to burn fat.

Taking exogenous ketones, especially when combined with a low carbohydrate, higher fat diet, will help shift us from burning glucose to burning to fat. People often lose muscle when they are on a typical high carbohydrate, low fat diet to lose weight because they will convert certain proteins in muscle to glucose. However, this is much less likely to happen with using a ketogenic strategy to burn fat, because there will be less need to use glucose as fuel.

As an added benefit, ketones signal the brain that our stomachs are full and appear to suppress the hormones that make us feel hungry.  How could it be any easier?

Pruvit Keto//OS and KetoMax contain the very important ketone beta hydroxybutyrate and many people find it easier to burn fat when taking ketone salts as a nutritional supplement.  If losing fat is your goal, combine ketone salts with a lower carbohydrate higher fat diet. Using coconut oil and MCT oil in your food can further support and sustain ketosis. Take it one step further and add vigorous exercise to the equation (which also raises ketone levels!) to find your best formula for burning fat.

For more information on ketones as alternative fuel for the brain and other ketone effects, look at my website at www.coconutketones.com.

Dr. Stephanie Seneff of MIT on Cholesterol, ApoE4, Statins, Beta Amyloid and Alzheimer's

Here is a link to a very thorough and highly researched article by Dr. Stephanie Seneff of MIT discussing the importance of fat and cholesterol, how they work in the brain, why statin use may be counterproductive for people at risk for and dealing with Alzheimer's, the function of beta amyloid and why a high fat diet may be beneficial.  I found this especially enlightening in its explanation of how cholesterol is packaged as it is transported throughout the body, and what it is packaged with in LDL particles, for example, may be a surprise.

http://coconutoil.com/the-clue-to-why-low-fat-diet-and-statins-may-cause-alzheimers/

Dr. Seneff has written many other similar articles of great interest to those concerned with cholesterol, statins, Alzheimer's, autism and other neurodegenerative diseases, many of which can be downloaded from her homepage.  http://people.csail.mit.edu/seneff/

Fuel for Thought

Many people ask me to suggest a convenient way that does not involve cooking to provide coconut and MCT oil for their loved ones who are in assisted living, or are looking for a convenient way to take it at home, or carry along while travelling or just out and about.  One such product is called Fuel for Thought and is available directly from Cognate Nutritionals by way of  www.cognatenutritionals.com or by calling  (855) 453-8663.  The company is located in the USA in Connecticut.  In the first edition of my book, the working name of this product was Cocomul but is now called Fuel for Thought.

Steve and I have had the opportunity to try out Fuel for Thought and it is a delicious, creamy vanilla flavored liquid that is easiest taken as is but can also be mixed into other foods and liquids.  Fuel for Thought® has been scientifically designed to provide a high concentration of MCTs which are partly converted in the liver to ketones that act as alternative fuel for brain cells.  In this regard, it has been designed to support cognitive health.  The makers state this product contains NO cholesterol, gluten, transfats, soy, dairy, or fructose, is vegetarian and very low in sodium. 

The beauty of Fuel for Thought is that it is packaged in one ounce single-serving bottles that do not require refrigeration, and are  sold as a case containing 60 doses.  For someone in assisted living, rather than trying to provide food containing coconut oil or getting the staff to give the patient coconut oil, the loved one's physician could order that Fuel for Thought be provided to the patient at set times of day, with meals, for example.

The recommendation from the company is to take one bottle twice a day, beginning with a portion of the bottle initially and increasing as tolerated.  The product is designed such that the amount of ketones produced by taking one ounce is equal to three tablespoons of coconut oil but with only 100 calories, as opposed to about 360 calories from the equivalent amount of coconut oil.

The product is currently being studied in a clinical trial of Alzheimer's and coconut/MCT oil versus placebo at the Byrd Alzheimer's Institute at University of South Florida in Tampa.

It is comparable to my idea of mixing coconut oil and MCT oil to reach higher levels of ketones while retaining the many health benefits of coconut oil.  I am giving Steve this mixture several times a day to try to keep ketones available to his brain 24/7.  For that reason I am involved with the company as a scientific advisor.

 

The concept here is that MCT oil is partly converted in the liver to ketones which act in the brain as an alternative fuel to glucose. People who have insulin deficiency or insulin resistance have difficulty getting glucose, the usual primary fuel for the brain and other organs, into the cells and eventually they malfunction and diet. This product would be useful not only for people who suffer from Alzheimer’s, but also, Parkinson’s, ALS, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, Huntington’s, and most other conditions where there is insulin resistance or decreased glucose uptake into cells.

TED x USF talk link

I have been having trouble getting by drafts to publish on my blog lately but now appear to be okay!

Here is a link to a TED talk I did in February at TEDxUSF in later February - 18 minutes long:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dvh3JhsrQ0w

Tampa Bay Times Article - Byrd Alzheimer's Institute to study coconut oil in people with Alzheimer's!

Here is a link to the story:

http://www.tampabay.com/news/health/spring-hill-couple-inspires-research-into-coconut-oil-for-alzheimers/2124596

This story spawned a similar TV story on ABC Action News that aired in the Tampa Bay area.  I will post a link when I receive it.

Sorry I have not posted here much lately!  I have been more active on Facebook.  Just look up Mary Newport and ask to be friends.

The second edition of my book was released a couple of months ago.  There is a link to order from Amazon on my website www.coconutketones.com.

New Interview Series - Ketones and Alzheimer's

I had the opportunity to give an interview for Scott Peters of iHealth Tube Video while at a conference where I was speaking. Here are links to the various segments:

#1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFYLtFglXHg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqcxVbVTuXg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dfux-5Z4COo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DfZnS4hYBs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkkY4NH8SiU

#6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKshbKPB2gM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSIWqXBh-cA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5npwXlT0ccc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snCIzrzO7_4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAnWX1DQ5-g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0zKamdNaek

#12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkDB6UFnI_0

New Important Article on Ketone Ester from Dr. Richard Veech NIH

A groundbreaking research study of a ketone ester in an Alzheimer's mouse model was released for publication January 4, 2012 in Neurobiology of Aging by Yoshira Kashiwaya, M.D. and others in the laboratory of Dr. Richard L. Veech at the NIH in Rockville, Maryland. This study showed that, compared to animals fed a normal control diet, the Alzheimer's model mice who were fed the ketone ester (D-beta-hydroxybutyrate-(R)-1,3-butanediol) had significantly less amyloid and tau protein that form the plaques and tangles in the Alzheimer's brain, and the animals showed reduced anxiety, and improved learning and memory compared to the mice fed the control diet.

The Alzheimer brain in people becomes resistant to insulin beginning at least ten to twenty years before symptoms appear and this affects the ability of the brain cells to use glucose causing them to malfunction and die. It was discovered in the late 1960's in the laboratory of George Cahill, M.D. (now deceased) that the brain easily switches over to using ketone bodies as an alternative fuel during starvation when glucose supplies are used up. This new research is the culmination of decades of research that followed, and, for the first time, shows that ketones could lessen the changes that occur in the brain and also improve cognitive function in this disease. In addition to acting as an alternative fuel, ketones mimic some of the effects of insulin and are also anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is another key feature affecting the Alzheimer's brain.

Toxicity studies have already been conducted of the ketone ester in people showing there are no adverse effects and it has been approved by the FDA as "Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS)". Funding is now urgently needed to mass produce this ketone ester and conduct human clinical trials.

A copy of the entire article may be obtained on my website at the top of the first page www.coconutketones.com.

Ketogenic Diet for Cancer - Clinical Trial

The University of Pittsburgh will be conducting a clinical trial of the ketogenic diet to treat cancer.  Here is a link with more information about the trial.

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01716468?term=NCT01716468&rank=1
The concept here is that cancer cells use glucose or the amino acid glutamine as their source of energy but cannot use ketones.  On a ketogenic diet with caloric restriction, there is very little glucose for the cancer cells to feed off of and they die, causing the tumor to shrink.  This could allow for more easily removing the tumor by surgery, or weaken it so that it is more susceptible to chemotherapy, for example.  Small metastases could outright die.

Normal cells can use glucose or ketones as fuel and so, while cancer cells are deprived of their energy source with the ketogenic diet, normal cells can readily switch over to using ketones and are not affected.

This concept is discussed in detail in the book Cancer as a Metabolic Disease by Dr. Thomas Seyfried of Boston College, who has done extensive work studying this in glioblastoma.  Animal studies conducted at University of South Florida by Dr. Dominic D'Agostino and others have shown tremendous promise.  They have been looking at various combinations of ketogenic diet with other treatments, such as ketone esters and 1,3 - butanediol to raise ketone levels, other agents to lower blood sugar, and also use of hyperbaric oxygen.  The results with shrinking cancerous tumors in mice have been quite dramatic for several of these combinations.  A number of cancer patients are now trying this treatment with success as well.

This treatment was featured on The 700 Club recently. The video can be seen here:

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/healthscience/2012/december/starving-cancer-ketogenic-diet-a-key-to-recovery/

The 700 Club - Upcoming Shows on Coconut Oil, Ketogenic Diets and Diseases

On Thursday morning, November 29, 2012, The 700 Club on CBN (Christian Broadcasting Network) will begin a series of three stories from health reporter Lorie Johnson that relate to the use of ketones as an alternative fuel to treat disease.  The original story on The 700 Club can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZOR-Qd3QSg.

The first story will feature Dr. Vince Tedone, a retired orthopedic surgeon, and his daughter Deanna in Tampa, Florida, USA who have developed what he calls "The Deanna Protocol" for ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease).  His daughter, Deanna, who is in her mid thirties has responded well (improvement and then minimal deterioration over a year) to taking an over the counter supplement called alpha-ketoglutyrate, 18 to 20 grams per day.  They are also massaging her with coconut oil and she is taking some coconut oil at present.  Alpha-ketoglutyrate is several metabolic steps down the pathway in the Kreb's cycle from where ketones enter the cycle.  Another man with ALS who has responded very well is also featured in this story.  Dr. Tedone has a website www.winningthefight.net where more information can be found about The Deanna Protocol.

The second story will feature Dr. Dominic D'Agostino, a researcher at University of South Florida in Tampa who is working with Dr. Tom Seyfried of Boston College to study the use of ketogenic diets, ketone esters alone and in combination with hyperbaric oxygen, and other substances that lower blood sugar to treat cancers (he also is involved with studies of ketones and Alzheimer's, ALS, wound healing, oxygen toxicity and epilepsy).  The concept here is that nearly all cancers require glucose, or the amino acid glutamine to make glucose, to survive and cannot use ketones, however normal cells can use ketones.  Potentially, if a person undertakes a strict ketogenic diet and calories are also restricted to reduce the blood sugar as much as possible, the tumor will shrink over a matter of weeks and metastases may outright die, while the brain and other normal tissues survive.   A large tumor, therefore, could become smaller and more amenable to surgery. This dietary approach can be used in conjunction with other treatments and can be enhanced by starting with a period of fasting (water is still consumed to avoid dehydration, and other supplements can be taken to ensure adwquate electrolytes, minerals and vitamins, for example, are provided).  They have had considerable success with animals and some people have now tested this strategy with success.  Hopefully, more organized studies will follow quickly.

The third story will be a follow-up to our story on coconut oil and Alzheimer's that aired on The 700 Club on January 5, 2012.  This story will feature Butch Machlan, a man with familial ALS (Lou Gehrig's) who has been stable for three years taking 9 tablespoons per day of coconut oil and magnesium chloride, and will also feature a man from Connecticut with Parkinson's who has had considerable improvement since shortly after the first story aired, taking a mixture of coconut oil and MCT oil (new product coming out Fuel for Thought from www.cognatenutritionals.com).


I am thrilled that Lorie Johnson and the Reverend Pat Robertson of The 700 Club have picked up the gauntlet to help spread this important message about ketones.

When I have specific dates for the second and third stories, I will add them to this post.

My book available now in German

I am very pleased to report that my book has been translated into German and is now available.  the title is:

Alzheimer - vorbeugen und behandeln: Die Keton-Kur: Wie ein natürliches Fett die Erkrankung aufhält

It is available through Amazon. If you copy and paste the title above it will come up on the German version of the Amazon website.  Today it is #1 for top 100 sellers for Alzheimer's on the German Amazon website!

My Book

I am very pleased to announce that my book is now available. The title is Alzheimer's Disease: What If There Was a Cure? The Story of Ketones. The book contains three parts: Our story; the science of ketones; and how to incorporate medium chain fatty acids into the diet.

To order, you can call the publisher directly at 1-800-575-8890, or you can order at a discount through www.amazon.com or www.barnesandnoble.com. There will also be electronic versions available soon.

Parkinson's ketone ester study - Oxford, England

Dr. Veech's ketone ester study for Parkinson's disease is now enrolling in Oxford, England, under the direction of Dr. Wesley Thevathasan at John Radcliffe Hospital. This is a short term study and twenty patients will be able to participate. The ketone ester previously passed human toxicity testing through the USAs FDA.

To learn more about this please look at www.clinicaltrials.gov and do a search for "parkinson's and ketone ester" or enter the trial identifier "NCT01364545".

Dr. Suzanne de la Monte and Dr. Oz Show: Nitrites and nitrates in food may cause Alzheimer's

On April 7, 2011, a former surgeon general and Dr. Suzanne de la Monte appeared on the Dr. Oz Show entitled, "A Revolutionary Breakthrough in Alzheimer's Disease," (can be watched on his website) where she presented her important research. She is the doctor who coined the term "type 3 diabetes" in reference to Alzheimer's disease.She found by accident that giving a nitrosamine compound called streptozotocin, used to deliberately produce diabetes, caused Alzheimer's in her lab mice. She learned that the brain produces its own insulin. She further found that this compound causes production of toxic lipids in the liver that cross the blood brain barrier and damage certain cells such that the brain develops insulin deficiency and insulin resistance. Nitrites and nitrates, found in very many processed foods, are nitrosamine compounds and could very well explain the epidemics of Alzheimer's, autism, diabetes, MS, Parkinson's and ALS, along with other neurodegenerative diseases that have insulin resistance, decreased glucose uptake as part of the process. These diseases have all been on the increase as processed foods have taken over our diets. I will add Dr. de la Monte's references to the website http://www.coconutketones.com/, in the very near future. These nitrites and nitrates are in most bacon, ham and other meats, deli meats, whether pre-packaged or cut at the counter, processed cheeses, cereals, breads, pretzels, crackers, white flour and anything that contains white flour, certain beers, scotch and some other whiskeys. Now something that has caught my attention for newborns and children: I found one of these offending compounds, thiamine mononitrate, in the Carnation infant formulas, some of the jarred baby foods, especially the junior combinations, cereals and other infant prepared foods such as macaroni and cheese. The government requires that certain vitamins such as thiamine are added to enrich foods that have been stripped of these nutrients by processing, most notably white flour and other grains. Thiamine mononitrate is a synthetic source of vitamin B1, rather than a naturally occurring vitamin, and is added to very many foods. Just look at the ingredients labels. Most people eat something with thiamine mononitrate in it for nearly every meal. Naturally occurring Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is usually water soluble, meaning that if you eat an excess of it, you will pass it out in the urine; however, thiamine mononitrate is fat soluble and the excess accumulates in the liver and fat cells. The FDA regulations (21 CFR 184.1878) say that thiamine mononitrate may be used in food "with no limitation other than good manufacturing practice" and that it "may be used in infant formula". These compounds could slowly kill off insulin producing cells in the brain and other organs, and when enough cells have been effected symptoms will begin to emerge. This could explain the classic development of autism in children at 1 1/2 to 2 years of age who were previously thought to be normal. And in Alzheimers' it is believed that the disease process begins at least 10-20 years before symptoms appear. Animal studies need to be done to determine if thiamine mononitrate produces Alzheimer's disease, autism, type 2 diabetes and the other diseases mentioned above. In the meantime, it would behoove us to read the labels and eliminate anything from the diet that includes nitrosamines, nitrites, nitrates; look for these words alone or in combination with other words, such as thiamine mononitrate. What is left for us to eat? Stay away from packaged and other processed foods and eat whole foods: organic whenever possible, vegetables, fruits, eggs, dairy, goat milk and cheeses, nuts, legumes, whole grains (without added nitrates) grass fed beef, free range chicken, "natural" deli meats that have nothing added (they can be frozen to prolong use). I thought we were adhering very closely to a whole food diet until learning that many of the foods we were eating, such as deli meats and some "whole grain" breads and cereals, contain nitrites or nitrates. this could explain some of the deterioration we have seen in spite of everything else we are doing. Most important to our newest generation, mothers can avoid this problem by breastfeeding their babies for as long as possible. Nitrites and nitrates are just one group of compounds we need to worry about for our newborns and toddlers. Also, consuming foods with medium chain fatty acids, such as coconut oil and MCT oil, can at least partly bypass the problem of insulin resistance by providing an alternative fuel to glucose for brain cells. And how could this possibly be related to the herpes simplex issue that I have written about? I found a 1977 article from the lab of Dr. George Cahill, Jr. ("Studies of Streptozotocin-induced insulitis and diabetes", Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 74(6): 2485-2489, June 1977), in which he used streptozotocin to produce diabetes in mice by destroying the beta cells of the pancreas-- an unexpected finding was an increased production of a type C virus in the beta cells that survived. Could it be that the virus is involved as part of the process that destroys the cell after exposure to nitrosamines, or is an opportunistic infection that takes over the damaged cells, which further complicates the Alzheimer’s disease process? The bottom line is to avoid any foods that contain nitrites or nitrates or any ingredient in which one of the words appears.

New brain metabolism and ketone review article

I recently received this new article that discusses in great detail what is known about brain metabolism as we age and the potential for alternative fuels to glucose to prevent or stabilize the progression of Alzheimer's disease:

"Brain fuel metabolism, aging, and Alzheimer’s disease",
Stephen Cunnane Ph.D., Scott Nugent B.Sc., Maggie Roy M.Sc., and others, Nutrition, January 2011

Here are some important excerpts from this article:

"The recent development of 11C-acetoacetate as a ketone tracer for PET studies opens a new window to compare brain metabolism of glucose and ketones in the same individual. If brain
ketone metabolism is not lower in AD or is less affected than glucose metabolism, one potential strategy to improve brain fuel availability and reduce the risk of AD that has already been targeted in clinical studies would be to develop a way to safely and reliably provide the brain with ketones as an alternative fuel to glucose..."

"Whether or not mitochondrial dysfunction reflects genetic or metabolic disturbances,
clinical trials attempting to redress the energy deficit in the AD brain suggest that cognitive function can be at least transiently improved if more fuel (glucose or ketones) can be
supplied to the brain."

"In carriers of apo E4, small areas of lower brain glucose metabolism are observed at an age
as young as 30 y old, e.g., 30-40 y before clinical onset. Indeed, we see an inverse relationship between CMRg in several brain regions and fasting plasma insulin, so brain metabolism
seems to be sensitive to even mild disturbances in systemic insulin control even if no clinical symptoms of cognitive decline are observed. Compared to non-carriers of apo E4, carriers have altered u3 [omega-3] fatty acid metabolism and higher measures of oxidative stress in the brain, both of which may contribute to a higher risk of early onset of brain hypometabolism. If brain hypometabolism can be present before clinical symptoms are apparent, this does not prove that hypometabolism is the earliest event in AD. However, to the best of our knowledge, hypometabolism is currently the earliest measurable abnormality in the brain that is connected to AD so its features and the reasons for it should shed light on the etiology of AD."

"The cerebral metabolic rate of ketones (CMRk) varies directlywith their blood concentration, starting at very low ketone concentrations...Hence, at a plasma b-hydroxybutyrate [one of the primary ketone bodies] concentration of 0.3-0.5 mM, such as can be achieved during 12-24 h fasting, b-hydroxybutyrate supplies 3-5% of whole brain energy requirements. As plasma ketones rise, CMRk also rises such that at a b-hydroxybutyrate of about 1.5mM, ketones provide about 18%, and at 6 mM, they provide about 60% of brain fuel." [Dr. Richard Veech's ketone ester can provide levels this high].

"Acute, controlled human experiments show that ketone infusion or ketogenesis inhibits the cognitive and behavioral sequelae of acute, experimental hypoglycemia, both in healthy
adults and in type 1 diabetes. It is generally assumed that the cognitive effects of hypoglycemia can be prevented by ketones because they seamlessly replace glucose to meet the brain’s energy requirements. However, acutely raising plasma ketones also increases cerebral blood flow in humans, an effect that may contribute to their beneficial impact on cognition during hypoglycemia. Studies in humans and animal models suggest further protective effects of ketones in the brain after ischemic insult [lack of oxygen/stroke] and other treatments damaging neuronal function."

"More recent controlled clinical trials confirm that short-term improvement can occur in cognitive tests when individuals with mild to moderate AD are provided with an exogenous source of glucose, ketones, insulin, or insulin sensitizers. These clinical studies show that the
affected brain regions in AD are at least partially viable and that cognition can improve when exogenous fuel supply to the brain is increased. In two of these studies, ketogenic supplements
based on medium chain triglycerides were used, thereby permitting a relatively normal choice of meals. Medium chain triglycerides have long been known to be ketogenic because they contain medium chain fatty acids (octanoic [8:0] and decanoic [10:0] acids), which do not require activation by CoA to enter mitochondria. The mild beneficial effects on cognition and relatively good tolerance to the doses of medium chain triglyceride used are promising, notwithstanding the possibility that carriers of apo E4 with AD derive little benefit from this treatment [Dr. Newport's comment: per one of the authors of the MCT oil studies, many of the ApoE4+ individuals did experience improvement, as a group when data was combined on the average they did not]. The explanation for the beneficial effect of mild, experimental ketonemia on cognition in AD may be as simple as exchanging one brain fuel for another as occurs in
fasting or starvation. It may also be due to the observation that although glycolysis may be impaired in the AD brain, CMRk and metabolic capacity to use a fuel other than glucose may
both be relatively normal in AD."

"...two observations in particular support the notion that the neurons affected in AD are still functional: (1) in AD, brain ketone uptake is apparently normal or at least less impaired than is glucose, and (2) there is a functional response to nutritional supplements that increase brain fuel
availability, particularly ketones. Hence, if brain fuel metabolism could be optimized or even partially returned toward normal, the risk of further cognitive decline may diminish. Raising plasma ketones to 0.4-0.5 mM would contribute to 5-10% of the brain’s energy requirements, which is equivalent to the early cortical glucose deficit in those genetically at risk AD. Such a mild, safe level of ketonemia is achievable with ketogenic supplements, so if implemented before symptoms develop, it seems plausible that they could diminish the risk of further metabolic deterioration and clinical onset of cognitive decline."

Regarding Omega-3 fatty acids:

"The u3 [omega-3] polyunsaturated fatty acid, DHA, is now widely understood to have an important role in mammalian brain development...Insufficient dietary intake of DHA and low levels of DHA in the hippocampus may have a role in cognitive decline in the elderly and/or AD. Hence, the low intake of DHA now widely but not universally reported in AD may contribute to the evolution of cognitive decline because of its role in brain glucose transport and in other aspects of brain function and structure. This emerging role of DHA in brain energy metabolism could be linked to the early presymptomatic onset of brain glucose hypometabolism in AD, at least in carriers of the e4 allele of apoE4. Nevertheless, such an effect probably involves relatively subtle changes in DHA metabolism because plasma DHA appears to be higher in the healthy elderly and is widely variable in AD."

Dr. Newport's comments:

The bottom line here, to try to prevent or stabilize AD, include medium chain fatty acids (coconut oil, palm kernel oil and MCT oil are the richest sources) in the diet to provide ketones as an alternative fuel to glucose AND eat fish (especially salmon) and/or take a supplement of marine based omega-3 oil (fish oil for most of us; algae based oil for vegans found in brands that are marketed to pregnant women).