Russian researchers found that the ketogenic diet protects mitochondrial DNA from damage during stroke. Consumption of hydroxycitric acid, a dietary supplement for weight loss, only exacerbated the effects of the disease. The scientists’ work was published in the journal Molecular Neurobiology.
In a stroke, blood flow to the brain is severely impaired. This, among other things, leads to the disruption of mitochondria, the energy stations of cells. Keeping these organelles regular will help speed up the patient’s recovery and prevent complications. Since mitochondria are involved in the synthesis of energy from food, a change in diet can affect their function without the use of drugs.
Researchers from Voronezh State University and AN Belozersky Moscow State University conducted an experiment on 69 mice to find out how two different diets affect mitochondria: a ketogenic diet and hydroxycitric acid intake.
The scientists caused the mice to be paralyzed and observed how three groups behaved: on a standard diet, on a ketogenic diet, and on a “hydroxycitrine” diet. After stroke in mice on the ketogenic diet, the amount of damage did not differ from the number of defects in healthy rodents, meaning that mitochondrial DNA was protected from damage before the stroke.
Hydroxycitric acid, by contrast, did not protect the brain from stroke damage. Half of the mice died within three days of their stroke, and the survivors suffered 27.5% more damage than mice on the standard diet. Additionally, scientists have identified a number of side effects identified with hydroxycitrate.
Source: Ferra
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