Ketogenic Drink That Can Treat Mild Cognitive Impairments in Older Adults Discovered by a Quebec Professor

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A soluble ketogenic drink developed by a Quebec professor can improve cognitive impairments

A ketogenic drink developed by Stephen Cunnane from Universite de Sherbrook was said to treat mild cognitive impairments in older adults that usually lead to Dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Cunnane has been investigating the potential benefits of ketones in the brain. According to Harvard Medical School, the brain is rich in nerves, neurons, and cells, that It is the most energy-demanding organ, using one half of all the glucose energy in the body. However, a study in 2012 states that people with diabetes have higher risks of developing dementia. This paves the way for scientists discovering the link to increased blood sugar levels may speed up cognitive declination.

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Cunnane said in an interview with CTV News that the brain finds it hard to process sugar or glucose as their energy as people age. He also added that the lack of energy in the brain could lead to the fall of cognitive function and memory. His solution is to find another fuel for the brain, which is called Ketones.

Ketones are chemicals produced by the liver, a product of processed fat that the body breaks down when it feels there is not enough glucose from carbohydrates inside the body. The study funded by Nestle Health Science, led by Stephen Cunnane, showed a promising result of an improved memory function, verbal fluency, and executive functions to those who drank the ketogenic drink compared to those who did not.

Cunnane said in a press release that using neuroimaging, they could see and observe how the ketones used by the brain improved the cognitive performance of those who consumed the beverage. The newly discovered medication takes the form of a sachet that is needed to be dissolved in water. According to Diet Doctor, a study suggests that a ketogenic diet, drinking exogenous ketones, and fasting all helped improved brain stability, whereas a standard diet and glucose destabilized the brain.

How do Ketones Affect the Brain?

National Centers for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) said that ketone bodies are developed as an alternative energy source during fasting or starvation. Still, they are not considered an essential nutrient, and if they are not present, it is not considered a nutritional deficiency. They added that the most well-known clinical application of the ketogenic diet is in pediatric epilepsy syndromes.

According to Charlie Foundation, the American diet is composed of the large consumption of carbohydrates, converted by the body into glucose to use as energy. However, this somehow leads to insulin insensitivity that leads to diabetes that, according to the Charlie Foundation, 43% of Americans were inflicted. They added the grave complication brought by the disease and have a large factor in mental illnesses. They highlighted the ketones, which serve as an alternative energy source, can be beneficial in reversing the energy crisis and restoring health. Ketones are compounds that do not require insulin to enter cells. This only means that apart from solving the energy problem, the brain can function again in complete capacity.

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