German clinicians have investigated the benefits of the ketogenic diet (very high in fat and low in carbohydrates) in autoimmune myasthenia gravis, following on from other trials – some of which were successful – in other autoimmune diseases:
- 41 adults with autoimmune myasthenia gravis took part in a randomised controlled trial, with two separate groups (20 on a ketogenic diet, 21 on no specific diet),
- several biomarkers were used as part of the trial (myasthenia gravis functional scores, neurofilament and calprotectin levels, etc.),
- the results after three months proved encouraging, with a clear benefit for the group on the ketogenic diet.
The authors emphasise the limitations of the trial and the need to conduct it on a larger scale and over a longer period to derive useful recommendations for clinicians.
