Ketogenic Diet and Ketone Bodies as Clinical Support for the Treatment of SARS-CoV-2—Review of the Evidence
One of the proposed nutritional therapies to support drug therapy in COVID-19 is the use of a ketogenic diet (KD) or ketone bodies. In this review, we summarized the evidence from tissue, animal, and human models and looked at the mechanisms of action of KD/ketone bodies against COVID-19. KD/ketone...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/15/6/1262 |
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| author | Izabela Bolesławska Magdalena Kowalówka Natasza Bolesławska-Król Juliusz Przysławski |
| author_facet | Izabela Bolesławska Magdalena Kowalówka Natasza Bolesławska-Król Juliusz Przysławski |
| author_sort | Izabela Bolesławska |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | One of the proposed nutritional therapies to support drug therapy in COVID-19 is the use of a ketogenic diet (KD) or ketone bodies. In this review, we summarized the evidence from tissue, animal, and human models and looked at the mechanisms of action of KD/ketone bodies against COVID-19. KD/ketone bodies were shown to be effective at the stage of virus entry into the host cell. The use of β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), by preventing the metabolic reprogramming associated with COVID-19 infection and improving mitochondrial function, reduced glycolysis in CD4+ lymphocytes and improved respiratory chain function, and could provide an alternative carbon source for oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Through multiple mechanisms, the use of KD/ketone bodies supported the host immune response. In animal models, KD resulted in protection against weight loss and hypoxemia, faster recovery, reduced lung injury, and resulted in better survival of young mice. In humans, KD increased survival, reduced the need for hospitalization for COVID-19, and showed a protective role against metabolic abnormalities after COVID-19. It appears that the use of KD and ketone bodies may be considered as a clinical nutritional intervention to assist in the treatment of COVID-19, despite the fact that numerous studies indicate that SARS-CoV-2 infection alone may induce ketoacidosis. However, the use of such an intervention requires strong scientific validation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:49:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-50355c5132634b7db93066564122b7ee |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:49:58Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-50355c5132634b7db93066564122b7ee2023-11-18T13:01:16ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152023-05-01156126210.3390/v15061262Ketogenic Diet and Ketone Bodies as Clinical Support for the Treatment of SARS-CoV-2—Review of the EvidenceIzabela Bolesławska0Magdalena Kowalówka1Natasza Bolesławska-Król2Juliusz Przysławski3Department of Bromatology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Poznan, PolandDepartment of Bromatology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Poznan, PolandStudent Society of Radiotherapy, Collegium Medicum, University of Zielona Gora, Zyta 28, 65-046 Zielona Góra, PolandDepartment of Bromatology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Poznan, PolandOne of the proposed nutritional therapies to support drug therapy in COVID-19 is the use of a ketogenic diet (KD) or ketone bodies. In this review, we summarized the evidence from tissue, animal, and human models and looked at the mechanisms of action of KD/ketone bodies against COVID-19. KD/ketone bodies were shown to be effective at the stage of virus entry into the host cell. The use of β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), by preventing the metabolic reprogramming associated with COVID-19 infection and improving mitochondrial function, reduced glycolysis in CD4+ lymphocytes and improved respiratory chain function, and could provide an alternative carbon source for oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Through multiple mechanisms, the use of KD/ketone bodies supported the host immune response. In animal models, KD resulted in protection against weight loss and hypoxemia, faster recovery, reduced lung injury, and resulted in better survival of young mice. In humans, KD increased survival, reduced the need for hospitalization for COVID-19, and showed a protective role against metabolic abnormalities after COVID-19. It appears that the use of KD and ketone bodies may be considered as a clinical nutritional intervention to assist in the treatment of COVID-19, despite the fact that numerous studies indicate that SARS-CoV-2 infection alone may induce ketoacidosis. However, the use of such an intervention requires strong scientific validation.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/15/6/1262COVID-19ketogenic dietketone bodiesSARS-CoV-2 |
| spellingShingle | Izabela Bolesławska Magdalena Kowalówka Natasza Bolesławska-Król Juliusz Przysławski Ketogenic Diet and Ketone Bodies as Clinical Support for the Treatment of SARS-CoV-2—Review of the Evidence Viruses COVID-19 ketogenic diet ketone bodies SARS-CoV-2 |
| title | Ketogenic Diet and Ketone Bodies as Clinical Support for the Treatment of SARS-CoV-2—Review of the Evidence |
| title_full | Ketogenic Diet and Ketone Bodies as Clinical Support for the Treatment of SARS-CoV-2—Review of the Evidence |
| title_fullStr | Ketogenic Diet and Ketone Bodies as Clinical Support for the Treatment of SARS-CoV-2—Review of the Evidence |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ketogenic Diet and Ketone Bodies as Clinical Support for the Treatment of SARS-CoV-2—Review of the Evidence |
| title_short | Ketogenic Diet and Ketone Bodies as Clinical Support for the Treatment of SARS-CoV-2—Review of the Evidence |
| title_sort | ketogenic diet and ketone bodies as clinical support for the treatment of sars cov 2 review of the evidence |
| topic | COVID-19 ketogenic diet ketone bodies SARS-CoV-2 |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/15/6/1262 |
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