So You Have Parkinson's Disease—Now What?: An Eight-Year Research Review into Metabolic Health and Hope

Facing the Diagnosis

You’ve just been told the words you never expected to hear: “You have Parkinson’s disease.” Fear and uncertainty set in. What does this mean for your future? Will you lose your independence? How much time do you have? For many, the first neurology appointment is devastating. Often, patients are told there is no cure, only medications, and an inevitable decline. No hope. No clear plan.

This story is far too familiar. According to the World Health Organization, more than 11 million people worldwide live with Parkinson’s disease(1), and that number is projected to more than double by 2050.(2) For decades, I saw patients and families left without options beyond medication. That experience drove me to explore new research paths, searching for natural, science-backed nutrition and lifestyle methods to preserve health and quality of life.

Why Research into Metabolic Health Matters

After 45 years as a neurological disorders Occupational Therapist and earning certification as a Metabolic Health Practitioner, I began to see Parkinson’s through a new lens. Evidence suggests that metabolic dysfunction, inflammation, and impaired mitochondrial function play a critical role in neurodegenerative disease.(3) In my career, I have primarily focused on addressing motor and mobility deficits in my patients. I didn’t fully grasp the status of their metabolic health and its impact on their neurological symptoms until I obtained my certification.

This new knowledge led me and my research team to investigate the therapeutic ketogenic diet, a nutritional approach that reduces carbohydrate intake, improves insulin sensitivity, and increases ketone levels. Could targeting metabolic health ease the burden of Parkinson’s?

What Our Studies Found

12-Week Pilot Study

In our initial study, 16 participants with Parkinson’s followed a ketogenic nutrition plan for 12 weeks. We tracked lab work, body measurements, and standardized Parkinson’s scales.(4) The results were encouraging:

Lower HbA1c and fasting insulin (better blood sugar control)
Reduced waist circumference and weight
Improvements in anxiety and non-motor symptoms (UPDRS Part I scores)
Overall trends toward better metabolic and neurological health

These findings aligned with research from Dr. Matthew Phillips in New Zealand, who also found improvements in non-motor symptoms after only 8 weeks on a ketogenic diet.(5)

24-Week Longitudinal Study

A smaller follow-up group (n=7) continued for 24 weeks. The improvements persisted: better mood scores, weight loss, lower triglycerides, and improved insulin sensitivity. Again, non-motor symptoms such as mood and cognition showed the most benefit.(6) We observed only mild improvements in motor symptoms, but with improvements in mood and motivation, our participants became more actively involved in exercise and social settings.

Real Stories: Two Case Studies

Case 1: A 68-Year-Old Woman

Living with both Parkinson’s and metabolic syndrome, this participant followed a ketogenic approach for 24 weeks.(7) She experienced:

Nearly 30 pounds (13.6 kg) of weight loss
Better focus for her graduate studies
More energy and reduced food cravings
Improvements in metabolic markers

She described her improved mobility as life-changing.

Case 2: A 53-Year-Old Man

This participant faced Parkinson’s along with obesity, pre-diabetes, hypertension, and severe back pain. At baseline, he could barely walk 10 feet.(8) After 24 weeks:

60 pounds (27.3 kg) lost
Dramatically lower HbA1c, insulin, triglycerides, and inflammation
Back pain reduced from 8–9/10 to 1–3/10
Able to walk around his neighborhood and exercise with his son

Though his depression improved only slightly, his physical transformation was remarkable. His mood and motivation improved and his ability to leave his house and walk in his neighborhood was rather impressive given his baseline of mostly being in bed during the day.

The Science Behind the Results

What explains these changes? We believe the key lies in:

Reduced inflammation through therapeutic carbohydrate reduction (9)
Improved mitochondrial function and energy production (10)
Lower oxidative stress and decreased prevalence and impact of reactive oxygen species (ROS) (11, 12)
Restored insulin sensitivity, reducing disruption in brain glucose metabolism (13)

Since the brain is highly sensitive to inflammation, these systemic improvements may directly influence neurological symptoms. The presence of blood ketones has a significant impact on brain fuel and metabolism in many cases, decreasing symptoms of depression and anxiety and helping these patients to overcome the severe apathy that is a hallmark symptom in Parkinson’s Disease.

Looking Ahead

We recognize that our studies are small, and larger trials are still needed. But the growing body of research points toward a powerful connection between metabolic health and neurodegeneration. For decades, Parkinson’s patients have been told there is little they can do. The future may tell a different story and we foresee a future where nutrition and lifestyle interventions can slow or even alter the course of disease.

This metabolic health strategy is not just about managing symptoms. It’s about restoring hope.

Keywords: metabolic health and Parkinson’s, ketogenic diet and neurological health, natural approaches to Parkinson’s disease, inflammation and brain health, nutrition and neurodegeneration (14)

Acknowledgements: A sincere thank you to my research team of Dr. Dawn White and Dr Timothy White for all their support through the 8 years of research. I acknowledge the contributions of the Colorado Parkinson Foundation for funding these studies to further spread the word about therapeutic carbohydrate restriction in persons with Parkinson’s Disease. The author utilized OpenAI’s ChatGPT (https://chat.openai.com/ ) to assist in generating an outline, refining the writing process, and organizing the article to meet the organization’s requirements.

References

Newsroom WHO. Parkinson’s Disease. 2023 [Available from: Parkinson disease]
Luo Y, Qiao L, Li M, Wen X, Zhang W, Li X. Global, regional, national epidemiology and trends of Parkinson’s disease from 1990 to 2021: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. 2025;16
Neeland IJ, Lim S, Tchernof A, Gastaldelli A, Rangaswami J, Ndumele CE, et al. Metabolic syndrome. Nature Reviews Disease Primers. 2024;10(1)
Tidman MM, White D, White T. Effects of an low carbohydrate/healthy fat/ketogenic diet on biomarkers of health and symptoms, anxiety and depression in Parkinson’s disease: A pilot study. Neurodegenerative Disease Management. 2022;12(2):57-66
Phillips MCL, Murtagh, D. K. J., Gilbertson, L. J., Asztely, F. J. S. & Lynch, C. D. P. Low-fat versus ketogenic diet in Parkinson’s disease: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Movement Disorders. 2018;33(8):1306-14
Tidman MM, White DR, White TA. Impact of a keto diet on symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, biomarkers, depression, anxiety and quality of life: a longitudinal study. Neurodegenerative Disease Management. 2024;14(3-4):97-110
Tidman M. Effects of a Ketogenic Diet on Symptoms, Biomarkers, Depression, and Anxiety in Parkinson’s Disease: A Case Study. Cureus. 2022
Tidman MM. The ketogenic diet and MetSyn in Parkinson’s disease – Symptoms, biomarkers, depression and anxiety: A case study. Journal of Metabolic Health. 2024;7(1):a93
Crofts CW, M. C. Hyperinsulinemia: A unifying theory of chronic disease. Diabesity. 2015;1(4):34-43
Norwitz NG, Hu MT, Clarke K. The Mechanisms by Which the Ketone Body D-beta-Hydroxybutyrate May Improve the Multiple Cellular Pathologies of Parkinson’s Disease. Front Nutr. 2019;6:63
Morris G, Maes, M., Berk, M.. Carvalho, A.F. & Puri, B.K. Nutritional ketosis as an intervention to relieve astrogliosis: Possible therapeutic applications in the treatment of neurodegenerative and neuroprogressive disorders. European Psychiatry. 2020;63(1):1-21
Jensen NJ, Wodschow HZ, Nilsson M, Rungby J. Effects of Ketone Bodies on Brain Metabolism and Function in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Int J Mol Sci. 2020;21(22)
Ezkurdia A, Ramírez MJ, Solas M. Metabolic Syndrome as a Risk Factor for Alzheimer’s Disease: A Focus on Insulin Resistance. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2023;24(5):4354
OpenAI. ChatGPT: Response to a request for assistance writing a journal article conclusion on osteoporosis and metabolic syndrome [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com; 2025