For people with myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease that weakens muscles, everyday tasks like lifting a cup or climbing stairs can be exhausting. Now, a small pilot study suggests that a ketogenic diet might help. The diet is high in fat and low in carbs, forcing the body to burn fat for fuel.
The study randomly assigned 41 adults with generalized MG to either a ketogenic diet or their usual eating habits for about 2.8 months. Those on the keto diet saw a moderate improvement in their MG-ADL score, which measures how well they can manage daily activities. They also had less fatigue and better scores on a standard muscle strength test.
Quality of life and symptom satisfaction stayed steady in the keto group while getting worse in the control group. The diet appeared safe and feasible, though the study was small and open-label, meaning everyone knew what they were eating. That can bias results. The researchers caution that these findings are preliminary and need confirmation in larger, blinded trials.
