Thread by @KetoCounselor

Got leaky gut and worried about Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) causing an immune response that leads to systemic inflammation? Well you should be! But let's talk about what a ketogenic diet can do to mitigate that for you. Shall we? 🧵(1/21)

A #leakygut is a condition in which the lining of the intestine becomes damaged or compromised, allowing toxins, undigested food particles, and harmful bacteria to enter the bloodstream. (2/21)

When this happens, large amounts of LPS (lipopolysaccharide) can be released into the bloodstream, triggering an #immune response and #inflammation in the body. (3/21)

This can lead to a variety of health problems, including sepsis, chronic inflammation, and autoimmune diseases. All of these are truly terrible for brain health! (4/21)

There was a study that investigated the mechanisms of BHB in activating BV2 microglial cells. They measured polarization, migration, and cytokine expression in BV2 cells with or without LPS. Why did they do this? (5/21)

Activating BV2 microglial cells is relevant in the context of LPS because these cells are an important component of the immune system in the brain and play a crucial role in responding to inflammation and infection in the central nervous system. (6/21)

In the presence of LPS, BV2 cells can become activated and release proinflammatory cytokines, which can lead to neuroinflammation and damage to brain cells. (7/21)

They found BHB showed anti-inflammatory effects in various cell types, including microglia. (8/21)

In the context of BV2 cells, BHB was found to induce the polarization of microglia towards an M2 anti-inflammatory phenotype, which is associated with reduced release of proinflammatory cytokines and increased expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines. (9/21)

Remember in past threads, we have talked about microglia getting over-excitable and amped up and causing more harm than good as they become chronically activated? Yeah, BHB helps keep this from happening! (10/21)

Also, BHB is thought to protect BV2 cells from inflammation-induced damage. BHB reigns in inflammation that can trigger the migration of immune cells to sites of injury or infection and can cause further and unnecessary damage to the tissue. (11/21)

BHB was found to reduce the migratory capacity of BV2 cells, which could prevent them from causing further damage in response to inflammation. (12/21)

BHB was found to reduce the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokine IL-17 and increase the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Let's talk about what that means. ⬇️ (13/21)

IL-17 is a proinflammatory cytokine that is released by activated immune cells and has been implicated in various inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. What does it mean for protecting your brain? (14/21)

IL-17 can lead to neuroinflammation and damage to brain cells. The reduction of IL-17 expression levels by BHB suggests that it may have a protective effect against neuroinflammation caused by LPS and other proinflammatory stimuli. (15/21)

IL-10 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine that plays a crucial role in regulating the immune response and promoting tissue repair. Yep you guessed it! This is good for your brain. (16/21)

IL-10 has been shown to have neuroprotective effects and may help to reduce inflammation and promote the survival of neurons. (17/21)

You can read the study here yourself. I don't want you to think I just make this stuff up! The Ketogenic Diet and Neuroinflammation: The Action of Beta-Hydroxybutyrate in a Microglial Cell Line. (18/21) mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/4…

Curious about gut healing effects of a ketogenic diet? That's a different thread. But you can read a little bit here on my blog if you are exploring all the ways you can feel better! (19/21) mentalhealthketo.com/2022/05/01/ket…

You may also find this past thread on butyrate interesting and relevant. (20/21)

https://twitter.com/KetoCounselor/status/1640687185887129603

In summary, I would argue that anyone promoting gut health and educating on it, really can't do so in a relevant way anymore unless they acknowledge the research literature on ketogenic diets. (21/21) 🤷 #microbiome #leakygut #fiber