A study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease reported on the effect of a modified version of the Atkins diet on memory in volunteers with mild cognitive impairment.

Ketosis occurs when the body does not have enough carbohydrates to burn for energy and instead burns fat, creating chemical bodies called ketones, which are used as fuel. The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high fat diet.

For the study, 27 volunteers either ate a ketogenic diet or the National Institute on Aging recommended diet for seniors.

Adherence to both diets was only fair, but those on the ketogenic diet showed improved memory.

These findings are both promising and discouraging: promising in that those who stuck to the diet had better memory performance; and discouraging because so few people were able to adhere to the diet.