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51/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 51 out of 100. Caregiving

Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis

Introduction We assessed the feasibility and cognitive effects of a ketogenic diet (KD) in participants with Alzheimer's disease. Methods The Ketogenic Diet Retention and Feasibility Trial featured a 3-month, medium-chain triglyceride-supplemented KD followed by a 1-month washout in clinical dementia rating (CDR) 0.5, 1, and 2 participants. We obtained urine acetoacetate, serum β-hydroxybutyrate, food record, and safety data. We administered the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale and Mini-Mental State Examination before the KD, and following the intervention and washout. Results We enrolled seven CDR 0.5, four CDR 1, and four CDR 2 participants. One CDR 0.5 and all CDR 2 participants withdrew citing caregiver burden. The 10 completers achieved ketosis. Most adverse events were medium-chain triglyceride-related. Among the completers, the mean of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale score improved by 4.1 points during the diet ( P = .02) and reverted to baseline after the washout. Discussion This pilot trial justifies KD studies in mild Alzheimer's disease.

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APA 7th

Taylor, M. K., Sullivan, D. K., Mahnken, J. D., Burns, J. M., & Swerdlow, R. H. (2018). Feasibility and efficacy data from a ketogenic diet intervention in Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trci.2017.11.002

Vancouver

Taylor MK, Sullivan DK, Mahnken JD, Burns JM, Swerdlow RH. Feasibility and efficacy data from a ketogenic diet intervention in Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.). 2018. doi:10.1016/j.trci.2017.11.002. PMID: 29955649.

BibTeX

@article{taylor2018-29955649,
  author  = {Taylor, M. K. and Sullivan, D. K. and Mahnken, J. D. and Burns, J. M. and Swerdlow, R. H.},
  title   = {{Feasibility and efficacy data from a ketogenic diet intervention in Alzheimer's disease}},
  journal = {Alzheimer's \& dementia (New York, N. Y.)},
  year    = {2018},
  doi     = {10.1016/j.trci.2017.11.002},
  pmid    = {29955649},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trci.2017.11.002}
}

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Key findings

Results We enrolled seven CDR 0.5, four CDR 1, and four CDR 2 participants.

Why it matters

In this small pilot trial, ten participants with Alzheimer's disease who completed a ketogenic diet achieved ketosis and their average cognitive score improved during the diet, then returned to baseline after the diet stopped. The authors say this early trial justifies further ketogenic diet studies in mild Alzheimer's disease, but the small number of participants means the results are preliminary.

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Study details

Evidence strengthLow

How this study scored 51/100

Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	9 / 10	Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.))
Journal's citation record	1 / 4	Alzheimer s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions: journal h-index 84 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	0 / 12	No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Strength of evidence	1 / 5	Rated “low” in our summary
Peer-review validation	10 / 10	Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal.
How recent	2 / 5	2018 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	0 / 4	Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Effect reported	0 / 3	No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Studied in people	0 / 3	Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Randomised / blinded	0 / 2	No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Times cited	5 / 7	Cited 272 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	4 / 5	27.2 citations a year over 10 year(s) since 2018
Impact for its field and year	4 / 6	Cited 14.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	2 / 6	Cited by 6 other studies in this library
Still being cited	3 / 4	Cited 59 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	4 / 4	Last-listed author Russell Howard Swerdlow: h-index 101 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	1 / 3	University of Kansas: institution h-index 709 (OpenAlex)
Multi-centre collaboration	1 / 3	OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 29955649)
Free to read	2 / 2	Free to read
Total	51 / 100	—

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