Deans' stroke musings: The Contribution of Ketogenic Diets Combined with Physical Activity to the Increase of BDNF and GH in Neuroplasticity in Animals

Changing stroke rehab and research worldwide now.Time is Brain! trillions and trillions of neurons that DIE each day because there are NO effective hyperacute therapies besides tPA(only 12% effective). I have 523 posts on hyperacute therapy, enough for researchers to spend decades proving them out. These are my personal ideas and blog on stroke rehabilitation and stroke research. Do not attempt any of these without checking with your medical provider. Unless you join me in agitating, when you need these therapies they won't be there.

What this blog is for:

My blog is not to help survivors recover, it is to have the 10 million yearly stroke survivors light fires underneath their doctors, stroke hospitals and stroke researchers to get stroke solved. 100% recovery. The stroke medical world is completely failing at that goal, they don't even have it as a goal. Shortly after getting out of the hospital and getting NO information on the process or protocols of stroke rehabilitation and recovery I started searching on the internet and found that no other survivor received useful information. This is an attempt to cover all stroke rehabilitation information that should be readily available to survivors so they can talk with informed knowledge to their medical staff. It lays out what needs to be done to get stroke survivors closer to 100% recovery. It's quite disgusting that this information is not available from every stroke association and doctors group.

Tuesday, March 17, 2026

The Contribution of Ketogenic Diets Combined with Physical Activity to the Increase of BDNF and GH in Neuroplasticity in Animals

With your need of BDNF post stroke, how is your competent? doctor delivering that? Oh, knowing nothing and doing nothing!

BDNF (201 posts to April 2011)

The Contribution of Ketogenic Diets Combined with Physical Activity to the Increase of BDNF and GH in Neuroplasticity in Animals

Daniel Checchinato1, * , Claudio Amichetti Jr2 , Roberto Mangieri Junior3 , Camila Olveira Costa Ferreira de Carvalho1 , Maria Natália Costa Silva1 , Christiane Maria Barcellos Magalhaes Rocha1 1Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras, Brazil 2Department of Veterinary Medicine, Metropolitan United College (FMU), São Paulo/SP, Brazil 3Departament of Homeopaty, Anchieta Veterinary Clinic, Jundiaí/SP, Brazil

Abstract

This article reviews the contribution of ketogenic diets combined with physical activity in increasing levels of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Growth Hormone (GH) in neuroplasticity in animals. Neuroplasticity is crucial for the adaptation and functional recovery of the nervous system, and nutritional approaches have shown promise in this context. The ketogenic diet, characterized by high lipid intake and low carbohydrates, induces the production of ketone bodies, which act as epigenetic modulators and neuroprotectors. Studies demonstrate that this diet, combined with physical exercise, can increase levels of BDNF and GH, promoting neurogenesis and synaptogenesis, as well as improving cognition and emotional well-being in animals, particularly in the elderly and epileptic populations. The review also highlights the inadequacy of commercial pet foods, which often contain high levels of carbohydrates, negatively impacting animal health. Scientific literature suggests the need for reformulating these diets to better meet the nutritional needs of dogs and cats. The combination of ketogenic diet and physical activity offers significant potential for clinical interventions in veterinary medicine, promoting neurological health and quality of life in animals. This article emphasizes the importance of further research to validate these findings and establish practical guidelines for implementing these nutritional strategies in veterinary practice.