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Narcolepsy defeated: New hope through diet and exercise!
Frederike Tepel from the University of Witten is researching innovative methods for relieving narcolepsy symptoms without medication.
Narcolepsy defeated: New hope through diet and exercise!
The chronic sleep disorder narcolepsy represents a significant challenge for those affected and manifests itself through extreme daytime sleepiness and sudden sleep attacks. Recent research from the University of Witten/Herdecke (UW/H) has now shown new perspectives for symptomatic relief without the use of medication. Led by Frederike Tepel, a doctoral student at UW/H, the study shows promising results.
Tepel, who also serves as study coordinator, has studied how ketogenic diets and regular exercise can affect the condition of narcolepsy patients. In addition to considering traditional treatment methods, the 10-week study included 44 adults who received either an exercise program, a ketogenic diet or usual care.
Prize winner with innovative research
For her significant contributions to research, Frederike Tepel was awarded the “Dr. Werner and Raphael Müller Prize” from the German Society for Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine (DGSM). V. excellent. The prize is awarded annually for outstanding scientific work on the subject of narcolepsy and metabolic disorders. Tepel's study shows that a ketogenic diet, which is low in carbohydrates and high in fat, significantly reduces extreme fatigue in narcolepsy.
The results of the study are encouraging: both participants in the exercise and diet groups reported significant improvements in their fatigue. These advances also had a positive impact on patients' physical and mental quality of life, without causing any significant side effects.
Exercise and nutrition as new therapeutic approaches
The ketogenic diet puts the body into a state of ketosis, which can apparently relieve the symptoms of narcolepsy. Professor Dr. However, Ulf Kallweit, the leader of the study, points out that implementing this diet in everyday life is challenging and can often be costly. A less strict, low-carb diet may be a more viable solution.
The findings open up new avenues for patients suffering from narcolepsy. It turns out that the combination of exercise and targeted nutrition can be an important addition to drug treatment. These approaches could promote a lasting improvement in the quality of life of those affected and represent a valuable addition to existing therapies.
It is hoped that further research is necessary to confirm the results and integrate them into practice. The significance of these findings will be highlighted by the study's upcoming presentation at the Congress of the European Academy of Neurology 2024 in Helsinki underlined.