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Could a High-Fat diet help nerves heal after spinal injury?

NCT ID NCT03509571

Disease control Sponsor: Ohio State University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Aug 26, 2026 · Last updated Aug 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial tests whether a 5-week ketogenic diet—high in fat and low in carbohydrates—can improve motor and sensory recovery in people with acute spinal cord injury. Participants receive either the ketogenic diet or a standard diet starting within 72 hours of injury. Researchers measure changes in nerve function, blood sugar control, and daily independence to see if the diet supports healing.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Ketogenic diet (high-fat, low-carbohydrate) delivered via feeding tube or oral intake
What this could lead to
If effective, a ketogenic diet could become a supportive therapy to enhance neurological recovery and independence after spinal cord injury.
What could go wrong
This is a small early-stage trial, and results may not apply to all injuries. The diet can be difficult to tolerate and may cause side effects like digestive issues or nutrient imbalances.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

28 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

May 2019

Finished

Feb 2026

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

19 to 60 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Clinically motor complete and incomplete spinal cord injury, age 19-60 * ASIA A, B, C or D (ASIA: Neurological Impairment Scale) Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnant women. * Neurological (other than SCI), vascular and/or cardiac problems that may limit function and interfere with testing procedures * Patients with evidence of renal insufficiency and liver disease by history, physical examination, and laboratory tests * Patients with underlying pulmonary diseases

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

spinal cord injury

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Spinal cord injuries

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Ohio State University Hospital

    Columbus, Ohio, 43210, United States

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