Could a High-Fat diet help nerves heal after spinal injury?
NCT ID NCT03509571
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
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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
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28 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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May 2019
- Finished
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Feb 2026
- Lead sponsor
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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
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19 to 60 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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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.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Ohio State University Hospital
Columbus, Ohio, 43210, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Breathing brief Low-Oxygen bursts may boost sleep apnea treatment
- Pure oxygen tested as a switch for dormant nerves after spinal cord injury
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- Can painless spinal zaps teach injured kids to walk again?