Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) have been studied as a potential adjunctive therapy for Parkinson's Disease (PD), primarily based on their ability to increase ketone body production. Ketone bodies can serve as an alternative energy substrate for the brain, which is relevant in PD due to evidence of impaired mitochondrial function and glucose metabolism in affected neurons. A few small-scale studies and pilot clinical trials have explored the effects of ketogenic diets or MCT supplementation in PD patients. Some research suggests that MCTs may modestly improve certain motor and non-motor symptoms, possibly by providing neuroprotective effects or improving mitochondrial efficiency. For example, a 2018 pilot study (Phillips et al., 2018, Frontiers in Neuroscience) found that a ketogenic diet, which can be supported by MCT supplementation, was associated with some improvements in non-motor symptoms in PD patients. However, these studies are preliminary, typically involve small sample sizes, and often lack rigorous controls or long-term follow-up.

There is currently insufficient high-quality clinical evidence to firmly support the use of MCTs as a standard treatment for PD. The evidence is promising but limited, justifying a rating of 2 on the strength-of-evidence scale. MCTs are not part of conventional PD treatment guidelines, and more robust randomized controlled trials are needed to establish their efficacy and safety in this context.