By: Emily Truscott, MS, RD, LD
Nutrition’s Role in Neurological Diseases

Good food choices can help you control your weight and lower your risk for certain diseases. People with conditions where the brain, spinal cord, or nerves do not work correctly should follow a healthy diet for additional reasons. These neurological conditions lead to symptoms that impact the entire body. A healthy diet could help you manage some symptoms while supporting overall health. Researchers say good eating habits could even slow disease progression and help prevent diseases.1 A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) that focuses on neurological conditions can help you learn how to fuel your brain through your diet.
Nutrition Challenges and Symptom Management
Examples of neurological diseases include Parkinson’s disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). These neurological conditions can lead to symptoms like decreased hunger, constipation, and trouble swallowing. While food choices do not necessarily cause these symptoms, there are ways you can manage them through the foods you eat.
For example, many people living with PD experience constipation. RDNs can make sure your diet provides enough helpful nutrients, like fiber and water, to improve your constipation. Many patients with PD take a medication called levodopa. In rare cases, the protein in your meals can prevent levodopa from working correctly. If this occurs, changing the types of protein you eat and changing the time you eat protein foods may help make your medication work more effectively. An RDN specializing in neurological conditions can help you make these changes.2
Patients with neurological conditions might also experience trouble swallowing. Preparing meals that are easily swallowed can be challenging. Changing the texture of foods can help lower your risk of choking while ensuring you still get enough nutrients. Your RDN can teach you how to make foods that are easier to chew and swallow. In cases where swallowing becomes too difficult or unsafe, a feeding tube may be beneficial. Feeding tubes deliver nutrients to your body directly through your stomach. In these situations, dietitians work closely with the healthcare team to ensure you receive the right balance of nutrients.
Nutrition and Disease Progression
New research shows certain nutrition-related factors can impact how neurological diseases advance, or worsen, over time. Specifically, weight changes, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and overall diet patterns are important factors. An area of particular concern is unintentional weight loss, which is common in ALS and advanced stages of PD. Some patients burn more energy and require more nutrition to maintain their weight than they previously required. It is vital to identify weight loss early, as continued weight loss can trigger further complications. For example, weight loss in ALS patients is linked to faster disease progression. In PD patients, weight loss is associated with motor and cognitive decline.3-4 RDNs can help determine the root cause of weight changes and create personalized strategies to help support your quality of life. These strategies could include increasing calorie intake through nutrient-dense foods or supplements.
Preventing low vitamin and mineral levels is also important for patients with neurological diseases. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can lead to worsened symptoms and further complications. For instance, research shows people with PD may be deficient in vitamin D. This vitamin is essential for maintaining bone health, muscle strength, and brain function. Low vitamin D levels can increase your risk for bone fractures. Since patients with PD may experience impaired balance or difficulty controlling movements, preventing falls and ensuring bones are as strong as they can be is essential.5 With the help of a dietitian, you can prevent and treat vitamin and mineral deficiencies through diet or supplementation to reduce risks and improve overall health outcomes.
Nutrition and Disease Prevention
New findings also show how specific diets might prevent or delay the start of certain neurological conditions. The Mediterranean diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and fish, has been linked to improved brain health. This diet might also reduce your risk of developing certain conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. Inflammation, an immune system response, is thought to play a role in some neurological conditions.6 The omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish, olive oil, nuts, and seeds are anti-inflammatory and are associated with improved brain health. Other food components in the Mediterranean diet, like polyphenols and fiber found in fruits and vegetables, may help feed good bacteria in the gut. Nurturing good bacteria protects the intestine from an overgrowth of harmful bacteria that could contribute to inflammation.1
Take Away
A well-balanced diet truly feeds the brain when it comes to neurological conditions. Tailored interventions can help address challenges like swallowing difficulty, weight loss, and diet-medication interactions. New research also notes the Mediterranean diet could slow disease progression or even reduce your risk of developing neurological diseases. Patients can improve their quality of life and better manage their condition by talking with a dietitian about personalized, evidence-based nutrition solutions.
References
- Solch R, Aigbogun J, Voyiadjis A, et al. Mediterranean diet adherence, gut microbiota, and Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease risk: A systematic review. J Neurol Sci. 2022;434: 120166. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2022.120166.
- Flanagan R, Rusch C, Lithander F, Subramanian I. The missing piece of the puzzle – The key role of the dietitian in management of Parkinson’s disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2024;121: 106021. doi: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2024.106021.
- Marin B, Desport JC, Kajeu P, et al. Alteration of nutritional status at diagnosis is prognostic factor for survival of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2011;82(6): 628-34. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.2010.211474.
- Urso D, Van Wamelen D, Batzu L, et al. Clinical trajectories and biomarkers for weight variability in early Parkinson’s disease. NPJ Parkinson’s Dis. 2022;8: 95. doi: 10.1038/s41531-022-00362-3.
- Baricella M, Garri F, Caronni S, et al. Vitamin D status and Parkinson’s disease. Brain Sci. 2022;12(6): 790. doi: 10.3390/brainsci12060790
- Kaur N, Chugh H, Sakharkar MK, Dhawan U, Chidambaram SB, Chandra R. Neuroinflammation mechanisms and phototherapeutic intervention: A systematic review. ACS Chem Neurosci. 2020;11(22): 3707-31. doi: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00427.