In a recent study published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers at Yale University School of Medicine evaluated the potential effects of a ketogenic diet (KD) on oxycodone responses in a mouse model.
Oxycodone is a prescription opioid that caused an opioid epidemic in the United States (US) involving more than two million individuals with substance use disorder. Of all patients prescribed opioids, 25% misused them, and five to 10 percent subsequently developed opioid use disorder (OUD). Opioid overuse increased by 519% between 1999 and 2019, and oxycodone overdose contributed to 32% of overdose deaths.
The challenge is to maximize the therapeutic potential of prescription opioids, including oxycodone, while minimizing their adverse effects. While KD is recognized to reduce the pain and severity of OUDs, its effect(s) on oxycodone responses remains unknown.