Protein Restriction for Cognitive Impairment

Abstract

Treating a subject with cognitive impairment can include (a) administering nutrient material such that the subject has a bodily intake of protein of less than 5 grams per day during a low-protein time period of at least 4 consecutive days; (b) administering nutrition to the subject such that the subject's bodily intake of carbohydrate constitutes at least 40 percent of the subject's bodily intake of energy during the low-protein period; wherein, during a first high-protein time period that is immediately after the low-protein period and is at least 4 consecutive days, the subject receives a daily bodily intake of protein of at least 40 grams; and repeating (a) and (b).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing nutrients to a subject with cognitive impairment, comprising:
 (a) administering nutrient material to a subject having cognitive impairment such that the subject has a bodily intake of protein of less than 5 grams per day during a low-protein time period of at least 4 consecutive days;   wherein the nutrient material is administrable to at least one of the subject's gastrointestinal tract or intravascular space and comprises carbohydrate;   (b) administering nutrition to the subject such that the subject's bodily intake of carbohydrate constitutes at least 40 percent of the subject's bodily intake of energy during the low-protein period;   wherein, during a first high-protein time period that is immediately after the low-protein period and is at least 4 consecutive days, the subject receives a daily bodily intake of protein of at least 40 grams; and   immediately after the first high-protein period, repeating (a) and (b);   wherein, during a second high-protein time period lasting at least 4 consecutive days and that is immediately after the repeating (a) and (b), the subject receives a daily bodily intake of protein of at least 40 grams.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject has a bodily intake of protein of about zero grams per day during the low-protein period. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the low-protein period is at least 5 consecutive days. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the low-protein period is at least 6 consecutive days. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the low-protein period is at least 7 consecutive days. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the person's bodily intake of carbohydrate constitutes at least 60 percent of the person's bodily intake of calories during the low-protein period. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the person's bodily intake of carbohydrate constitutes at least 80 percent of the person's bodily intake of calories during low-protein period. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the person's bodily intake of carbohydrate is at least 100 grams per day during the low-protein period. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein carbohydrate in the material constitutes at least 50 percent of the caloric content of the material. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein carbohydrate in the material constitutes at least 80 percent of the caloric content of the material. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the administering the material comprises providing individually packaged servings of the material. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, during the first high-protein period, the person receives a bodily intake of all protein of at least 100 grams. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, during the first high-protein period, the person receives a bodily intake of all protein of at least 0.6 g per kilogram of the person's body weight. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, during the first high-protein period, the subject receives a bodily intake of all protein of at least 0.8 g per kilogram of the subject's body weight. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first high-protein period is no more than 14 consecutive days. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject has Alzheimer's disease. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject has at least one of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, a tauopathy, a polyglutamine expansion disease, Huntington's disease, or a spinocerebellar ataxia. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is not calorie restricted. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is not calorie restricted, and the first high-protein period is no more than 14 consecutive days. 
     
     
         20 . A method for providing nutrients to a subject with cognitive impairment, comprising:
 (a) administering nutrient material to a subject having cognitive impairment such that the subject has a bodily intake of protein of less than 5 grams per day during a low-protein time period of at least 4 consecutive days;   wherein the nutrient material is administrable to at least one of the subject's gastrointestinal tract or intravascular space and comprises;   (b) administering nutrition to the subject such that the subject's bodily intake of carbohydrate constitutes at least 40 percent of the subject's bodily intake of energy during the low-protein period;   wherein, during a first high-protein time period that is immediately after the low-protein period and is at least 4 consecutive days, the subject receives a daily bodily intake of protein of at least 40 grams;   immediately after the first high-protein period, repeating (a) and (b);   wherein, during a second high-protein time period lasting at least 4 consecutive days and that is immediately after the repeating (a) and (b), the subject receives a daily bodily intake of protein of at least 40 grams;   wherein the subject is not calorie restricted; and   wherein the subject has at least one of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, a tauopathy, a polyglutamine expansion disease, Huntington's disease, or a spinocerebellar ataxia.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the low-protein period is at least 5 consecutive days. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the low-protein period is at least 6 consecutive days. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the low-protein period is at least 7 consecutive days.