Dr. Matthew Phillips is a full-time clinical and research neurologist at Waikato Hospital in Hamilton, New Zealand. His foremost passion is to explore the potential feasibility, safety, and efficacy of metabolic therapies, particularly fasting and ketogenic diets, in creating alternate metabolic states that enhance neuron bioenergetics and may lead to improvements in not only the symptoms, but also function and quality of life, for people with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and a variety of additional neurological disorders.
Upon completing his Neurology training in Melbourne, Dr. Phillips realised that he had no interest in going the usual route of further specialising in a particular neurological disorder. He wanted to specialise in a therapy, but no such fellowship existed. Thus, he bought a one-way ticket to the other side of the world and departed the medical system, travelling and working in different places for three years, creating his own self-taught fellowship during which he learned about a variety of therapeutic possibilities that he had never previously considered.
Upon completing his 3-year “fellowship” it dawned on him that metabolic strategies, particularly fasting and ketogenic diets, were promising therapeutic options for a range of disorders. He re-entered the medical system by commencing work as a neurologist in New Zealand, where his colleagues have helped him to apply these strategies to a number of humanity’s most difficult neurological disorders so as to determine whether they are feasible, safe, and can make an impact in terms of helping patients. This has resulted in his team conducting a world-first randomised controlled study of a ketogenic diet in Parkinson’s.
The Canadian-born, Australian-trained neurologist ultimately wishes to help create a new field of Metabolic Neurology that emphasises applying metabolic strategies in healthcare so as to potentially heal many difficult disorders at their core, with the overarching goal being the improved health and enhanced nobility of humanity.
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22 responses to “Dr. Matthew Phillips – ‘Neurodegenerative Disorders as Metabolic Icebergs’”
Thank you, Dr. Phillips!
…study still under review but the patient is still maintaining the diet 👏🏻
I hope the world wakes up soon to enable all to realise there is so much we can do to help ourselves. The corruption runs so deep.
Great stuff Matt. Thanks
Underrated individual. Doesn’t polarise, speaks absolute truth. I love his work
What they need to do is find what is causing this, to stop damaging of the body.
He just told you.
I’ve been searching for answers on this very issue. Thanks! 🎉😊
Brilliant. Thank you so much for this talk.
Don’t stop ! Go.Go.Go! Thank you so much!
Great, but I fear your strong focus on pollution and heavy metals is misleading. I’m sure they’re important, but aren’t they far, far less important than diet? I would bet that all people with these disorders have strong dietary problems – i.e. they eat a SAD diet (or I would bet an overwhelming majority of them do). But I would also bet that many of them have much less lead or mercury in their bodies than others – i.e. lots of variability in heavy metals in them. I would also bet that some live in cities with more air pollution, while some live in the country with much less. And so on.
You didn’t propose chelation as a therapy – you did use keto, and it worked. If heavy metal toxicity really is a strong causative agent, why wouldn’t you try chelation? Sure, there are side effects to chelation. If done wrong, it can be very dangerous. Same with chemo re cancer. Well, if there’s an answer, I’d love to know.
Are you conflating your feelings about pollution and heavy metal toxins with the true cause of these disorders? I can’t read your mind. But I strongly worry that the amount of time you spent emphasizing heavy metals and pollution is a distraction that could hurt your message. You focused exclusively on diet modification in the “what do we do” part of your talk. I don’t mean to sound harsh. I’m encouraged by your talk. I think you’re a good person doing good, important work, and you’re very brave to take on the “system” in this way – and actually fight for meaningful improvements for the millions who suffer these horrible disorders. I’m just offering what I hope will be taken as constructive comments aimed at improving your outcomes. That’s all. Good luck!
Thank you for all your hard work Dr Phillips ❤
Very good! Thank you Dr Philips for your work. My son’s much loved grandfather just passed away from ALS.
I just had a thought, someone should do a trial of carnivore or keto for Meniere’s disease….wouldn’t hurt – people are miserable enough.
This is excellent! Thank you!! Sharing in PHD community (Dr. Berry) and on FB.
Thank you for your work!
I have used your study in the treatment of Parkinson’s with dramatic improvements.
Thanks for such a clear way to think about our metabolic work.
Thank you.
Great talk ~ watching from Canada.
Superb.
Does anyone out there think that this low carb, environmental intervention could work for Stiff Person Syndrome or Charcot-Marie-Tooth diseas?
Impressive Dr. Phillips! Reading the description about you and the Metabolic neurology😮. I am sure we will here more about you in the near future. 😊Congrats.
Correction: we will hear more about you…😊
Thank you for this Dr. Phillips!! Great info.