How Ketogenic Diet Works For Seizures – By implementing a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet, the ketogenic diet can reduce seizure frequency and improve antiepileptic drug control in individuals with drug/surgical impairment and drug resistance.
A ketogenic diet, commonly called keto, is a diet that places the body in a fasting state so that ketone bodies can be produced. The diet includes foods that are high in fat and low in carbohydrates, allowing the body to break down fat for fuel instead of sugar and carbohydrates. This change in metabolism allows the diet to have anticonvulsant abilities.
How Ketogenic Diet Works For Seizures
“The ketogenic diet is one of the oldest forms of epilepsy treatment…there is growing evidence that it is effective in controlling seizures in adults.
Diabetes And The Ketogenic Diet
A ketogenic diet works on the basic principle of keeping the body in a state of ketosis. Ketosis occurs when the body breaks down fat to make ketones, a super fuel. In relation to epilepsy, ketosis has been shown to reduce electrical tension within the brain, increase properties that protect against recurrent unwanted neurons, reduce factors that cause cell death, and reduce pathogenic bacteria in the gut.
A ketogenic diet involves implementing a diet that ultimately consists of a 4:1 ratio (3:1 for children) of fat over protein and carbohydrates supplemented either fasting or non-fasting.
. When starting keto, patients transition from their current diet to a ketogenic diet gradually, starting with a 1:1 ratio of fat to protein/carbohydrates to the final goal of a 4:1 ratio.
. Because dietary intake of minerals and vitamins is reduced, supplementation is essential on a ketogenic diet.
Reduce Epilepsy Through Intermittent Fasting
Disclaimer: Please consult your healthcare provider before starting any new type of treatment or diet to make sure it is right for you. Note that meals are calculated based on each person’s personal needs and health care goals.
Below is an example of a possible meal plan for treating epilepsy using a ketogenic diet. This meal is an example of a 3:1 ratio with 400kcal.
The keto diet actually changes energy metabolism in the brain, which is why it is believed to stabilize neurons that are subject to seizures in people with epilepsy.
If you checked any of these questions, a ketogenic diet may be the best option for you.
Ketogenic Dietary Therapies In Adults With Epilepsy: A Practical Guide
Refractory epilepsy has been treated since the 1920s with the introduction of a ketogenic diet. Ketogenic diet (KD) is high in fat – the keto diet has been used to treat epilepsy for decades. A nutritious high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet can benefit mental health, diabetes, epilepsy and other neurological conditions.
Epilepsy is a disorder of the central nervous system (nervousness) that involves abnormal brain activity that results in unprovoked seizures or periods of abnormal perception and behavior. Some people with epilepsy also experience loss of consciousness. A seizure is a rapid increase in electrical activity in the brain. Some do not respond and stare blankly, while others repeatedly twitch their legs or arms. Seizures are variable, usually anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Epilepsy can be particularly dangerous, for example if you have a seizure and fall you can break a bone or suffer a head injury. Having one seizure does not necessarily mean you have epilepsy [1].
Seizures are caused by abnormal brain activity in one or all areas of the brain. Increased levels of excitatory neurotransmitters are associated with seizures and can be caused by several factors including:
Medicines and other traditional medical interventions are often used to treat epilepsy. Research shows that diet is another option or supplement.
Easy Foundations To Start Strong On The Ketogenic Diet
The diet forces the body to use fat instead of sugar for energy. The diet shifts your metabolism into a beneficial state called ketosis. Being in a metabolic state of ketosis can cause changes in your body’s biochemistry, including neurotransmitter levels. Studies of people with epilepsy on the diet show improvements in alertness, cognition and attention. A growing body of research suggests a significant reduction in seizures in both children and adults when the diet is used [2,3,4,5]. Studies show impressive benefits in children with epilepsy, with some reporting a 50% and some over 90% reduction in seizures. In some cases, under close supervision, some children were able to stop feeding and remain seizure-free after several years. The use of the drug may be discontinued without recurrence of seizures [6]. To learn more about how diet can benefit mental health and various neurological conditions, read our other informative articles:
How has diet helped you with epilepsy and seizures? Do you have an epilepsy health transformation story to share with the community?
2) Van Berkel, A. A., Ijff, D. M. and Verkuyl, J. M. (2018). Cognitive benefits of diet in patients with epilepsy: a systematic review. Epilepsy and Behavior, 87, 69-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2018.06.004
3) Masino, S. A., Li, T., Theofilas, P., Sandau, U. S., Ruskin, D. N., Fredholm, B. B., Geiger, J. D., Aronica, E., & Boison, D. (2011). Diet suppresses seizures in mice via adenosine A receptors. Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 121 (7), 2679-2683. doi:10.1172/JCI57813.
Types Of Ketogenic Diet For Epilepsy
4) Williams, T. J., & Cervenka, M. C. (2017). The role of diet in epilepsy and epilepsy in adults. Clinical Neurophysiology Practice, 2, 154-160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnp.2017.06.001
5) Gassor, M., Rogawski, MA and Hartman, AL (2006). Neuroprotective and disease-modifying effects of diet. Behavioral Pharmacology, 17(5-6), 431-439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnp.2017.06.001
6) Neal, E. G., Chaffe, H., Schwartz, R. H., Lawson, M. S., Edwards, N., Fitzsimmons, G., Whitney, A., & Cross, H. (2008). Diet for the treatment of pediatric epilepsy: a randomized controlled trial. The Lancet Neurology, 7 (6), 500-506. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(08)70092-9
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Ketogenic Diet For Seizures
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Can Keto Diet Help In Curing Epilepsy?
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Laboratory of Brain Ischemia and Neurodegeneration, Musakowski Medical Research Center, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
Received: 12 September 2019 / Revised: 25 September 2019 / Accepted: 15 October 2019 / Published: 18 October 2019
Keto Diet: Benefits, Side Effects, How It Works, And More
(This article links to the special issue on Ketogenic Dietary Therapy for Chronic Diseases: From Bedside to Bench to Bedside)
Currently available pharmacological treatments for epilepsy have limited efficacy. In patients with epilepsy, pharmacological treatment with available anticonvulsants provides seizure control in <70% of cases. Surgery can lead to control in a select subset of patients, but still leaves a significant number of patients with untreated seizures. Therefore, in drug-resistant epilepsy, a ketogenic diet is beneficial. The aim of this review was to provide a comprehensive review of what has been published on the therapeutic benefits of a ketogenic diet in patients with epilepsy. Clinical data on the therapeutic benefits of the ketogenic diet in terms of clinical symptoms and side effects in patients with epilepsy have been reviewed. Variables that affect the interpretation of data (eg gut microbiota) were also discussed. This review contributes to a better understanding of the potential benefits of the data.
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