Epilepsy - Resources

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Dietary Measures

All patients should maintain a healthy diet, including plenty of whole grains, fresh vegetables, and fruits. In addition, dairy foods may be important to maintain calcium levels. Fasting has been used to prevent seizures since ancient times. In the 1920s, a high-fat, no-sugar, low protein diet, known as a ketogenic diet, was used to prevent seizures. Researchers are investigating whether a modified version of the Atkins diet (high protein, low carbohydrate) may help people with epilepsy. Both the ketogenic diet and the Atkins diet can interfere with some anti-epileptic medications such as topiramate. Talk to your doctor before beginning any special diet or a weight loss program.

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The Ketogenic Diet

The ketogenic diet, which is very high in fat (90%), very low in carbohydrates, and low in protein, has been studied and debated for decades. It has proven to be helpful for many children with severe epilepsy that does not respond to AEDs. It is not clear why it works. The standard theory is that burning fat instead of carbohydrates causes an increase in ketones (chemical substances in the body that result from the breakdown of fat in the body). When excessive levels of ketones are produced, a metabolic state called ketosis happens. Ketosis appears to alter certain amino acids in the brain and to increase levels of the neurotransmitter gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), which helps prevent nerve cells from over-firing.

Benefits. Studies report that about 10 - 15% of children who use the diet are seizure free after 1 year, while 30% are nearly seizure free. Some parents report that the diet helps improve their children’s alertness, even if seizures continue. Some children who try the ketogenic diet are able to stop or at least reduce their medications.

Candidates. The ketogenic diet seems to be most helpful for children who have difficult-to-control seizures, in particular:

• Generalized and partial seizures (the diet does not appear to be as helpful for children with partial-onset seizures)
• Myoclonic-atastic epilepsy
• Infantile spasm