Dietary Therapy For Epilepsy
However in recent years dietary therapy for epilepsy has been increasingly.
Dietary therapy for epilepsy. The ketogenic diet but not the atkins diet also restricts calories proteins and fluids. The ketogenic and atkins diets are potentially effective dietary treatment options for patients with refractory epilepsy 1 3. There are a number of diets linked to the treatment of epilepsy. One book available is the ketogenic diet.
What is dietary therapy. One third of patients with epilepsy do not respond to antiepileptic drugs and may seek complementary and alternative treatment modalities. Ketogenic diet therapies for epilepsy have been described since the fifth century and published in scientific literature since the early 1900s. Dietary therapies such as the ketogenic diet kd the modified atkins the medium chain triglyceride and the low glycemic index diet have been successfully implemented in some forms of epilepsy and are growing in utilization.
A treatment for children and others with epilepsy by dr. Children and adults with uncontrolled seizures may be helped by epilepsy dietary therapy however there is no way to predict. Both diets restrict carbohydrates and have a high content of fats. Epilepsy dietary therapy is now a recognised treatment for epilepsy in children and adults and is offered by many specialists and epilepsy clinics.
One of the oldest treatments for epilepsy is the classic ketogenic diet which involves consuming high fat foods and very few carbohydrates johns hopkins is a longstanding pioneer in this mode of therapy. Dietary therapy is an approach to help control seizures usually in conjunction with seizure medications. Even something as small as a few cookie crumbs or drops of toothpaste can stop the diet from working. Keto diet therapy recommendations set for adults with epilepsy other neurologic diseases by johns hopkins university credit.
Everything exactly what and how much a child can eat must be closely watched and regulated. Since that time the diet s popu larity has waxed and waned as newer drugs and other treatments have been intro duced. The classic ketogenic diet a special high fat low carbohydrate diet is prescribed and monitored by a physician and nutritionist and can help control seizures in some people it can help both children and adults with refractory seizures. The diet should be treated like serious medicine and.
The mechanisms of action of dietary therapies are under active investigation and appear to involve mitochondria. Once perceived as a last resort modifications to initiation and maintenance as well as the widespread use of pre made ketogenic formulas have allowed dietary treatment to be used earlier in the course of epilepsy.