Theย ketogenic dietย is a high-fat, adequate-protein,ย low-carbohydrate dietย that in medicine is used primarily to treat difficult-to-control (refractory)ย epilepsyย in children. The diet forces the body to burn fats rather thanย carbohydrates. Normally, the carbohydrates contained in food are converted intoย glucose, which is then transported around the body and is particularly important inย fueling brain function. However, if little carbohydrate remains in the diet, theย liverย convertsย fatย intoย fatty acidsย andย ketone bodies. The ketone bodies pass into theย brainย and replace glucose as an energy source. An elevated level of ketone bodies in the blood, a state known asย ketosis, leads to a reduction in the frequency ofย epileptic seizures.[1]ย Around half of children and young people with epilepsy who have tried some form of this diet saw the number ofย seizuresย drop by at least half, and the effect persists even after discontinuing the diet.[2]ย Some evidence indicates that adults with epilepsy may benefit from the diet, and that a less strict regimen, such as a modifiedย Atkins diet, is similarly effective.[1]ย Potential side effects may includeย constipation,ย high cholesterol, growth slowing,ย acidosis, andย kidney stones.[3]
The original therapeutic diet forย paediatric epilepsyย provides just enough protein for body growth and repair, and sufficientย calories[Note 1]ย to maintain the correct weight for age and height. The classic therapeutic ketogenic diet was developed for treatment of paediatric epilepsy in the 1920s and was widely used into the next decade, but its popularity waned with the introduction of effectiveย anticonvulsantย medications. This classic ketogenic diet contains a 4:1 ratio by weight of fat to combined protein and carbohydrate. This is achieved by excluding high-carbohydrate foods such as starchy fruits and vegetables, bread, pasta, grains, and sugar, while increasing the consumption of foods high in fat such as nuts, cream, and butter.[1]ย Most dietary fat is made of molecules called long-chain triglycerides (LCTs). However,ย medium-chain triglyceridesย (MCTs)โmade from fatty acids with shorterย carbon chainsย than LCTsโare more ketogenic. A variant of the classic diet known as the MCT ketogenic diet uses a form ofย coconut oil, which is rich in MCTs, to provide around half the calories. As less overall fat is needed in this variant of the diet, a greater proportion of carbohydrate and protein can be consumed, allowing a greater variety of food choices.[4][5]
In 1994, Hollywood producerย Jim Abrahams, whose sonโs severe epilepsy was effectively controlled by the diet, created the Charlie Foundation for Ketogenic Therapies to further promote diet therapy. Publicity included an appearance on NBCโsย Datelineย program andย โฆFirst Do No Harmย (1997), aย made-for-television filmย starringย Meryl Streep. The foundation sponsored a research study, the results of whichโannounced in 1996โmarked the beginning of renewed scientific interest in the diet.[1]
Possible therapeutic uses for the ketogenic diet have been studied for many additional neurological disorders, some of which include:ย Alzheimerโs disease,ย amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, headache,ย neurotrauma, pain,ย Parkinsonโs disease, andย sleep disorders.[6]ย โ wiki
Mandatory FDA Disclaimer: Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Mandatory FDA Disclaimer: Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
