How A High Protein Nutritional Therapy Can Be Used To Limit Seizures

A diagnosis of epilepsy is commonly made when a person experiences multiple seizures over a period of time. There are many different types of epilepsy, and different foods or diets used as complementary therapies. The usual form of treatment for epilepsy is prescribed anti-epileptic drugs, and you should not consider a high-protein diet as a substitute for anti-seizure medications. Consult your doctor before making significant changes to your diet.

Ketogenic Diet

The ketogenic diet has been well-known since the early 20th century as a complementary therapy for patients with medication-resistant seizures. However, this diet does not work for most people with epilepsy, and should only be undertaken with medical supervision. The ketogenic diet emphasizes heavy consumption of protein and dietary fats, while limiting intake of fluids, carbohydrates and overall calories. It is believed that the ketogenic diet provokes a starvation response in the body, resulting in the metabolism of fat for energy. This process produces ketones, which may have an anti-seizure effect. A study published in "The Lancet" medical journal in 2008 assigned 73 children with epilepsy to the ketogenic diet and 72 children to a control group. A seizure reduction of greater than 50 percent was experienced by 38 percent of children in the diet group and only 6 percent of children in the control group.

Atkins Diet

The Atkins eating plan is also a ketogenic diet. The Atkins diet emphasizes high protein consumption while limiting carbohydrate consumption. Some patients with epilepsy have successfully used a modified version of the Atkins diet for seizure control through the production of ketones. Unlike the other ketogenic diet, the modified Atkins diet does not restrict fluid intake. For this reason, the modified Atkins diet may be easier to follow than the ketogenic diet. A 2002 study by Dr. Eric Kossoff of John Hopkins Hospital indicates that a modified version of the Atkins diet could help control or reduce seizure activity. Dr. Steven Schacter, writing for the Epilepsy Therapy Project indicates Kossoff's early studies showed 2/3 of study subjects had a 50 percent reduction in seizures at the six-month point.

Disadvantages

Both the major high-protein diets used as a complementary approach to seizure control have inherent health disadvantages in the long term. The ketogenic diet's emphasis on heavy, saturated fat consumption can cause changes in cholesterol levels. A few children experience increases in blood cholesterol, but most studies have shown that ketogenic diets reduce cholesterol and triglycerides. The Atkins diet has been associated with kidney stone development, according to the Epilepsy Therapy Project. Adherence to these strict diets may be difficult, particularly for children.

Considerations

Foods and diets affect each individual differently. If you keep a seizure diary regularly, you may be able to identify which foodstuffs make your epilepsy symptoms worse, and any foods, diet plans or eating patterns that reduce your seizure activity. For example, many people with epilepsy find foods and beverages containing caffeine to be seizure triggers. Eating regularly -- every few hours throughout the day -- will avoid slumps and spikes in your blood sugar, which may precipitate seizures.