The Ketogenic Diet was discovered in the 1920s as an alternative treatment for children with hard-to-treat seizures. The origins of the diet came from observations that showed fasting reduced seizure activity. The diet uses high-fat, low-carbohydrate, low-protein foods to change the body's primary energy source from glucose to fat, or ketones. The Ketogenic Diet is used for its anticonvulsant effects in epileptic patients but has also shown some benefit in other health conditions in which there is a problem with glucose utilization. As with any medical treatment, never undertake a Ketogenic Diet without a doctor's guidance.
The Basics
Glucose is the body's normal energy source. The body stores approximately 24-hours' worth of glucose at a time; when this glucose store is used up, the body turns to fat for energy. Ketones are the energy source given off by fat cells. Utilization of fat for energy mimics starvation mode and usually begins after a 24-hour period without food. The Ketogenic Diet artificially puts the body in a state of ketosis allowing the brain to utilize ketones for energy. The Ketogenic Diet is started and continued under the care of medical providers as it mimics the starvation pattern of using fat for energy. The physiological mechanism of how, when and why this diet works continues to be studied.
Anticonvulsant Properties
The exact mechanism by which the Ketogenic Diet eliminates seizure activity is still being studied; however, it has been proven effective in the treatment of absence, myoclonic, generalized tonic, generalized clonic, generalized tonic-clonic and partial seizures. There has also been some effectiveness documented in children with multiple seizure types. There is more than a 90 percent reduction in seizures reported in one-third of children who utilize this treatment method with 5 percent becoming seizure free after six to 12 months, according to Washington University School of Medicine. Seizure frequency is reduced by 50 to 90 percent in another one-third of children. Additional benefits of the Ketogenic Diet may be a reduction in the number of anti-epileptic medications being taken, increased alertness and improved behavior, even if seizure activity is not changed.
The Diet
The Ketogenic Diet can be implemented in varying strengths, or ratios, of fat, carbohydrate and protein consumption. The diet ratios usually range from 3-to-1 to 4-to-5-to-1. The 3-to-1 diet requires that 3 g of fat are consumed for every 1 g of protein plus carbohydrate; 87 percent of the daily caloric intake would be from fat, according to Washington University School of Medicine. For comparison, the typical child consumes 25 to 40 percent of their daily calories from fat. Dehydration, constipation and nausea are commonly reported symptoms of those using the Ketogenic Diet as a treatment for epilepsy. These side effects are similar to those of anti-epileptic medications and vary in severity. Nutritional supplements may be needed to provide essential vitamins and minerals that are missing from the diet. This diet should always be implemented under the strict supervision of your medical provider and a dietitian.
Meal Preperation
It is very important to work closely with your medical provider and a dietitian to establish the appropriate meal and diet plan for yourself or your child. Typically small amounts of carbohydrates in the form of fruits and vegetables are served with a protein such as fish, chicken, or red meat along with large amounts of fat such as cream, butter or eggs, and no sugar. The portion sizes and exact amounts of each food need to be determined with the dietitian and prepared using a gram scale. The weight and measurement of each food is very important to the success of the diet and its subsequent anticonvulsant effects.
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