Research done at Johns Hopkins Medicine has shown that a modified Atkins diet could help prevent epileptics from having seizures, especially in the case of children. It has been known since the 1920s that high-fat, low-carb diets, called ketogenic diets because they produce a metabolic effect called ketosis, are effective in controlling epileptic episodes. The ketogenic diets, however, are highly restrictive, requires strict measuring of food intake and can result in numerous side effects. A modified Atkins diet has similar benefits and may be easier to follow, according to the researchers from John Hopkins Medicine.
Research
In 2005, researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine tested a modified Atkins diet on 20 epileptic children. At the end of the study, 13 of the 20 children had a 50 percent or greater improvement of their condition, seven had a 90 percent improvement, and four of the children did not have any seizures at all after six months.
Foods on the Diet
High fat foods such as eggs, bacon, beef, butter and olive oil are encouraged on the modified Atkins diet, according to the Lagone Medical Center. People on the modified Atkins diet for epilepsy can still eat some carbohydrates like bread and pasta, but only up to a specific number of grams per day, which is prescribed by a doctor or dietitian. The modified Atkins diet has no restriction on protein foods like chicken or cheese, according to the Lagone Medical Center.
How It Works
The way the modified Atkins diet helps to control seizures is by switching up the body's chemical signals, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. The hospital states that on a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet such as the modified Atkins diet, the body goes into starvation mode where it uses up all of its glucose and glycogen for fuel. When the body uses up all of its glucose and glycogen stores, it has to burn fat for energy. Burning fat for energy produces ketones, which have an inhibitory effect on seizures, states Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Effectiveness
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, the ketones released by the body as a result of limiting carbohydrates in the diet has been proven to prevent seizures in children for up to two years at a time. Dr. Eric Kossoff, a pediatric neurologist who studies the modified Atkins diet at Johns Hopkins Children's Center states that although the diet has not been tested on a large enough group of people, the current findings indicate that the modified Atkins diet can be just as effective at controlling seizures as the more restrictive ketogenic diet.
Side Effects
Although the modified Atkins diet can be helpful in preventing seizures for epileptics, Johns Hopkins Medicine states that it can also have side effects. Some of the side effects associated with the modified Atkins diet include constipation, delayed growth and possibly even kidney stones. For some people, these side effects are worth it, considering the benefits of reducing seizures.
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