The ketogenic diet is sometimes used to try and help children whose seizures cannot be reduced or stopped with epilepsy medicines. The diet is higher in fats and lower in carbohydrates than a typical diet.
The ketogenic diet should only be used under the supervision of a dietician who is an expert in the diet. This is because the balance of the diet needs to be carefully worked out for each child. Some children find the diet unpleasant and difficult to follow. Other children manage the diet very well.
Research suggests that for some children the diet can work well and reduce or stop seizures. The diet does not work for every child, and it is not possible to predict who the diet will help.
At present, the ketogenic diet is not used for adults with epilepsy in the UK. However, doctors are doing some research to see if this would be possible in the future.
For full and up-to-date information on the ketogenic diet, go to Matthew's Friends.
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Updated November 2011To be reviewed November 2013
Comments: read the 3 comments or add yours
Comments
I am an adult with uncontrolled epilepsy and tried every drug known to man.
I am 6 weeks into a Ketogenic diet and I havent had a single seizure for 3 weeks now!
I dont understand why this isnt used for adults when its clearly working for me!
To 'Georgia Denby'
My sister has epilepsy since a year and we tried different drugs some suit better than others but she has been very unwell as she gets very tired after some seizures.
Have u had any other seizure after starting ur diet?
Thank you in advance
I was using the Atikins diet to lose weight, and found it helped with seizure control by accident. In the US, doctors will sometimes put adults with epilepsy on what they call the "Modified Atkins Diet", it's lower in carbs and higher in fat than the typical Atkins diet, but not as strict as the official ketogenic diet. (You don't have to measure all the food.) While it's fun to have unlimited amounts of bacon and cheese, you do start to miss rice and bread. (But not the seizures!)