A Ketogenic Diet is a special diet that is used to treat epilepsy.

What is Epilepsy?

Epilepsy is necessarily a nervous system disorder resulting from electrical disturbances in ones brain that lead to recurrent convulsions.

Although there has been a tremendous progress in the field of medical science, 20 to 30 percent of epilepsy cases still do not respond to the medicines. In these cases, a ketogenic diet is recommended that leads to an excessive accumulation of ketones in the body, thereby leading to ketosis.

What is a Ketogenic Diet?

A ketogenic diet is an adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate and high-fat diet. It helps in controlling the seizures in those suffering from epilepsy.

This type of diet leads to the formation of ketones. Ketones are formed when the body utilizes fats as a source of energy.

Usually the body extracts the energy required from carbohydrates, but as the ketogenic diet is extremely low on carbohydrates, the body starts using fats as the main source of fuel. Ketones are not dangerous and can be detected in the blood and urine. Higher levels of ketones lead to better seizure control.

Who can benefit from it?

The ketogenic diet is usually recommended to children who do not respond to the various seizure control medicines, especially to those who have Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

Normally, it is not prescribed to adults. But in some cases the doctor might do so as a few studies have suggested that it works well with adults too.

What does it comprise of?

A typical ketogenic diet, also known as ‘long-chain triglyceride diet’, usually offers 3-4g of fat for every gram of protein and carbohydrate consumed.

According to doctors, it should contain around 75-100g of fat and 1-2g of protein and carbohydrate for every kilogram of a person’s body weight. It must be carefully monitored by a dietician.

The ratio of fats to proteins and carbohydrates in a ketogenic diet is either 4:1 or 3:1. 4:1 is stricter than 3:1 and is normally prescribed to children. 3:1 is generally recommended to adolescents, infants and children who need higher amounts of proteins and carbohydrates for other reasons.

Does it actually work?

Several studies reveal that this type of a diet has worked well in preventing and reducing seizures in children whose convulsions could not be controlled by medicines.

More than half the children who underwent the study showed a minimum of 50 percent reduction in the number of convulsions. Some, about 10-15 percent, even stopped having seizures at all.

Children on a ketogenic diet have to continue with the seizure medicines as well. The doses can be lowered for some; however that would depend on the comfort level of the child as well as the neurologist. Even a single meal that does not conform to the basics of a ketogenic diet may affect the child.




So it is the responsibility of the parents to make sure that the child sticks to the diet prescribed by the dietician.

How are the patients monitored?

At the beginning, doctors examine the patients every 1-3 months. Blood and urine tests are done to check for any medical problem. The weight and height of the patients is measured to check if their growth has slowed. As they grow and gain weight, the diet is adjusted accordingly.

If the convulsions do not surface for a long time –for almost 2 years, the doctor may take the patient off the diet. However, this is done gradually over a period of many months, as any sudden changes in the diet may trigger the seizures again.

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