Originally published February 8 2005
Atkins diet may have benefits for epileptics
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
A comprehensive review of dietary treatments for epilepsy indicates that the low-carbohydrate Atkins diet, among others, may have beneficial effects for people suffering from epileptic seizures. The Atkins diet forces the body to burn fat for energy, a condition known as ketosis. Ketosis appears to have an anticonvulsant effect, for reasons that are not fully understood.
Among those dietary regimens is the low-carbohydrate Atkins Diet which has proven successful in suppressing epileptic seizures in a small series of patients.
The review, published in Epilepsy Currents, explores the benefits of low-carb, high protein, and other restricted dietary therapies for patients with epilepsy.
The ketogenic diet (KD), a high fat, adequate protein, and low carbohydrate diet, is the most well known of dietary therapies amongst the epilepsy community.
It was initially devised in 1921 to "mimic the anticonvulsant effects of fasting, which were known to suppress seizures."
A diet enriched in PUFA has shown to help in brain development and decreases the excitability of nerve cells that can induce seizures.
As success has been observed with the Atkins diet, people with epilepsy might find this diet to be easier to follow.
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