Originally published February 8 2005
Atkins diet may have benefits for epileptics
by Mike Adams (see all articles by this author)
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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