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Ketogenic Diet Clinic

Description of Services

Fat is good. "Ketogenic" refers to the production of ketones in the body, which are formed when the body uses fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. A higher level of ketones in the body often leads to better control of seizures.

Can a diet control epilepsy?

One treatment for refractory epilepsy (epilepsy that does not respond to seizure medicines) that’s getting some surprising results is the ketogenic diet. This specialized diet, which is high in fats and proteins and restricts the intake of carbohydrates, mimics starvation by burning fat instead of glucose for energy.

Of the children who have incorporated the diet into their lives, about one-third have become seizure-free. One-third have shown a marked improvement. One third of the patients do not respond to the diet. We do not know which patients will respond well beforehand.

How does a ketogenic diet work?

A ketogenic diet restricts a child’s intake of carbohydrates and emphasizes calories obtained from fats and proteins. In a normal diet, the body uses carbohydrates for fuel, but in the ketogenic diet, fats become the primary fuel.

Referral Requirements

An epilepsy patient who has not responded to two or more anti-epileptic medications may be eligible for treatment with the ketogenic diet. The patient has to see one of the Brain Care Institute's epileptologists before the referral. The patient then will be screened for any underlying metabolic problems before initiating the diet as an inpatient over a three- to five-day hospital stay.