The Curious Clinicians
79 - Kurious Keto
Oct 19, 2023
This episode explores the use and effectiveness of a ketogenic diet for controlling seizures in refractory epilepsy. It discusses the origins and effectiveness of the diet, the potential anti-convulsant properties of acetone, and the historical use of dietary therapy for epilepsy.
20:42
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Quick takeaways
- The ketogenic diet can effectively control seizures in refractory epilepsy by inducing a ketotic state through high-fat, low-carbohydrate intake.
- The mechanisms behind the effectiveness of the ketogenic diet in reducing seizures include the GABA shunt, metabolic changes, and the presence of acetone, but further research is needed.
Deep dives
The Origins of the Ketogenic Diet for Epilepsy
The ketogenic diet for epilepsy originated in the early 1920s when a physician named Hugh Conklin theorized that epilepsy could be cured by starving patients. This led to a study where children with epilepsy were starved for up to 25 days, resulting in a reduction in seizures. Later, physician Russell Wilder discovered that it was the ketotic state induced by starvation, not the starvation itself, that controlled epilepsy. He then developed a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet known as the ketogenic diet, which was found to be just as effective as starvation in reducing seizure burden.
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