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Use of the ketogenic diet as a long-term treatment for intractable epilepsy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 November 2006

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The ketogenic diet has been in use since the early 1920s as a treatment for epilepsy. It is a high fat, low protein, and low carbohydrate diet which was developed to mimic the effects of fasting, which has been found to decrease seizure activity. The diet produces ketosis, as does fasting, but the role of ketosis in seizure control is not known. These days, the diet is generally used to treat seizures which do not respond to drug therapy.

Type
Commentary
Copyright
2006 Mac Keith Press