A new review brings together evidence on how ketogenic diets help to reduce seizures, while also highlighting existing knowledge gaps in the area
A ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that encourages the body to use fats, rather than sugars, as its main source of energy. It’s already used as a treatment option for epilepsy, including for some people living with TSC. Many individuals and families will be familiar with the potential for ketogenic diets to reduce seizure frequency, particularly when seizures are difficult to control with medication. This new review helps explain why the diet can be effective.
Rather than working in a single way, ketogenic diets appear to act through several mechanisms in the brain. One of the main changes is how the brain uses energy. When carbohydrates are reduced, the body can no longer rely on its usual fuel source, which is glucose. Instead, it switches to its ‘backup’ energy, called ketones.
Seizures are linked to over-activity in brain activity. We think that ketones help to reduce sudden bursts of activity in the brain, which means that seizures are reduced. The review suggests that ketogenic diets may also reduce inflammation in the brain and support the overall health and function of nerve cells. Together, these effects may help to make brain networks more stable. All of this also adds to evidence about why ketogenic diets seem to act differently to seizure medications.
Although there’s been lots of work overall in understanding ketogenic diets, this has mostly focused on children, with far less evidence available for adults. This is an important knowledge gap. This is why understanding whether ketogenic diets are as effective, safe and practical for adults is an area where more research is needed.
Many people in the TSC community benefit from the ketogenic diet, but it isn’t effective for everyone. Overall, it’s a promising and increasingly focused area of preventing seizures. The TSA looks forward to potentially supporting any future research into the diet.
Read more about the review here.
