The Mayo Clinic Ketogenic diet offers parents hope in ending seizures in their children. As it becomes more and more common for doctors to try the Ketogenic diet in children, it only makes sense that an adult with epilepsy would want to know if they too could be helped. According to the Johns Hopkins Medicine website, a study was conducted of 30 adults with epilepsy. The patients ranged from 18 to 53 years of age. They had to have tried two anti-seizure medications with no success and average 10 seizures a week. The Ketogenic diet allowed the participants only 15 grams of carbohydrates a day. To get an idea of how much that is, it is roughly 1/4 a pound of strawberries (not much at all). The rest of the diet was made up of fats and small amounts of protein.
The patients in the study kept a journal of what they ate and the amount of seizures they had. The patients were evaluated at intervals of one, three, and six months to determine how the diet was affecting them. Roughly half of the participants had a drop in seizures by 50% at the first evaluation. One third of the participants in the study dropped out after three months as they found the diet too difficult to follow. After the study was finished at the six month mark, 14 of those who had participated decided to continue with the diet as it greatly helped them to manage their seizures.
Ketogenic Diet Could Be a Good Alternative for Adults
While there is no denying that the Ketogenic diet is hard to follow, the benefits might just convince a person to try it. There are currently few long term studies of the diet with adults, but more research may just prove its efficacy. If you (or someone you know) suffer from seizures and are interested in trying the Ketogenic diet, ask your doctor about it. You will most likely need to see a registered dietician to get the proper breakdown of nutrients for your height and weight.
There are many therapies for treating seizures. Finding one that works best for you may take time and patience. If you are willing to try the Ketogenic diet and stick with it, it may be the therapy that works for you. Prepare yourself by investing in a Ketogenic diet cookbook. A book like this can show you foods you can eat and also new recipes. You may find that the foods taste better when you know they are curbing your seizures!
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