Modified Atkins Diet May Prevent Seizures

Study finds dietary changes as effective as drugs in some patients


Patients with epilepsy often take powerful drugs to avoid having seizures, but new research suggests altering their diet might but just as effective.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins says a modified version of a popular high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet can significantly cut the number of seizures in adults with epilepsy when drugs and other treatments fail or cause complications.

For almost a century, doctors have prescribed an eating plan called the ketogenic diet to treat children with epilepsy. This diet often consists of a short period of fasting, strictly limits fluids and drastically restricts carbohydrates.

It appears to limit or even eliminate seizures, possibly by generating the build-up of ketones, compounds the body produces when it derives calories mostly from fat. Some of the largest studies to scientifically test this diet's efficacy took place at Johns Hopkins in the mid-1990s, led by pediatric neurologists John Freeman, M.D., and Eileen Vining, M.D.

Why exactly the ketogenic diet works remains unknown, and it is notoriously difficult to follow, relying almost solely on fat and protein for calories. Consequently, doctors typically recommend it only for children, whose parents can strictly monitor their eating habits.

The ketogenic diet is almost never prescribed to adults, who generally make their own food choices and often have difficulty complying with the diet's strict guidelines.

Modified version
In 2002, Johns Hopkins researchers began testing a modified version of the Atkins diet in children with epilepsy. The modified diet shares the high-fat focus of the ketogenic diet, prompting the body to generate ketones. However, it allows more carbohydrates and protein, doesn't limit fluids and calories, and has no fasting period.

When studies showed that the new diet prevented or curtailed seizures in children, the researchers began testing it for efficacy and ease of use in adults.

Reporting on the results in the February issue of Epilepsia, Eric H. Kossoff, M.D., an assistant professor of neurology and pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said 30 adults with epilepsy, ages 18 to 53 years, who had tried at least two anticonvulsant drugs without success and had an average of 10 seizures per week, were placed on the modified Atkins diet.

All patients were seen for free in the Johns Hopkins General Clinical Research Center.

The regimen restricted them to 15 grams of carbohydrates a day. "That's a few strawberries, some vegetables, or a bit of bread," says Kossoff. The diet offers most of its calories from fat -- eggs, meats, oils and heavy cream -- with as much protein and no-carb beverages as patients want.

Each day, patients kept diaries of what they ate and how many seizures they had. The researchers evaluated how each patient was doing at one, three and six months after starting the diet.

Results showed that about half the patients had experienced a 50 percent reduction in the frequency of their seizures by the first clinic visit. About a third of the patients halved the frequency of seizures by three months.

Side effects linked with the diet, such as a rise in cholesterol or triglycerides, were mild. A third of the patients dropped out by the third month, unable to comply with the restrictions.

Fourteen patients who stuck with the diet until the six-month mark chose to continue, even after the study ended -- a testament to how effectively the diet worked to treat their epilepsy, Kossoff notes.

Though the modified Atkins diet won't be a good fit for all patients, says Kossoff, "it opens up another therapeutic option for adults trying to decide between medication, surgery and electrical stimulation to treat intractable seizures."

A second study to examine the diet's effects on adults with intractable seizures is under way.

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Looks like there is true progress being made to find safe, long term solutions for epilepsy.

Hello Bernard. The Modified Atkins Diet for Epilespy is like the ketogenic diet ~ the patient is only on it for 2 to 4 years then weaned off of it (usually about 6 months to a year) and simply going back to eating and drinking normal foods and drinks in the normal amounts just like they did before the diet. The seizure control you get while on either diet stay with them. These diets give miracles of becoming completely seizure free AND completely seizure medication free for the rest of their life!

I really do believe in the ketogenic diet, i`ve seen for a couple of times, that it really works.
But it could give good results. At this moment i know a couple of children with the diet. But only a few of them don`t have seizures any more.
And even if they catch a cold of something like that, they sometimes have seizures again.
It happens that they don`t have to take any AED anymore, but it isn`t alway`s.

I do know about some 30 children at the diet, but i only know 1 of them who has no seizures and no AED after quitting the diet.

It is the story of 30-30-30.
At 30 % it works quite well, the other 30 % it may be some better, and at the last 30% it does not work.

But i think, it`s alway`s worth trying. Because sometimes it will give good results.

It has not just helped patients with epilepsy. Patients with ALS, Parkinsons Disease and Alzheimers have been treated with versions of the ketogenic diet with very promising results. There is a bariatric Symposium taking place in Arizona as I type this message and this topic will be discussed at this event. As you all probably know I suspect that so,e people with various forms of dystonia may also be helped.This will be discussed at the event. Can't wait.

:animals_bunny2:

Went to my Epi yesterday and she wants me to try the Atkins. I just don't think I can do it. You have to be way to discplined, more then I know I'm likey to do.
I make dinner for 5 other people every night, and we have food in the house for those people. I have no self control!

I could live without the bread, noodles and rice but there are a lot of fruits you can't eat as well. And I have to admit I like a beer every once in a while. That would be out. One of my husband and my favorite things to do is go out for chips and salsa and a beer :( ( sometimes wings )
I need some kind of outlet.

The reason for doing the diet would be to see if I could get off my meds. in hopes my hair would stop falling out.

They won't let me into the newest medicine study because of my past use of Felbatol. :( I could just scream!

Dang Petunia, sorry to hear you could not get into the research project.

Hugs,
Cindy