Ketogenic diets have existed for decades for epilepsy. When new drugs emerged on the market, however, they were rarely used. Now an increasing number of physicians are turning to ketogenic diets again when drugs fail, with support offered in a new study from Argentina, reported Epilepsy Today on July 17.
The researchers focused on a condition known as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS). They began by choosing 20 children who had two types of LGS: Cryptogenic LGS (no known cause) and structural LGS (caused by a brain malformation).
The children followed a ketogenic diet for 16 months. Of the 15 who had maintained the plan, three were seizure-free. An additional three of the children experienced reductions in seizure frequency between 75 to 99 percent.
