According to medical reports, diets that are high in fat and lower in carbohydrates are known to have a massive effect on reducing the incidence of seizures in people who have drug-resistant forms of epilepsy, and we are especially referring to children.
Microbes and epilpesy
While it is becoming evident that diet can affect the microflora in the gut, the nature of these changes and how they are related to the prevalence of seizures is still unknown.
However, researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), have conducted a prospective study on children and experiments involving mice, which has brought us closer to understanding how the food we eat can change the functions of microbes in our digestive system.
These changes can affect various neurological functions that are suspected to play a role in epilepsy. Approximately 50 million people around the world experience recurrent electrical discharge storms across the brain that result in epilepsy.
This can cause anything from moments of inattention to severe convulsions.
While most people benefit from medication, around 30% of people have treatment-resistant epilepsy.
The keto diet, which restricts daily intake of starches and sugars, has been popular for weight loss since the 1970s. Although its health benefits are debated, studies show that fat-rich, carbohydrate-poor diets can reduce the risk of seizures in people with refractory epilepsy.
Research suggests that around 30 percent of children with treatment-resistant epilepsy become seizure-free while on the diet, and around 60 percent experience a significant decrease in seizure frequency.
However, sticking to the diet can be challenging, especially for picky eaters, children with gastrointestinal issues, and those at risk for kidney stones. As a result, only a few people can stick to the keto diet over the years.
Researchers hope to develop treatments for seizures that don’t rely on specialized diets by studying how certain nutrients affect neurological changes.
