Epilepsys Big, Fat Miracle

[charityfundraiser]

An Atkins-like diet that worked as well and often better than antiepileptic drugs? Common sense suggests thats crazy.

Epilepsys Big, Fat Miracle
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/magazine/21Epilepsy-t.html?pagewanted=all

 

[Merry]

Interesting. Thank you.

 

[xchocoholic]

This is a good article but the ketogenic diet has been around for a very long time. When I was researching this diet a few years ago, I couldn't find any reference to any of these patients being tested for food intolerances. Getting off the gluten alone could resolve seizures in some cases. I suspect that many of those who don't respond to this diet are casein intolerant. Or sensitive to nitrates .. that's a lot of bacon ...

When I tried the MAD (modified Atkins Diet) I found that my glucose stayed too low so I had to eat some fruit / sugar to bring it up. I still have to eat something sweet regularly to keep my glucose up all the time. Just not too much though because my body overproduces insulin ...

I also noticed recently that the frequency of my petite mals increased when I increased my activity level. I'm not sure yet how this happens but suspect that it's linked to my hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperinsulinemic_hypoglycemia

... x

 

[Glynis Steele]

Ketogenic Diet in Autism

Here is a pubmed article regarding the keto diet in autism. Personally I believe it's a carb thing, rather than ketones. My daughter was tube fed for many years. When she was only fed her tube feed, she did not have autistic traits, as soon as she had any oral carbs, she developed autistic traits.

Glynis

Application of a ketogenic diet in children with autistic behavior: pilot study.
Evangeliou A, Vlachonikolis I, Mihailidou H, Spilioti M, Skarpalezou A, Makaronas N, Prokopiou A, Christodoulou P, Liapi-Adamidou G, Helidonis E, Sbyrakis S, Smeitink J.

Department of Paediatrics, Medical School, University of Crete, Crete, Greece. evangeli@med.uoc.gr

Abstract
A pilot prospective follow-up study of the role of the ketogenic diet was carried out on 30 children, aged between 4 and 10 years, with autistic behavior. The diet was applied for 6 months, with continuous administration for 4 weeks, interrupted by 2-week diet-free intervals. Seven patients could not tolerate the diet, whereas five other patients adhered to the diet for 1 to 2 months and then discontinued it. Of the remaining group who adhered to the diet, 18 of 30 children (60%), improvement was recorded in several parameters and in accordance with the Childhood Autism Rating Scale. Significant improvement (> 12 units of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale) was recorded in two patients (pre-Scale: 35.00 +/- 1.41[mean +/- SD]), average improvement (> 8-12 units) in eight patients (pre-Scale: 41.88 +/- 3.14[mean +/- SD]), and minor improvement (2-8 units) in eight patients (pre-Scale: 45.25 +/- 2.76 [mean +/- SD]). Although these data are very preliminary, there is some evidence that the ketogenic diet may be used in autistic behavior as an additional or alternative therapy.

 

[pictureofhealth]

What would be interesting would be to check out the chemical composition of an epilepsy drug such as Phenytoin (Dilantin) and see if it has any similarities to the chemicals naturally available in this diet, which has been so helpful for epileptics.

Also interesting then is that Phenytoin can actually be used off label in some countries as a drug which is almost uniquely effective in reducing or eliminating anxiety and depression (fear and anger), imagine the impact that would have around the globe!

http://www.remarkablemedicine.com/Medicine/evidence1.html

However, the FDA have consistently resisted informing physicians in the USA of this fact, which has had a knock on effect in other countries such as UK. There are numerous double blinded clinical trials which support these extraordinary benefits for human mood - some carried out on violent prisoners, who subsequently became calm, happy and more emotionally (ie. electrically) stable and the great news is it is also non addictive, unlike other drugs they might have been using previously.

Presumably other pharmaceuticals were coming into vogue for mood managment at this time (during Nixon's era) and were vastly more profitable. But the chemical composition of Phenytoin is reportedly quite versatile and affects electrical activity in the brain for the better in almost every case trialled.

 

[anne_likes_red]

Here is a pubmed article regarding the keto diet in autism. Personally I believe it's a carb thing, rather than ketones. My daughter was tube fed for many years. When she was only fed her tube feed, she did not have autistic traits, as soon as she had any oral carbs, she developed autistic traits.

Glynis

Application of a ketogenic diet in children with autistic behavior: pilot study.
Evangeliou A, Vlachonikolis I, Mihailidou H, Spilioti M, Skarpalezou A, Makaronas N, Prokopiou A, Christodoulou P, Liapi-Adamidou G, Helidonis E, Sbyrakis S, Smeitink J.

Department of Paediatrics, Medical School, University of Crete, Crete, Greece. evangeli@med.uoc.gr

Abstract
A pilot prospective follow-up study of the role of the ketogenic diet was carried out on 30 children, aged between 4 and 10 years, with autistic behavior. The diet was applied for 6 months, with continuous administration for 4 weeks, interrupted by 2-week diet-free intervals. Seven patients could not tolerate the diet, whereas five other patients adhered to the diet for 1 to 2 months and then discontinued it. Of the remaining group who adhered to the diet, 18 of 30 children (60%), improvement was recorded in several parameters and in accordance with the Childhood Autism Rating Scale. Significant improvement (> 12 units of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale) was recorded in two patients (pre-Scale: 35.00 +/- 1.41[mean +/- SD]), average improvement (> 8-12 units) in eight patients (pre-Scale: 41.88 +/- 3.14[mean +/- SD]), and minor improvement (2-8 units) in eight patients (pre-Scale: 45.25 +/- 2.76 [mean +/- SD]). Although these data are very preliminary, there is some evidence that the ketogenic diet may be used in autistic behavior as an additional or alternative therapy.

My feeling, like yours, it that it's more likely to be what they're not having rather than something they are having!
My own experience, and that of my 8 y.o. son, is that cutting certain carbs can help with absorption of some other nutrients. With no complex carbs my iron levels come up (no other intervention), and with absence of complex carbs - plenty of simple carbs though - my dairy intolerant son can eat carefully prepared dairy no problem.
Thanks for sharing