Human Nutrition & Metabolism
Volume 36, June 2024
Ketogenic diet in clinical practices

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hnm.2024.200250

Highlights
•Ketogenic diet applications may have a positive effect on the treatment of resistant epilepsy.

•Standard KD may be more advantageous than MAD in seizure shortening.

•Metabolic side effects may be observed in KD applications.

Abstract
Epilepsy is a medical condition characterized by seizures. While antiepileptic drugs can effectively control seizures in most epilepsy patients, there exists a subtype known as resistant epilepsy in which drugs prove ineffective in managing seizure activity. Furthermore, some patients experience undesirable side effects from these medications, leading to the discontinuation of antiepileptic drug use. In such situations and others like them, the ketogenic diet is recommended as an alternative treatment approach, one that does not rely on pharmacological interventions The fundamental rationale supporting the potential efficacy of the ketogenic diet in epilepsy treatment lies in the fact that, in certain circumstances such as fasting, ketone bodies are utilized as the primary energy source for neurons, as opposed to glucose. To facilitate the generation of ketone bodies while ensuring ease and flexibility of implementation, various types of ketogenic diets have been developed. The choice of ketogenic diet approach in the treatment of epilepsy can be tailored based on the individual tolerability of patients. This meta-analysis aims to consolidate the evidence regarding the impact of ketogenic diets on patients with epilepsy in clinical practice.