The ketogenic diet revisited.
The ketogenic diet is a high-fat diet that maintains the body's starvation mechanism, with exogenous fat provided for metabolism in lieu of stored fat. Mild dehydration is important to prevent dilution of the level of ketones in circulation at any given time. It is not known why or how ketosis affects seizure activity, so the principles behind the therapy have been developed from years of clinical experience and theoretical assumptions. Dietitians are essential providers of ketosis therapy, but the dietitian must work with a physician who understands the theories behind the therapy and is an active member of the ketosis therapy team.
Berryman
M S
MS
Hermann Children's Hospital, University of Texas Medical School, Houston, USA.
D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007662:Ketosis / Q000209:etiology*; D012640:Seizures / Q000178:diet therapy*