Can diet combined with drugs reduce seizures? — ScienceDaily

Can diet combined with drugs reduce seizures? — ScienceDaily

Subsequent a modified Atkins diet higher in unwanted fat and low in carbohydrates in addition having treatment could lower seizures in individuals with hard-to-deal with epilepsy, according to a review printed in the January 4, 2023, on line concern of Neurology®, the professional medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

“For individuals with drug-resistant epilepsy, or individuals who have been not able to find effective treatment method to minimize seizures, it is encouraging to see that there are life-style improvements that can be mixed with typical drug treatment to decrease the range of seizures,” said study creator Manjari Tripathi, MD, DM, of All India Institute of Professional medical Sciences in New Delhi. “Our study found that this mixture might decrease the likelihood of seizures by more than fifty percent.”

The modified Atkins food plan is a mixture of the Atkins diet and a ketogenic food plan that involves food stuff products these types of as soy products, major cream, butter and oils, leafy green greens, and animal protein like eggs, chicken, fish, and bacon. While the ketogenic diet has been revealed to be efficient in lessening seizures, its stringent prerequisites and limitations can make it hard to comply with.

The study involved 160 grown ups and adolescents who had epilepsy for extra than 10 decades on regular and experienced at minimum 27 seizures per month in spite of hoping an common of 4 antiseizure medications at the most tolerated dose. They have been randomly assigned to receive either regular drug remedy on your own or medicine additionally the modified Atkins food plan around six months.

Individuals logged their seizures and foods. They ended up offered food lists, sample menus and recipes. Carbohydrate intake was limited to 20 grams per day. Federal dietary tips recommend involving 225 and 325 grams of carbs for every day.

Immediately after six months, researchers observed that 26% of people who experienced both equally drug treatment and adopted the modified Atkins diet had far more than a 50% reduction in seizures when compared to only 3% of the persons who experienced drug treatment alone. 4 individuals in the diet program group were absolutely free of seizures by the finish of the analyze, whilst no 1 in the medication-only group was seizure cost-free.

The analyze also appeared at good quality of existence, actions and aspect consequences at 6 months. The team that had drug therapy and adopted the modified Atkins diet confirmed an enhancement in all locations compared to the group that had drug treatment by itself.

Tripathi famous that 33% of the members did not entire the examine because of to inadequate tolerance of the diet program, absence of benefit or the incapacity to adhere to-up in component due to COVID-19. On the other hand, Tripathi claimed tolerance of the modified Atkins diet plan was greater than what is viewed with the ketogenic diet plan.

“Though the modified Atkins food plan may be an powerful treatment method in managing seizures, even further study is desired to recognize genetic biomarkers and other variables connected with the response to this eating plan,” Tripathi added. “This may perhaps boost client care by encouraging specific precision based mostly previously use of this eating plan.”

A limitation of the review is that seizures have been self-documented or described by caregivers, so some seizures may not have been claimed.

The research was supported by the Division of Biotechnology, India.

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Resources provided by American Academy of Neurology. Notice: Information may possibly be edited for type and duration.