[ANSWER]The Ketogenic Diet Effect on Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: A Systematic Review

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Ketogenic Diet Effect

The landmark study of fasting therapy in the treatment of epilepsy contemporarily was in 1911 in France (Bailey, Pfeifer & Thiele, 2005). In the study, a total of 20 patients suffering from epilepsy, despite their ages, were ‘detoxified’ through consumption of low-calorie diet meant for vegetarians, and put through episodes of purging and fasting. Two patients are reported to have benefited tremendously while the most of the subjects failed to comply with the imposed conditions and limitations. Ketogenic Diet Effect

While most of these patients were previously under potassium bromide medication, Bailey, Pfeifer and Thiele (2005) notes that the diet helped improve the conditions of the patients especially their mental capabilities as opposed to their initial medication which only dulled their minds. The success of this study led to the rise of some other studies that sought to confirm the validity of the findings.

According to Wheless (2004), Bernarr Macfadden, for instance, was busy popularising the efficacy of fasting following his series of study on the same. As such, Hugh Conklin, an osteopathic physician and Bernarr’s disciple, started to manage seizures in his patients through fasting.

The latter based his recommendations on the hypothesis that epileptic convulsions were a product of the secretion of a toxic substance from the Peyer’s patches in the intestines which would then be released into the bloodstream. He proposed that a prolonged fast lasting between 18 to 25 days would allow for the dissipation of the toxic substance.

Hugh Conklin boasted of a 90% success of the treatment in children with a 50% failure in the adults. The following years saw most researchers seeking to ascertain the truth in Hugh’s claims. The researchers claimed that the case records showed only 20% complete cure from seizures with 50% recording highly significant improvements.

The years that followed Conklin’s foundational discovery saw neurologists adopt fasting therapy in their mainstream practice. Wheless (2004) records that in the year 1916, Dr McMurray claimed, in the New York Medical Journal that he had succeeded in treating seizures in patients with a simple fasting schedule accompanied by a sugarless but starchy diet. Nine years later, Rawle Geyelin, an endocrinologist, admitted to being Conklin’s witness and trying to reproduce the results he had seen from Conklin in 36 of his patients. Coincidentally, his results were similar to those of Conklin notwithstanding the fact that he had Ketogenic Diet Effect only studied the patients for a relatively short time.

Throughout the 1920s, studies reported a general reduction in the frequency of seizures following episodes of fasting. Wheels (2004) also discusses the diet related origin of the ketogenic diet therapy.

He notes that in the year 1921, Rollin Woodyatt set out to carry out a review of studies that discussed diet and diabetes. Following the review, he found out that β-hydroxybutyrate, acetone, and acetoacetate were products of the liver of people,

who were previously healthy, after starvation or consumption of extremely low amounts of carbohydrate and high fats Ketogenic Diet Effect in their diets. It is noteworthy that the three compounds are collectively known as ketone bodies.

The result subsumed that of Russel Wilder of the Mayo Clinic who apart from building on the research, came up with the term ‘ketogenic diet’ as a description for a diet that resulted in higher amounts of ketone bodies in the blood (a condition called ketonemia) through insufficient of carbohydrate or lack of it thereof, and an excessive amount of fat.

Russel Wilder had initially aimed at ascertaining the benefits of fasting, that the previous studies had claimed to exist, and come up with a dietary schedule that could be followed and applied in a variety of patients with different needs.

His study and trials in some patients in the year 1921 marked the first time ketogenic diet was used as a therapy for management of seizures. While Wilder failed to formulate the diet, his colleague, Mynie Peterman succeeded in creating the diet schedule.

According to (Wheless, 2004 & Kossoff, 2007), the classic diet consisted one gram of protein for each kilogram of a child’s body weight, 10-15 grams of carbohydrates each day, and the rest of the calories from pure fat.

Peterman’s work was considered of great importance given that he outlined and crafted techniques and an effective program for administration and subsequent maintenance of the diet.

He capped his studies by documenting the merits including enhanced levels of alertness, sleep, and behavior, and the demerits including vomiting and nausea as a result of excessive production of ketosis. As in the case with other studies, the diet returned high levels of efficacy in children with researcher reporting that up to 95% of the children had…[Buy Full Answer for Just USD 9: 7698 WORDS]

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