Ketogenic Diet Therapy for Epilepsy: Myths and Mysteries

Speaker- Rajesh Ramachandran Nair, MD, DNB, DM, FRCP, FRCPCH, FAES, FRCPC. Professor of Pediatrics at McMaster University and an epileptologist & neurologist at the McMaster Children's Hospital.

Talk information: The ketogenic diet (KD) is a widely used therapeutic option for individuals with medically refractory epilepsy. As the diet’s name implies, ketosis is a historically important component of the diet, but it is not well understood how important ketosis is for seizure control. The classic KD, with its high proportion of fat and limited carbohydrate intake, can be restrictive for patients with epilepsy. Recently, there has been experience with the use of lower ketogenic ratios and less stringent diets such as the modified Atkins diet and the low glycemic index treatment.

Objectives: This talk will focus on the concept of liberalized forms of KD, whether the ketogenic ratio matters and how to choose the end point of therapy.