The ketogenic diet: Proposed mechanisms of action

Mechanisms of Ketogenic Diet Action

Within the past two decades, interest in understanding the therapeutic mechanisms of ketogenic diet (KD) action has grown steadily. Expanded knowledge about underlying mechanisms has yielded insights into the biochemical basis of brain function, both normal and pathologic. Metabolic changes likely related to the KD’s anticonvulsant properties include – but are not limited to – ketosis, reduced ...

Mechanisms of Action of Antiseizure Drugs and the Ketogenic Diet.

Antiseizure drugs (ASDs), also termed antiepileptic drugs, are the main form of symptomatic treatment for people with epilepsy, but not all patients become free of seizures. The ketogenic diet is one treatment option for drug-resistant patients. Both types of therapy exert their clinical effects through interactions with one or more of a diverse set of molecular targets in the brain. ASDs act b...

Mechanisms of action for the medium-chain triglyceride ketogenic diet in neurological and metabolic disorders.

High-fat, low-carbohydrate diets, known as ketogenic diets, have been used as a non-pharmacological treatment for refractory epilepsy. A key mechanism of this treatment is thought to be the generation of ketones, which provide brain cells (neurons and astrocytes) with an energy source that is more efficient than glucose, resulting in beneficial downstream metabolic changes, such as increasing a...

The ketogenic diet: from molecular mechanisms to clinical effects.

Recent years have witnessed an increased interest from pediatric neurologists, neuropediatricians, epileptologists and general neurologists in the use of the ketogenic diet (KD) for the management of refractory epilepsies, particularly in children and adolescents. This article summarizes current knowledge on various issues related to its use, as discussed at a recent international workshop. Asp...

The Ketogenic Diet