Alternative Therapies for Epilepsy

Up to one third of patients with epilepsy suffer from seizures that are refractory to medications. For these patients, many of whom are not surgical candidates, dietary therapies provide a promising alternative. The best known dietary therapy is the ketogenic diet, which was developed in the 1920s; newer variants of the ketogenic diet, such as the medium-chain triglyceride diet, modified Atkins diet, and low glycemic index treatment, afford excellent seizure control with fewer dietary restrictions. Together, dietary approaches offer drug-resistant patients hope for seizure reduction and an improved quality of life.