1. Dietary Treatments for Epilepsy
By Dominic D'Agostino

2. Introduction
• Dr. Dominic D'Agostino, an assistant professor at the University of
South Florida, currently conducts research in areas of molecular
pharmacology and physiology, muscle wasting related to
motorneuron diseases. Dr. Dominic D'Agostino is particularly
interested in nutrition-based therapies for epilepsy.
There are a number of approaches a person can take when treating
epilepsy, one of the world’s most common neurological disorders.
While a variety of health problems can be associated with epilepsy,
sudden and uncontrollable seizures are the most prominent
symptom. A number of medications have been developed to treat
epilepsy, including mysoline and, more recently, lyrica. In some
cases medication results in unwanted side effects or may be
ineffective, leading medical professionals to seek alternative
treatments.

3. Dietary Treatments
• Metabolic therapies for epilepsy have become more popular in
recent years, particularly the ketogenic diet. Doctors have long
been aware that seizures occur less frequently when the body,
in a state of fasting, produces ketones. The ketogenic diet
seeks to replicate this physiological state in the body by
incorporating high levels of fats and a low amount of carbs.
The diet must be followed closely in order to be both effective
and safe. Children on the ketogenic diet gain little to no
weight and may experience stunted growth rates that may
indicate a greater need for protein. Growth rates should
return to normal as children ages, however. Other dietary
treatments for epilepsy include the medium chain triglyceride
diet and a modified version of the popular Atkins diet being
implemented at Johns Hopkins Ketogenic Diet Epilepsy
Center.