Ketone Bodies and The Atkins Diet

Ketogenic diet, while usually adopted for its substantial weight loss results, has several other applications in the medical field. Ketone bodies have been observed to lessen the severity and frequency of epileptic seizures, reduce effects of other neurological disorders including Parkinson’s disease as well as Alzheimer’s disease. The objective of this study is to gather scientific information related to ketogenic diet and its medical benefits. This will help the public to be informed about experimental applications of ketogenic diet and how to incorporate it into the treatment process. Two studies were examined for this presentation. First, a ketogenic dietary regimen was introduced into the juvenile population suffering from epilepsy in order to determine the effects it would have on seizure control. Second, the effects of the ketogenic diet on tumor susceptibility to radiation were also studied in patients suffering from glioblastoma multiforme. The study was conducted on a group of 29 individuals diagnosed with stages II-IV of glioma and were being treated with radiation therapy and temozolomide alongside the dietary regimen. Results showed that seizure control maintained a relative positive correlation with the production and circulation of ketone bodies. Further, patients experiencing glioma and exposed to ketogenic diet showed substantial reduction in the size of their tumors. The applications of this nutritional therapy have the potential to grow over time as long as the boundaries of the regimen are broadened and tested