Research
Mixed
Ketogenic diets are an effective treatment for severe childhood epilepsy, reducing seizure frequency by 30-40%, comparable to modern antiepileptic drugs, and allowing for reduced drug use.
For severe childhood epilepsy, a ketogenic diet is a well-established, effective treatment that can reduce seizures by 30-40%, comparable to medication, and may allow for reduced drug use and side effects.
StrongSupportsVERY_HIGH confidence
The effectiveness of ketogenic diets is strongly supported in a recent Cochrane review where all studies showed a 30–40% reduction in seizures compared with comparative controls, and the review authors reported that in children the effects were ‘comparable to modern antiepileptic drugs’.
Why this rating
Cited Cochrane review shows consistent 30-40% reduction in seizures, comparable to drugs.
Source
Beyond weight loss: a review of the therapeutic uses of very-low-carbohydrate (ketogenic) diets
Antonio Paoli et al. · European Journal of Clinical Nutrition · 2013
DOI 10.1038/ejcn.2013.116
narrative_reviewCited 894×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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Related findings · Mixed
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