What is ketogenic diet?

The ketogenic diet was designed in 1921 exclusively as an epilepsy treatment, not a weight-loss or metabolic diet, contradicting its popular identity as a modern weight-loss intervention.

“The ketogenic diet, unbeknownst to most people, was actually developed a 100 years ago 1921 by a physician for one and only one purpose, to treat epilepsy.”

In treatment-resistant epilepsy patients who failed both drugs and surgery, the ketogenic diet renders one-third seizure-free, one-third with 50%+ seizure reduction, and one-third non-responsive.

“One/3 becomes seizure-free, another third get a clinical benefit, meaning a 50% or greater reduction in their seizure frequency and the other third it doesn't seem to work.”

Chris Palmer on the history of the ketogenic diet as a medical intervention.

“The ketogenic diet, unbeknownst to most people, was actually developed a 100 years ago 1921 by a physician for one and only one purpose, to treat epilepsy.”

Early clinical use of the ketogenic diet for epilepsy: 50% of patients became seizure-free and an additional 35% had 50% or greater seizure reduction.

“50% of patients who used the ketogenic diet became seizure-free and another 35% had a 50% or greater reduction in their seizure frequency.”

Martin Picard explains why the ketogenic diet produces more felt energy: electrons on ketones flow through mitochondrial circuitry more easily than electrons on glucose, not because of extra calories.

“The ketogenic diet, which I know you've tried, many people report more energy on the ketogenic diet. It's not because you eat more calories. It's because those electrons that are stuck on ketones instead of being stuck on glucose can flow more easily.”

Chris Palmer on the ketosis threshold for psychiatric benefit.

“When they were trying the diet and not getting ketones, they often did not get a clinical benefit. It was once they got into ketosis that I began to notice the clinical benefit.”