The keto diet is low in carbohydrates (sugars, starches, and fiber), high in fat, and provides adequate protein. While widely known as a weight-loss diet, it has also supported the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy since the 1920s. In 2009, the International League Against Epilepsy officially issued guidelines for using the keto diet to treat drug-resistant epilepsy.

Drug-resistant epilepsy is a condition where patients continue to experience recurrent seizures despite appropriate treatment with at least two antiepileptic drugs at the correct dosages. Patients with this condition require multi-modal treatment.

At the recent 2026 neuroscience scientific conference, Associate Professor, Doctor, Specialist Level II Nguyen Van Lieu, Head of the Neurology - Stroke Department at Tam Anh General Hospital Hanoi, stated that the keto diet is effective for drug-resistant epilepsy patients across various age groups. With this diet, patients must shift a significant amount of carbohydrate intake to fat, leading to a new metabolic state called ketosis. This state encourages the body to burn fat instead of sugar for energy, and the liver produces ketone bodies for the brain and other tissues.

Associate Professor Lieu explained that ketosis causes important changes in neuronal metabolism, increasing the synthesis of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) - a neurotransmitter that inhibits excessive brain excitation, limits the formation of reactive oxygen species, and enhances energy production efficiency in brain tissue. Through these combined mechanisms, ketosis helps stabilize synaptic activity, thereby reducing both the frequency and severity of seizures.

The keto diet prioritizes fats from fatty fish and avocados. Photo: Anh Chi

The keto diet prioritizes fats from fatty fish and avocados. Photo: Anh Chi

In the keto diet for epilepsy treatment, energy from fat ranges from 45% to 90%, while carbohydrate intake is approximately 4% to 7%. Key foods include oils (olive, coconut), butter, cheese, meats (bacon), fatty fish, eggs, and low-carbohydrate green vegetables.

According to Associate Professor Lieu, during the keto diet, patients may experience some complications and side effects such as constipation, hypoglycemia, dyslipidemia, and osteoporosis. Patients should not implement this diet on their own; instead, they should consult a neurologist at a hospital for examination, personalized meal planning based on age and needs, and monitoring of changes. The minimum application period is typically about three to six months, after which it can be maintained for one to two years depending on the patient's response.

Epilepsy is a central nervous system disorder caused by sudden, uncontrolled electrical discharges in brain cells, leading to seizures, loss of consciousness, or changes in behavior/sensation. According to the World Health Organization, nearly 50 million people worldwide suffer from epilepsy. In Vietnam, an estimated 710,000 people are affected by epilepsy. The condition can occur at any age, in any gender, and manifests in various forms, from mild muscle jerks to generalized loss of consciousness.

Hang Tran