Intermittent fasting: A “new” historical strategy for controlling seizures?

• Published in: Epilepsy research Vol. 104; no. 3; pp. 275 - 279
• Main Authors: Hartman, Adam L, Rubenstein, James E, Kossoff, Eric H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 01.05.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Children; Diet, Ketogenic; Fasting; Headache. Facial pains. Syncopes. Epilepsia. Intracranial hypertension. Brain oedema. Cerebral palsy; Humans; Intermittent fasting; Ketogenic diet; Medical sciences; Medically intractable epilepsy; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Retrospective Studies; Seizures - diagnosis; Seizures - diet therapy; Treatment Outcome; Medically intractable epilepsy; Children; Intermittent fasting; Ketogenic diet; Human; Nervous system diseases; Fasting; Epilepsy; Research and development; Cerebral disorder; Convulsion; Diet; Intermittent; Central nervous system disease; Neurological disorder; Child
• ISSN: 0920-1211; 1872-6844
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2012.10.011

Summary In antiquity, fasting was a treatment for epilepsy and a rationale for the ketogenic diet (KD). Preclinical data indicate the KD and intermittent fasting do not share identical anticonvulsant mechanisms. We implemented an intermittent fasting regimen in six children with an incomplete response to a KD. Three patients adhered to the combined intermittent fasting/KD regimen for 2 months and four had transient improvement in seizure control, albeit with some hunger-related adverse reactions.