Keto Diets May Reduce Seizures In Latin America

What was studied

This paper combined results from 13 studies on ketogenic dietary therapies (KDT) for refractory epilepsy in Latin America. The studies included 566 children and adults from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico.

The review looked at several diet types: the classical ketogenic diet, Modified Atkins Diet, medium-chain triglyceride diet, and low glycemic index diet. The authors searched PubMed, Embase, and LILACS for studies published up to September 2, 2024, and included studies that reported seizure outcomes and adverse effects.

What they found

Across the included studies, a pooled estimate suggested that 69% of patients had seizure reduction during KDT treatment. About 12% achieved seizure freedom. The authors reported that these pooled estimates were consistent with those reported in high-income settings.

Adverse effects were analyzed as secondary outcomes, with 270 patients reported as experiencing treatment-related side effects. The abstract does not specify which side effects were most common or how severe they were.

Limits of the evidence

This review pooled studies that were quite different from each other, including different diet plans, different kinds of patients, and different epilepsy syndromes. That makes the combined results less certain. The authors noted high heterogeneity, meaning the study results varied a lot.

The abstract suggests this heterogeneity may relate to differences in treatment protocols, patient types, and epileptic syndromes. The abstract also does not give details about follow-up length, how adverse effects were measured, or how many patients stopped the diet. Only 13 studies from 5 countries were included, so the findings may not represent all of Latin America.

For families and caregivers

For families, this review suggests that ketogenic diet treatments may help many people with refractory epilepsy in Latin America have fewer seizures, and a smaller group may achieve seizure freedom. It also suggests that pooled results from Latin America were consistent with those reported in high-income settings.

At the same time, these diets can have side effects. The review does not show which diet works best, which patients benefit most, or what happens over the long term.

What to watch next

Further studies are needed to explore the long-term effects and challenges of ketogenic dietary therapy programs in Latin America.

Terms in this summary

ketogenic dietary therapies

Special high-fat, low-carbohydrate diets used to help control seizures.

refractory epilepsy

Epilepsy that does not respond well to standard seizure medicines.

meta-analysis

A study method that combines results from multiple studies to estimate an overall effect.

seizure freedom

Having no seizures during the period studied.

adverse effects

Side effects or unwanted problems linked to a treatment.

heterogeneity

Important differences among studies that can make combined results less certain.