The ketogenic diet remains THE most powerful tool in the treatment of epilepsy.
It is also one of the oldest.
Strangely, we still aren’t quite sure how it works. We’re not sure if it has something to do with the ketone bodies produced, or the types of fat taken in or the avoidance of certain carbohydrates like gluten.
We’re not even sure if the ketones have a direct effect on the brain of whether they help by changing the gut bacteria to produce anti-seizure neurotransmitters.
But this study gives us some insight. By removing the amino acid threonine from a ketogenic diet, seizures were not controlled like they were on the full ketogenic diet.
It may have to do with the fact that threonine is converted to pyruvate, a compound absolutely essential for generating energy in the brain.
Regardless, make sure you are getting plenty of threonine from foods like lentils, beef, soy (organic, non-GMO), pork, chicken, nuts, seeds and beans.
