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The Oldest Treatments For Epilepsy

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The ketogenic diet; one of the oldest treatments for epilepsy is based on the creation of ketones in the body. The creation of ketone bodies is accomplished through high fat intake, carbohydrate depletion and a fasting-metabolism; over long periods of time. When the body is in a fasting state, it creates ketones, a by-product of a fat-burning metabolism. It has long been recognized that seizures often lessen or disappear during periods of fasting in some individuals with epilepsy (Richard Senelick, 2014). This fat-burning metabolism is slowly become popular amongst dieters and endurance athletes. Besides the clear loss of body fat there is the increase in brain processes that create extreme amounts of clarity.
Why is the ketogenic diet so …show more content…

Ketosis is a metabolic state where the liver produces organic molecules known as ketone bodies. Technically, the term ketone denotes an organic molecule where a carbon atom, sandwiched between two other carbon atoms, is double-bonded to an oxygen atom (Peter Attia, 2014). To reach this state the body must deplete all glucose stores including those in the liver. This can be accomplished through periods of fasting or through intake of high fat and minimal carbohydrates and sugars. Both sugars and carbohydrates are converted to glucose for the body to burn as energy or ATP. When the body is starved of glucose it must switch gears in order to continue its existence. This switch of gears is what followers of the ketogenic diet call fat assimilation. The human body under the realization that there are no stores of glucose for energy asks the liver to create ketone bodies. Those ketone bodies use lipids or fat for energy. This is the greatest benefit for dieters since the goal for most is to lose weight through fat loss.
Using fat for energy is the main goal of ketosis. This is what differentiates keto dieters from conventional dieters. Conventional dieters are still considered sugar-burners while keto dieters are considered fat-burners. The irony of this is that even conventional dieters are looking to burn fat. This conventional mentality is to carb load and

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