Modified Atkins Diet and Low Glycemic Index Treatment for Medication-Resistant Epilepsy: Current Trends in Ketogenic Diet

Abstract

Compared to the classical ketogenic diet (KD), the modified Atkins diet (MAD) and the low glycemic index treatment (LGIT) are more liberal and less restrictive diet therapies for the treatment of medication-resistant epilepsy. The MAD was first reported by Kossoff et al. in 2003, and gained global popularity with sufficient evidence in its efficacy reported recently in a controlled study. The LGIT was first reported by Pfeifer et al. in 2005, and its use has also become widespread. We reviewed the efficacy of both diet therapies in the treatment of medication-resistant epilepsy based on the evidence from previous literatures and our own clinical experience. From our experience, the LGIT was more liberal, tolerable, and dietetically balanced than the MAD. To find out which of these diets is most appropriate in different epilepsies and different patients, future controlled comparative studies on the efficacy, tolerability, and dietetic advantages between the MAD and the LGIT are necessary.