The Ketogenic Diet for Intractable Epilepsy

Learn More About the Ketogenic Diet

Designed to mimic the metabolic state of fasting where the body burns fat for fuel

Carefully calculated by a ketogenic dietitian and used under medical supervision

Calculated according to the ratio of fat to carbohydrate plus protein

When successful in managing seizures, patients typically remain on the diet for at least 2 years

Experts recommend consideration after the failure of 2-3 antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Discuss this with your neurologist

Offered by epilepsy centers across the United States, including the top 10 pediatric neurology centers

Studies have shown the ketogenic diet to be helpful in managing intractable epilepsy for both children and adults

KetoCal® was designed to help make the ketogenic diet easier to manage by filling in unavoidable nutritional gaps that exist with the ketogenic diet

Ready to Get Started?

Find a Ketogenic Diet Provider Near You

We have compiled a list of hospitals and medical centers that offer the ketogenic diet for pediatric and/or adult epilepsy. Please select your state below.

Tips for Talking to Your Neurologist About the Ketogenic Diet

Learn more about the ketogenic diet:

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How Can You Make the Ketogenic Diet Easier to Manage?

KetoCal is a high fat, low carbohydrate ketogenic formula that can help simplify the ketogenic diet by filling in unavoidable nutritional gaps that exist with the ketogenic diet

Trusted by healthcare providers & patients since 2001
Supported by use in over 25 clinical studies

KetoCal can be used with the ketogenic diet:

As a convenient snack and at meal times
As a sole source of nutrition and/or with tube feeding
To create tasty ketogenic recipes

The KetoCal family of products are available as powders and liquids, in a variety of flavors and ketogenic ratios.

Designed for individuals age 1 year and up, KetoCal may be covered by insurance, Medicaid, or WIC.

Learn More

Hear what others are saying about using KetoCal with the ketogenic diet

"Using KetoCal made the ketogenic diet so much easier."

-Karen, Logan’s mom

Hear what others are saying about using KetoCal with the ketogenic diet

"Our neurologist suggested trying the ready-to-feed KetoCal® 4:1 LQ Vanilla. It was life changing! It’s easy for “on the go” and for the past five years it’s been Coco’s primary feeding source."

-Shelly, Coco’s mom

Hear what others are saying about using KetoCal with the ketogenic diet

"Adding KetoCal to Nathan's diet has been wonderful, just because he loves the taste"

-Amy, Nathan’s mom

References

Kwan P, Brodie MJ. Early identification of refractory epilepsy. Engl J Med. 2000;342:314-9.
Stephen LJ, Brodie MJ. Seizure freedom with more than one antiepileptic drug. Seizure. 2002;11:349-51.
Brodie MJ, Barry SJ, Bamagous GA, et al. Patterns of treatment response in newly diagnosed epilepsy. Neurology. 2012;78:1548-54.
Chen Z, Brodie MJ, Liew D, et al. Treatment Outcomes in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Epilepsy Treated With Established and New Antiepileptic Drugs: A 30-Year Longitudinal Cohort Study. JAMA Neurol. 2018;75:279-86.
Kossoff EH. The Ketogenic and Modified Atkins Diets. New York, NY: Demos Medical Publishing; 2016.
Freeman JM, Vining EP, Pillas DJ, et al. The efficacy of the ketogenic diet-1998: a prospective evaluation of intervention in 150 children. Pediatrics. 1998;102:1358-63.
Henderson CB, Filloux FM, Alder SC, et al. Efficacy of the ketogenic diet as a treatment option for epilepsy: meta-analysis. J Child Neurol. 2006;21:193-8.
Keene DL. A systematic review of the use of the ketogenic diet in childhood epilepsy. Pediatr Neurol. 2006;35:1-5.
Lefevre F, Aronson N. Ketogenic diet for the treatment of refractory epilepsy in children: A systematic review of efficacy. Pediatrics. 2000;105:E46.
Kayyali HR, Luniova A, Abdelmoity A. Ketogenic Diet Decreases Emergency Room Visits and Hospitalizations Related to Epilepsy. Epilepsy Research and Treatment. 2016;2016:5873208.
Whiting S, Donner E, RamachandranNair R, et al. Decreased health care utilization and health care costs in the inpatient and emergency department setting following initiation of ketogenic diet in pediatric patients: The experience in Ontario, Canada. Epilepsy Res. 2017;131:51-7.
Hallbook T, Lundgren J, Rosen I. Ketogenic diet improves sleep quality in children with therapy-resistant epilepsy. Epilepsia. 2007;48:59-65.
Hallbook T, Ji S, Maudsley S, et al. The effects of the ketogenic diet on behavior and cognition. Epilepsy Res. 2012;100:304-9.
Kayyali HR, Gustafson M, Myers T, et al. Ketogenic diet efficacy in the treatment of intractable epileptic spasms. Pediatr Neurol. 2014;50:224-7.
Bruce S, Devlin A, Air L, et al. Changes in quality of life as a result of ketogenic diet therapy: A new approach to assessment with the potential for positive therapeutic effects. Epilepsy Behav. 2017;66:100-4.
Kossoff EH, Zupec‐Kania BA, Auvin S, et al. Optimal clinical management of children receiving dietary therapies for epilepsy: Updated recommendations of the International Ketogenic Diet Study Group. Epilepsia Open. 2018.

KetoCal is a medical food for the dietary management of intractable epilepsy and is intended for use under medical supervision.
Talk to your healthcare provider to determine if KetoCal is right for you.

Are You or a Loved One a Candidate for the Ketogenic Diet?

To view your results, please register.

Please select Yes or No

Question 1

Have you or your loved one been diagnosed with epilepsy?

Yes

Question 2

Do you or your loved one continue to have seizures despite trying 2-3 different antiepileptic drugs (AEDs)?

Yes

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Question 3

Do you or your loved one experience unacceptable side effects from an antiepileptic drug (AED)?

Yes

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Question 4

Have you or your loved one been diagnosed with any of the following medical conditions?

Carnitine deficiency (primary)
Carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) I or II deficiency
Carnitine translocase deficiency
Beta-oxidation defects:
- Medium-chain acyl dehydrogenase deficiency (MCAD)
- Long-chain acyl dehydrogenase deficiency (LCAD)
- Short-chain acyl dehydrogenase deficiency (SCAD)
- Long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA deficiency
- Meduim-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA deficiency
Pyruvate carboxylase deficiency
Porphyria

Yes

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This tool is intended to help determine whether you or a loved one may be a candidate for the ketogenic diet for the management of intractable epilepsy. You indicated that you or your loved one have not been diagnosed with epilepsy, therefore the information provided here does not apply.

This survey is not intended to serve as a diagnosis or to provide any type of medical advice.

Based on your responses to our survey, you or your loved one have good seizure control and lack of unaccepted side effects from antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), so the ketogenic diet may not be necessary. If you are still interested in exploring the ketogenic diet, talk to your neurologist or .

This survey is not intended to serve as a diagnosis or to provide any type of medical advice.

Based on your responses to our survey, you or your loved one may not be a candidate for the ketogenic diet due to a medical condition that is contraindicated. Talk to your neurologist for more information.

This survey is not intended to serve as a diagnosis or to provide any type of medical advice.

Based on your responses to our survey, you or your loved one may be a good candidate for the ketogenic diet. Talk to your neurologist about the ketogenic diet or .

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This survey is not intended to serve as a diagnosis or to provide any type of medical advice.