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Epilepsy and the Ketogenic Diet pp 153–159Cite as

Potential Applications of the Ketogenic Diet in Disorders Other Than Epilepsy

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Abstract

Starvation is associated with many drastic or extreme changes in energy metabolism and hormonal levels. Thus, it is not surprising that mimicking this process with the ketogenic diet (KD) may yield a wide range of effects, some potentially deleterious, others having benefits. Use of the KD in intractable epilepsy has increased the comfort level and general experience with the diet and is opening doors to potential new applications. None of these applications is as well studied or as well established as the anticonvulsant potential of the KD. Currently, all the applications discussed in this chapter are highly experimental.

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Authors
  1. Rif S. El-Mallakh
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA

    Carl E. Stafstrom MD, PhD

  2. The Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    Jong M. Rho MD

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El-Mallakh, R.S. (2004). Potential Applications of the Ketogenic Diet in Disorders Other Than Epilepsy. In: Stafstrom, C.E., Rho, J.M. (eds) Epilepsy and the Ketogenic Diet. Nutrition and Health. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-808-3_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-808-3_12

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-61737-477-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-808-3

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