Feb 19, 2008 6:10 pm US/Eastern
Atkins Diet Used For Epilepsy Treatment
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Researchers at Johns Hopkins are using the Atkins Diet as a treatment for epilepsy.
You've heard about the Atkins Diet for weight loss.
Kellye Lynn reports there's now a new use for the once wildly popular diet.
Local doctors have discovered cutting the carbs and increasing protein can result in much more than weight loss.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins are using Atkins as a treatment for epilepsy.
Wanda Flora has suffered from seizures since college. With epilepsy so severe, she was forced to give up her driver's license.
She tried surgery twice with no success. Medication failed to work and left Wanda with undesirable side effects.
"I went from a size 14 to 24 and gained over a 100 pounds probably," said Flora.
Her frustration led her to Johns Hopkins where a doctor suggested the Atkins Diet.
"We were surprised by how well it worked," said Flora.
The controversial diet that helped the nation lose weight is showing promise in the treatment of epilepsy.
Hopkins researchers placed 30 adults with epilepsy on a modified version of the diet.
About half of the adults who were on the diet by one and three months of their diet had at least half of their seizures improve.
The diet isn't only effective in adults. Previous research shows a low carb, high protein diet like Atkins can reduce or eliminate seizures in children.
"For patients who are not candidates for surgery, have tried medications and have not had good response, I think it can be a good long term solution," said Dr. Eric Kossoff.
"I started in January 2004, and since the day I started, I've never seen another seizure," said Flora.
Wanda isn't only seizure free. Four years after starting the modified Atkins Diet, she's 90 pounds lighter and is back behind the wheel of her car.
"When I look at a plate of food, I picture that plate as a steering wheel, and if I put the wrong thing on it, that steering wheel is gone and I'm gonna lose my license," said Flora.
Dr. Kossoff says some people in the study did experience a modest increase in cholesterol.
Dr. Kossoff also warns that sticking with the diet can be challenging.
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