Ketogenic diets reduce seizures in 69% of refractory epilepsy patients in Latin AmericaKetogenic Diets Show Promise for Reducing Seizures in Epilepsy
Epilepsy researchPublished August 7, 2026Study authors: Shibaki Rodrigo, de Oliveira Franco Mateus Della Nina Serra, Camargo Juan Silva Locks, Citro Giulia …PubMed ↗DOI ↗Editorial oversight: Dr. Amelia Tan, PhD · Internal Medicine & Chronic Disease
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Key Takeaway
Consider ketogenic dietary therapies for refractory epilepsy in Latin America, but weigh heterogeneity and side effects.
This meta-analysis pooled data from 13 studies involving 566 patients with refractory epilepsy in Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico). The intervention was ketogenic dietary therapies (KDT), including the Classical Ketogenic Diet, Modified Atkins Diet, Medium Chain Triglycerides Diet, and Low Glycemic Index Diet. The primary outcomes were seizure reduction and seizure freedom.
Overall, 69% of patients experienced seizure reduction (95% CI: 57-82%), and 12% achieved complete seizure freedom (95% CI: 9-16%). These pooled estimates suggest that KDT may be effective in this population, consistent with findings from high-income settings.
Regarding safety, 270 patients experienced treatment-related side effects, though the specific types and severity were not reported. The authors did not report serious adverse events or discontinuation rates.
The authors acknowledge high heterogeneity among the included studies, attributed to diversity in treatment protocols, patient types, and epileptic syndromes. This limits the precision of the pooled estimates and the generalizability of the findings.
In practice, KDT is an established treatment for refractory epilepsy, and these results support its use in Latin American populations. However, given the heterogeneity and lack of comparator data, clinicians should consider individual patient factors and monitor for adverse effects.
How this fits prior evidence
This meta-analysis extends prior coverage by confirming that ketogenic diet therapy is effective in a Latin American cohort, with a 69% seizure reduction rate, which is higher than the 42.82% reduction reported in an earlier review. It also aligns with the recommendation to consider ketogenic diet as adjunctive treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy. The findings are consistent with prior evidence but highlight the need for individualized approaches due to heterogeneity.
This meta-analysis looked at 566 patients with refractory epilepsy across several countries in Latin America. Researchers analyzed different types of ketogenic diets, including the Classical Ketogenic Diet, Modified Atkins Diet, Medium Chain Triglycerides Diet, and Low Glycemic Index Diet.
The results showed that 69% of the patients experienced a reduction in their seizures. Additionally, about 12% of the patients achieved complete seizure freedom. While these findings are encouraging for those with difficult to treat epilepsy, the study noted high variability because different types of diets and different types of epilepsy were involved.
Regarding safety, 270 patients did experience side effects related to the treatment. Because of the wide variety in how these diets were administered and the specific conditions of the patients, these results are pooled estimates from multiple studies. Talk with a doctor to see if these dietary options are appropriate for a specific medical situation.
What this means for you:
Ketogenic diets showed a 69% seizure reduction rate in patients with refractory epilepsy.
Common questions
What types of ketogenic diets were studied for epilepsy?
The study included several types of ketogenic dietary therapies. These included the Classical Ketogenic Diet (cKD), Modified Atkins Diet (MAD), Medium Chain Triglycerides Diet (MCTD), and Low Glycemic Index Diet (LGIT). Each of these variations was evaluated for its impact on seizure reduction in patients with refractory epilepsy.
How effective were these diets at reducing seizures?
The analysis found that 69% of the patients experienced a reduction in their seizures. Furthermore, about 12% of the patients achieved complete seizure freedom. These results are based on pooled data from multiple studies involving different types of epilepsy and dietary protocols.
Are there any side effects to these ketogenic diets?
The study reported that 270 patients experienced treatment-related side effects while on the various ketogenic diets. Because of this, it is important to discuss potential risks and specific dietary plans with a medical professional to ensure safety for individual patients.
BACKGROUND: Ketogenic Dietary therapies, (KDT) are an established treatment option for refractory epilepsy in both pediatric and adult patients. Despite its historical use, there are limited studies examining the current use and efficacy of the KDT for treating refractory epilepsy in Latin America. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to evaluate the proportion of patients achieving seizure reduction and seizure freedom with KDT in Latin American populations.
METHODS: A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and LILACS databases for studies published until September 2, 2024.
INCLUSION CRITERIA: i. Latin American studies ii. Language: English, Spanish, Portuguese iii.
INTERVENTION: Classical Ketogenic Diet (cKD), Modified Atkins Diet (MAD), Medium Chain Triglycerides Diet (MCTD), Low Glycemic Index Diet (LGIT) iv. Reported seizure reduction outcomes and adverse effects.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA: i. Studies with overlapping populations ii.
CASE REPORTS: Risk of bias was assessed using New Castle-Ottawa Scale and statistical analysis was made using StataMP 18 software.
RESULTS: A total of 345 articles were initially identified, of which 13 studies met the inclusion criteria for this review, gathering a total of 566 participants distributed in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico. Meta-analysis results indicate that 69% of patients (95% IC: 57-82%) experienced seizure reduction during KDT treatment. Additionally, In terms of seizure freedom, the analysis exhibits a pooled effect of 12% of patients (95% CI: 9-16%) that achieved complete seizure freedom. Adverse effects were analyzed as secondary outcomes, with 270 patients experiencing treatment related side effects.
DISCUSSION: The findings from this meta-analysis demonstrate that a substantial proportion of patients in Latin America experienced seizure reduction with an smaller subset achieving seizure freedom during KDT treatment, with pooled estimates consistent with those reported in high-income settings. However, high heterogeneity values can be related to diversity among treatment protocols, type of patients and different epileptic syndromes treated. Therefore, further studies are necessary to explore the long-term effects and challenges of the KDT programs in Latin America.
