The original ketogenic diet was developed by Dr. Russell Wilder of the Mayo Clinic in 1923, as a treatment for epilepsy. Ketogenic diets are high-fat, low-protein, and low-carbohydrate diets designed to make the body use fat (rather than carbohydrates) as its primary energy source. There are five versions of the ketogenic diet used to treat epilepsy. The original, now known as the Classic Ketogenic Diet, was created in 1923, followed by more recent types known as the Modified Ketogenic Diet, the Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) Diet, the Modified Atkins Diet, and the Low-Glycemic Index Treatment (LGIT). The various types of ketogenic diets have been used for years and have been studied in people with epilepsy who have failed to achieve seizure control with anti-seizure medications. The "classic" ketogenic diet (KD) is the most restrictive of the five versions. It follows the "ketogenic ratio" of 4:1 or 4 grams of fat for every 1 gram of protein and carbohydrate.3 People with epilepsy who follow this diet can expect to consume about 80-90% of their calories from fat, 6-8% from protein, and 2-4% from carbohydrates.
The traditional KD is prescribed by a doctor and begins with a 24-hour fast followed by an inpatient hospital stay for two to three days while the patient is monitored for ketosis. Food and drink should be weighed and measured on a scale due to the strictness of this diet. During the inpatient visit, a dietitian will 1) calculate the patient’s meal ratio