Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures caused by abnormal, synchronized electrical firing in the brain. At the core of epilepsy is an imbalance between the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate and the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. When glutamate becomes excessive—or when GABA is too low—neurons fire uncontrollably, producing seizures. High-carbohydrate diets, insulin spikes, and blood sugar instability worsen this imbalance by increasing glutamate activity, promoting neuroinflammation, and lowering GABA tone. Leaky gut and endotoxins (LPS) further inflame the brain, lowering seizure threshold and increasing neuronal excitability. Mitochondrial dysfunction is also common in epilepsy, impairing ATP production and making neurons unstable and prone to electrical overload.

Epilepsy is strongly affected by HPA-axis dysregulation. Cortisol can trigger or worsen seizures because it increases glutamate release, enhances neuronal firing, and destabilizes inhibitory circuits. This is why sleep deprivation, stress, and blood sugar crashes frequently precipitate seizures. During the transition into ketosis—whether through fasting, carnivore, or ketogenic diet—the body temporarily raises cortisol to drive gluconeogenesis until ketones rise sufficiently. This short transitional period may temporarily increase seizure susceptibility until stable ketosis is achieved.

The ketogenic diet has been used for over a century and is still employed by military divers to prevent oxygen-toxicity seizures. Ketosis reduces seizures through multiple synergistic mechanisms: ketones increase GABA, reduce glutamate excitotoxicity, stabilize neuronal membranes, improve mitochondrial ATP production, lower inflammation, and maintain stable blood sugar. Ketones also activate adenosine pathways, which naturally suppress excessive neuronal firing. Fasting enhances these effects even further through autophagy, neuronal repair, reduction of oxidative stress, and restoration of mitochondrial function.

Once stable ketosis is established, seizure frequency typically decreases because the brain receives a steady, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective fuel source that restores GABA–glutamate balance and stabilizes electrical activity. This is why the ketogenic diet, fasting, and animal-based diets are among the most effective non-pharmaceutical treatments for epilepsy.