Ketogenic treatment for rare conditions

Ketogenic diet is not just a popular diet for weight loss. For a group of rare conditions, ketogenic food is an established medical treatment that has been used for over a hundred years. The treatment is particularly relevant when the brain's usual energy source – glucose – does not work the way it should.

In GLUT1 deficiency syndrome, the transport of glucose from the blood to the brain is reduced. The brain gets too little fuel, which can cause epileptic seizures, developmental disorders and movement difficulties. Ketogenic diet changes the body's energy supply so the liver produces ketone bodies. These can cross the blood-brain barrier and be used as alternative fuel.

Another condition where ketogenic diet is the first-line treatment is pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) deficiency. This is an inborn metabolic disorder where the brain cannot use carbohydrates for energy. Ketone bodies can bypass the defect and give the brain the energy it needs.

Ketogenic diet is also used for several epilepsy syndromes where medications do not work, such as Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and myoclonic-astatic epilepsy. In Norway, the National Hospital for Epilepsy (SSE) at Oslo University Hospital has the national function for ketogenic diet.

What separates therapeutic ketogenic diet from popular keto is the precision. Treatment is carefully calculated and individually tailored. Every portion, every gram of fat, protein and carbohydrate counts. The ratio – the relationship between fat and protein + carbohydrate – is determined by treating healthcare professionals and followed over time. Small deviations can affect ketosis and thus the treatment effect.

Ketolio is made to make this everyday life easier – for families, guardians and relatives living with a diagnosis where ketogenic food is part of treatment. The website helps you learn and understand, while the app is the working tool for calculating and planning ketogenic meals.