David Andrews: New Study: Kids with Epilepsy Get Smarter on Keto

Can a ketogenic diet make a child with epilepsy smarter? According to this new study this year, the answer is likely yes:

Science Direct: Cognitive and Behavioral Impact of the Ketogenic Diet in Children and Adolescents with Refractory Epilepsy
Epilepsy Foundation: Food for Thought: Does the Ketogenic Diet Improve Thinking and Behavior?
The children with epilepsy who were put on a ketogenic diet showed improved mood, thinking and behavior, compared to a control group.

Of course, these improvements are not necessarily caused by the keto diet per se, they could also be caused by a reduced need for epilepsy medication. Those drugs often have cognitive side effects, like drowsiness or reduced ability to concentrate.

Kids on a keto diet often need less medication for epilepsy (or even none at all), and thus they are likely to get fewer side effects. The same thing is likely to be true for adults.

Have you noticed any cognitive benefits on a ketogenic diet?