The Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet US
The History of the Ketogenic Diet US
While the ketogenic diet us would not be created until years later, the groundwork for it began with the first modern study on fasting and its effects on epilepsy treatment and seizure control, which took place in France in the year 1911. Around the same time, there were other studies ongoing in the United States. The most prominent study was conducted by Hugh Conklin, who placed his patients on a twenty-five day fast, which was believed to rid the body of excess toxins.
Dr. Conklin experienced the most success in his adolescent patients, which had a ninety percent rate of success. While only fifty percent of his adult patients experienced improvements, this study led the way in finding answers on how to manage and treat epilepsy and non-epileptic seizures through diet. Before, long fasting became a mainstream treatment option frequently used by neurologists. Later on, in the year 1916, a well-known and respected endocrinologist from New York Presbyterian Hospital, Dr. H. Rawle Geyelin, recreated Dr. Conklin's study on his own thirty-six patients. The results were successful and reported to the American Medical Association, which led to similar studies in the future.
After this success, in the early 192os, the parents of one of the successfully treated children from Dr. Conklin's study approached his brother, who was a professor of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He wished to further the research that successfully helped his child, so he gave his brother and the hospital $5,000 in order to continue studies on dietary treatment for epilepsy.
Then in the year 1921, a major discovery was made, not just in the treatment of epilepsy, but for the treatment of many illnesses. This discovery was made by endocrinologist Dr. Rollin Woodyatt, who discovered ketones. These are a water-soluble compound more specifically known as 3-hydroxybutyrate, acetone, and acetoacetate. These ketones are produced by the liver whenever the body is fasting, experiencing starvation,