This article proposes that a low carbohydrate diet (ketogenic diet) may help reduce pain. This type of diet helps to control seizures, and some of the theory is based on that. They say that like seizures, chronic pain is thought to involve increased excitability of nerves, the ketogenic diet has some commonality with anticonvulsant drugs, the diet reduces sugar metabolism chemicals which is analgesic, and with a ketogenic diet there is a buildup of adenosine, which is analgesic as well. ~ Dr. Broussard
J Child Neurol. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2014 Aug 7.
Published in final edited form as:
J Child Neurol. 2013 Aug; 28(8): 993–1001.
Published online 2013 May 16. doi: [10.1177/0883073813487595]
PMCID: PMC4124736
NIHMSID: NIHMS506894
PMID: 23680946
Susan A. Masino, Ph.D
Abstract
Ketogenic diets are well-established as a successful anticonvulsant therapy. Based on overlap between mechanisms postulated to underlie pain and inflammation, and mechanisms postulated to underlie therapeutic effects of ketogenic diets, recent studies have explored the ability for ketogenic diets to reduce pain. Here we review clinical and basic research thus far exploring the impact of a ketogenic diet on thermal pain, inflammation, and neuropathic pain.