Authors : Prema S.; Thrupthi K. S.; Likitha M.; Sachin Nayaka M. M.; Shravani S.

Volume/Issue : Volume 10 - 2025, Issue 12 - December

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/mrwkkcnc

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/bvnjeb3v

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25dec1043

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Note : Google Scholar may take 30 to 40 days to display the article.

Abstract : Background: A person with epilepsy may be more susceptible to seizures due to dietary issues. Epilepsy is a chronic neurological illness. There is still debate and uncertainty regarding the connection between milk and dairy products and epilepsy.  Methods: Using PubMed and Google Scholar, a narrative review was carried out to find English-language publications assessing dairy consumption, milk's nutritional components, dietary treatments, and seizure outcomes in epilepsy.  Results: Dairy products are not consistently identified as seizure triggers in the majority of epidemiological and clinical research. Calcium and vitamin D from dairy products may be beneficial, especially for people taking long-term anti-seizure drugs. Ketogenic diets used for refractory epilepsy combine metabolic pathways with high-fat dairy components. Rarely, immune- mediated inflammation caused by a cow's milk protein allergy can make seizures worse.  Conclusion: There is currently no evidence to recommend routinely limiting dairy products in people with epilepsy. Nutritional sufficiency should be given top priority in dietary recommendations while taking individual sensitivities into account.

Keywords : Epilepsy; Dairy Products; Milk; Seizures; Diet; Ketogenic Diet.

References :

1. Hirtz D, Thurman DJ, Gwinn-Hardy K, Mohamed M, Chaudhuri AR, Zalutsky R. How common are the “common” neurologic disorders? Neurology. 2007;68(5):326–337.
2. Chen Z, Brodie MJ, Liew D, Kwan P. Treatment outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy treated with established and new antiepileptic drugs: A 30-year longitudinal cohort study. JAMA Neurol. 2018;75(3):279–286.
3. Ciliberti MG, Santillo A, Polito R, et al. The role of milk nutrition and ketogenic diet in epileptic disorders. In: Dietary Therapies in Epilepsy. NCBI Bookshelf; 2022.
4. Zhang Z, Wang M, Yuan S, Liu X. Alcohol, coffee, and milk intake in relation to epilepsy risk: A Mendelian randomization study. Nutrients. 2022;14(6):1153.
5. Zhang Z, Wang M, Yuan S, Liu X. Milk intake was associated with a lower epilepsy risk. Nutrients. 2022;14(6):1153.
6. Albenzio M, Santillo A, Caroprese M, et al. Epileptic seizures as a manifestation of cow’s milk allergy: pediatric experience and review. Epilepsy Behav. 2014;32:94–98.
7. Milk nutrition and childhood epilepsy cytokine study. J Dairy Sci. 2018;101(8):7085–7092.
8. Inaloo S, Pirsalami F, Dastgheib M, Moezi L. Effects of dairy products on seizure tendency in mice. Heliyon. 2019;5(10):e02607.
9. Guesnet P, Alessandri JM. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and the developing central nervous system. Biochimie. 2011;93(1):7–12.
10. Meldrum BS. Concept of activity-induced cell death in epilepsy. Epilepsia. 1996;37(Suppl 1):S37–S42.
11. Pack AM. Bone health in people with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav. 2008;13(1):1–7.
12. Semprini R, et al. Cytokine alterations in cow’s milk protein allergy. Clin Exp Allergy. 2017;47(2):217–225.
13. Neal EG, Chaffe H, Schwartz RH, et al. The ketogenic diet for the treatment of childhood epilepsy: a randomized controlled trial. Lancet Neurol. 2008;7(6):500–506.
14. Panebianco M, Bresnahan R, Marson AG. Lifestyle and dietary factors in epilepsy management. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;2:CD011274.
15. Fiocchi A, Dahdah L, Albarini M, Martelli A. Cow’s milk allergy in children and neurological manifestations. World Allergy Organ J. 2014;7(1):1–8.
16. Löscher W. Animal models of epilepsy for the development of antiepileptic drugs. Epilepsy Res. 2011;94(1–2):1–15.
17. Mintzer S, Mattson RH. Metabolic consequences of antiepileptic drugs. Curr Opin Neurol. 2009;22(2):164–169.
18. Petty SJ, O’Brien TJ, Wark JD. Anti-epileptic medication and bone health. Osteoporos Int. 2007;18(2):129–142.
19. Shellhaas RA, Joshi SM, Barks AK. Bone health in children with epilepsy. Pediatrics. 2008;121(2):e407–e412.
20. Patsalos PN, Perucca E. Clinically important drug interactions in epilepsy. Epilepsia. 2003;44(4):385–408.
21. Kossoff EH, Zupec-Kania BA, Auvin S, et al. Optimal clinical management of children receiving dietary therapies for epilepsy. Epilepsia. 2018;59(2):225–236.
22. Neal EG, Chaffe H, Edwards N, et al. The medium-chain triglyceride diet for epilepsy: a randomized controlled trial. Lancet Neurol. 2009;8(4):325–333.
23. Masino SA, Rho JM. Mechanisms of ketogenic diet action in epilepsy. Epilepsia. 2012;53(Suppl 1):85–92.
24. Simeone TA, Simeone KA, Stafstrom CE, Rho JM. Ketone bodies as neuroprotective agents. Neurochem Res. 2014;39(3):523–535.

25. Hartman AL, Vining EPG. Clinical aspects of the ketogenic diet. Epilepsia. 2007;48(1):31–42