Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a treatment used in at least 14 different disorders. A significant risk of this treatment is oxygen toxicity which can lead to seizures. A recent clinical study explored the effects of ketogenic supplements on delaying oxygen-induced seizures in a preclinical study.
A study published in Physiological Reports aimed to confirm the results of previous studies on ketogenic supplements for delaying seizures. Experiments were run on 18-month old rats. The age of the rats correlates to a middle-aged human model. Groups of nine or ten rats received either water, a 10g/kg dose of a ketogenic ester, 5g/kg dose of a ketogenic ester, 5g/kg dose of a ketogenic ester along with a medium-chain triglyceride, or a ketogenic salt. The multi-chain triglycerides were added to achieve a higher level of ketone bodies in the blood.
All rats were allowed to eat regular rat chow consisting of 75% carbohydrates. After the treatment was administered, the rats were placed in the hyperbaric chamber until a seizure would occur. The researchers from the University of South Florida hypothesized that the ketogenic supplements causing the highest elevation of ketone bodies would be the most effective at delaying seizures.
The time-to-seizure period was delayed in the three groups of rats receiving ketogenic supplements before entering the hyperbaric chamber. A significant difference was noted between the group of rats receiving the ketogenic supplements at 10g/kg and 5g/kg.