Are there any foods to avoid with epilepsy?

Whether you are celebrating Thanksgiving, attending a religious festival, or are simply making your breakfast, eating food is a big part of everyday life. But what if you have seizures? In this article, you will learn more about food and epilepsy.

Epilepsy and specific diets

The ketogenic diet - plus a number of variations – is a high fat and low carbohydrate diet that may help to control seizures for some people. 

If you'd be interested in following one of these diets, talk to your treatment team. You can also learn more about the keto diet here.

For people not on a specific diet, let’s learn more about food and epilepsy.

Are there foods to avoid with epilepsy?

There may be certain foods that could trigger seizures for some people, so speak with your doctor. 

According to the Epilepsy Society, a UK charity, there is little evidence that specific foods consistently trigger seizures for all people with epilepsy.However, there are some situations where food and seizures may be linked. 

Some people have reflex epilepsy, and their seizures could be triggered by foods.  For some people the taste or smell of certain foods may trigger seizures.

There is also some evidence that the act of eating itself might make seizures more likely. In a study of 100 people with temporal lobe epilepsy, the researchers found people were more likely to have a seizure in the hour after eating. 

There may also be some foods that contain ingredients that may make seizures more likely. For example, there is some evidence that foods that cause a spike in blood sugar could increase seizure risk for some people. So, ask your doctor about what is safe. 

‍Food health: Learn about the link between diabetes and epilepsy‍‍

Interactions between food and epilepsy medication

Taking medication on a full or empty stomach may impact the levels of medications in your body. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for specific recommendations. Also, check the leaflet to verify if there are foods or drinks you should avoid. 

There is some evidence which suggests that certain kinds of food and drink may interact with anti-epilepsy medication. This includes grapefruits and other types of citrus, as well as soy and supplements such as ginkgo biloba and iron. There is also evidence that both high fat diets (such as the ketogenic diet) and low fat diets may interact with some epilepsy medication, and make it less or more available. 

These foods and supplements may speed up the way your body metabolizes (breaks down) the epilepsy medication, or increase absorption. This would make the drug less effective and could therefore increase the number of seizures you have.

Caffeinated drinks: Read more about interactions between caffeine and epilepsy

Foods and anti-seizure medication (ASM)

Some ASMs are designed to be eaten with food (they usually come as a powder you sprinkle over a meal). But others are designed to be taken on an empty stomach. And the kinds of meals you consume can also affect how quickly or slowly your body absorbs them. For example, cannabidiol is absorbed much faster when consumed with high fat meals. Whatever ASM you use, read the package insert, and ask your doctor or a pharmacist for advice on when and how to take it.

You may have heard that some kinds of ASM interact with certain foods. The packaging of your ASM should provide information about any known interactions with food. But for your reference, we’ve included food interactions with some of the most widely taken ASMs.

Are there any foods to avoid when taking lamotrigine?

Lamotrigine is one of the most common anti-epilepsy drugs, so you might be wondering if there are any foods to avoid when taking lamotrigine. According to the FDA, lamotrigine isn’t affected by food - per this factsheet.

Are there any foods to avoid with sodium valproate?

The FDA’s product leaflet does not mention any foods that interact with sodium valproate. But ask your doctor. 

Are there any foods to avoid with carbamazepine?

Yes, studies show that serum (blood) levels of carbamazepine may increase when consumed with the juice of several kinds of fruit (the drug label mentions grapefruit juice specifically, but research suggests other fruit may also have an effect):

• Grapefruit
• Lime
• Pomegranate
• Black mulberry
• Wild grape
• Star fruit

This means there is more carbamazepine in your body, and that can make side effects more likely.

Are there any foods to avoid with levetiracetam?

The FDA’s product leaflet does not mention any foods that interact with levetiracetam. But it’s always best to check with your doctor.

Are there any foods to avoid with topiramate?

The FDA’s product leaflet does not mention any foods that interact with topiramate, but this medication may change the way food tastes. But it’s always best to check with your doctor.

Epilepsy and food allergies

If you are allergic to certain kinds of food, you may go into anaphylactic shock. There is some evidence that allergies could lead to seizures in people with epilepsy. However, the evidence comes from fairly small studies, so it is not definitive.

If you do have allergies, speak with your doctor about how to prepare for reactions, and what this might mean for your seizures.

Blood sugar levels

Levels of sugar in the bloodstream may affect seizures in some people. Talk to your doctor about ways to manage blood sugar levels.

Potassium, bananas and seizures

You may have heard about a possible link between potassium rich foods like sweet potatoes, avocados, beans, bananas and seizures. Potassium is a mineral (often called an electrolyte) that your body uses to to work properly. One of the things your body uses potassium for is to help with sending electrical signals in the brain. There is some evidence that having too much potassium in the brain could be a seizure trigger.Ask your doctor for advice on what is safe.

It isn’t clear if there’s a specific amount of dietary potassium that could make seizures more likely. At the same time, having low potassium levels could also trigger seizures - as explained in this blog. 

Alcohol: Learn more about epilepsy and drinking

Epilepsy and food

If you have any doubts about food to avoid with epilepsy, believe certain ingredients may be triggering your seizures, or that food may be interacting with your medication - speak with your epileptologist.