Sarianne H. Madsen

Sarianne Madsen is a senior dietitian specializing in ketogenic treatment plans for children with epilepsy. She provides patients and their families with counseling, education and support for classic and modified approaches to the ketogenic diet, which can help control seizures that don't respond to medication.

Madsen also provides nutrition therapy for children with a variety of other conditions, including obesity, malnutrition and disorders requiring tube feeding. She works closely with her patients and their families to ensure individual dietary needs are met.

Madsen participates in research studies and works on publications involving patients on ketogenic diets. She authored a poster on the effects of valproic acid (an antiseizure medication) on ketosis (the metabolic process stimulated by a low-carbohydrate diet), and has developed numerous hospital management protocols and patient education handouts on the ketogenic diet. She teaches dietetic interns and other health care professionals at UCSF about managing patients on these diets.

After earning her bachelor's degree in nutrition at San Francisco State University, Madsen completed a dietetic internship at UCSF. She is a certified specialist in pediatric nutrition.

Outside of work, Madsen is an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys cycling. She also likes to travel.