Pilot study shows ketogenic diet improves severe mental illness

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses a pilot study led by Stanford Medicine researchers that found a ketogenic diet can help stabilize the brain and improve psychiatric conditions in patients with serious mental illness like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who are taking antipsychotic medications. The study showed the ketogenic diet was able to reverse metabolic side effects of the medications, such as insulin resistance and obesity, while also improving the participants' psychiatric symptoms.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Metabolic Effects of Ketogenic Diet

1. What were the key findings of the pilot study on the metabolic effects of a ketogenic diet in patients with serious mental illness?

• The study found that after 4 months on a ketogenic diet:
  • None of the participants met the criteria for metabolic syndrome, down from 29% at the start
  • Participants lost an average of 10% of their body weight
  • Participants reduced their waist circumference by 11%
  • Participants had lower blood pressure, BMI, triglycerides, blood sugar levels, and insulin resistance

2. How did the ketogenic diet impact the psychiatric symptoms of the participants?

• On average, the participants improved 31% on a psychiatrist rating of mental illness
• Three-quarters of the group showed clinically meaningful improvement in their psychiatric symptoms
• Participants reported improvements in their energy, sleep, mood, and quality of life

3. What is the proposed mechanism by which the ketogenic diet may improve brain health and psychiatric conditions?

• The researchers hypothesize that the ketogenic diet improves the brain's metabolism by providing ketones as an alternative fuel source to glucose, which can help address metabolic deficits in the brain that contribute to psychiatric diseases.
• The improvements in overall metabolic health from the ketogenic diet are also thought to have a positive impact on brain health.

[02] Significance and Next Steps

1. Why is this study significant and important?

• This is one of the first studies to specifically look at using a ketogenic diet to treat the metabolic side effects and psychiatric symptoms in patients with serious mental illness taking antipsychotic medications.
• Many patients with serious mental illness also struggle with obesity and metabolic issues, but this population has been largely overlooked in previous research.

2. What are the next steps for the researchers?

• The small pilot study was intended to detect signals that will guide the design of larger, more robust studies on the use of ketogenic diets to treat mental illness.
• Larger clinical trials are needed to further investigate the potential of this dietary intervention as an adjunct therapy for serious psychiatric conditions.