Keto Diet and Mental Disorders

The journal Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity recently published a review regarding the effects of a ketogenic, or keto, diet as a treatment for mental disorders. 

The researchers explored how the underlying mechanisms of psychiatric illnesses may be treated using the diet. Mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and binge-eating disorder share four mechanisms—glucose hypometabolism, neurotransmitter imbalances, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Keto diets have been shown to correct both GABA/glutamate imbalance and glutamate excitotoxicity, diminish oxidative stress, and reduce brain inflammation by switching microglia to their anti-inflammatory state.

The review examined other models and trials that showed a keto diet can be effective in improving symptoms in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and binge-eating disorder.

The review also presented two mental-illness case series where the patients were treated with a keto diet. In the first series, both patients with significant psychiatric conditions had noticeable improvement in symptoms within several weeks on the keto diet. Eventually their symptoms were alleviated, and they stopped all psychiatric medications. In the second case series, three patients with food-related mental illnesses experienced substantial weight loss, decreases in binge eating. and improvements in depression symptoms as a result of being treated with a keto diet.

While further research is needed, evidence for the use of a ketogenic diet shows some promise in treating mental illnesses.