Psychiatry Res

Can a ketogenic diet benefit patients with severe mental illness?

April 8, 2024

A new pilot trial (n=23) suggests dual metabolic-psychiatric benefits from adjunctive ketogenic dietary treatment in individuals grappling with serious mental illness, specifically schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

• Researchers conducted a 4-month pilot study to investigate the effects of a ketogenic diet on individuals with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder with existing metabolic abnormalities.
• 23 participants were enrolled in a single-arm trial.
• Results showcased improvements in metabolic health, with no participants meeting metabolic syndrome criteria by study conclusion.
• Ketogenic diet therapy resulted in metabolic syndrome reversal in this cohort of serious mental illness. Adherent individuals experienced significant reduction in weight (12%), BMI (12%), waist circumference (13%), and visceral adipose tissue (36%).
• Observed biomarker enhancements in this population include a 27% decrease in HOMA-IR, and a 25% drop in triglyceride levels.
• In psychiatric measurements, participants with schizophrenia showed a 32% reduction in Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale scores.
• The percentage of participants with bipolar who showed >1 point improvement in clinical global impression was 69%.
• Overall Clinical Global Impression (CGI) severity improved by an average of 31%, and the proportion of participants that started with elevated symptomatology improved at least 1-point on CGI (79%).
• Psychiatric outcomes across the cohort encompassed increased life satisfaction (17%) and enhanced sleep quality (19%).

Source:

Sethi S, et al. (2024, March 20). Psychiatry Res. Ketogenic Diet Intervention on Metabolic and Psychiatric Health in Bipolar and Schizophrenia: A Pilot Trial. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38547601/