Nutrition
Does a ketogenic diet improve mental health in healthy individuals?
May 22, 2024
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A ketogenic diet is increasingly a lifestyle choice for many individuals in the general population. Most studies to date have only investigated the effects of a ketogenic diet in clinical populations or its effect on physiology. This study found that a ketogenic diet has a positive association with mental and emotional well-being measures, such as calmness, depressive behaviors, anxiolytic behavior, and loneliness in a generally healthy population.
- Researchers compared self-reported mental health outcomes of individuals on a ketogenic diet with those on other diets, using data from two online surveys distributed via social media platforms. Two cohorts were established: cohort 1 (n=260) and cohort 2 (n=276). All participants were 18 years or older and free from clinically diagnosed mood, anxiety, neurodevelopmental, and neurodegenerative disorders.
- The first cohort responded to surveys that included Bond-Lader visual analog scales and the Perceived Stress Scale. Cohort 2 completed surveys that used the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale and revised UCLA Loneliness Scale.
- Survey results identified a total of 220 participants adhering to a ketogenic diet across the two cohorts. Over 70% of participants did not monitor their ketone levels.
- In both cohorts, a ketogenic diet was associated with higher self-reported mental and emotional well-being behaviors, including calmness, contentedness, alertness, cognitive and emotional stress, depression, anxiety, and loneliness, compared with individuals on a non-specific diet in a general population.
- Contrary to previous literature, the authors found that length of time on a ketogenic diet was positively correlated with calmness, contentedness, or alertness. Level of ketosis was not correlated with anxiety, depression, emotional stress, and loneliness.
Source:
Garner S, et al. (2024, March 9). Nutrition. Ketogenic diet has a positive association with mental and emotional well-being in the general population. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38669832/
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