MILLIONS GRAPPLE WITH THE REALITIES OF SCHIZOPHRENIA, a complex mental health condition. Today, we explore the relationship between a keto diet and mental health.
Traditional medications can be very effective, but they also come with side effects.
New research is exploring alternative approaches, and one surprising contender is the ketogenic diet.
This high-fat, low-carb diet has become popular for weight loss, but recent studies suggest it might have other impacts.
A New Study
A pilot trial investigated the effects of keto on individuals with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who also had metabolic issues.
The results are intriguing, and we’re diving deep into them in this article.
Let’s explore the science behind keto, its potential benefits for mental health, and what this research means for the future of treatment.
Study Design
Here’s a study breakdown:
- Participants: 21 adults (18–75 years old) with schizophrenia (5) or bipolar disorder (16). All were on existing medications for their condition.
- Inclusion Criteria: Overweight (Body Mass Index of at least 25), weight gain of over five percent while on medication, or at least one metabolic abnormality (e.g., insulin resistance, high cholesterol).
- Intervention: Participants received a baseline evaluation, then one hour of training on a specific keto diet: 10% carbs, 30% protein, and 60% fat.
- Monitoring: Researchers checked blood ketone levels weekly to assess adherence to the diet. They regarded participants as adherent if their levels fell within a specific range (0.5–5 mM) for most of the monitoring period.
More Study Details
Health coaches provided weekly phone or video check-ins to help participants stay on track with the keto diet.
These brief (5 to 10-minute) sessions offered an opportunity to answer questions and troubleshoot any challenges participants faced with the new dietary approach.
The researchers monitored the participants’ progress in two ways:
- Mental Health Assessments: The scientists conducted psychiatric evaluations at the beginning of the study, after two months, and again at the four-month endpoint. These assessments used standardized scales to measure mood and overall functioning, allowing the researchers to track any changes in mental health symptoms.
- Blood Ketone Levels: Weekly blood ketone measurements gauged participants’ adherence to the keto diet. Ketones are produced by the body when it burns fat for fuel, so higher levels indicate a greater adherence to the high-fat, low-carb diet.
Study Results
The study used established rating scales to measure changes in symptom severity for both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Here’s what researchers discovered:
- Overall Reduction: On average, participants experienced an impressive 31% decrease in the severity of their mental health symptoms.
- Achieving Recovery: The study also examined recovery rates based on different criteria.
Nearly half (43%) of the participants with bipolar disease or schizophrenia achieved improvement.
This recovery rate was even higher (50 percent) among those who strictly followed the keto diet (adherent group) compared to those who followed it less consistently (semi-adherent group, 33 percent).
Metabolic Improvements, Too
This pilot study wasn’t just about mental health — it also revealed some impressive metabolic improvements for participants:
- Metabolic Syndrome Reversed: At the beginning of the study, nearly a third (29%) of participants had metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors for heart disease and diabetes. By the end, none met the criteria for this condition.
- Weight Loss and Improved Bloodwork: On average, participants lost around 10% of their body weight and BMI (Body Mass Index). They also saw reductions in waist circumference (11%), fat mass index (17%), and systolic blood pressure (6%). Blood tests revealed positive changes in other health markers, including reduced visceral fat inflammation, improved blood sugar control (A1c), and insulin sensitivity.
- Cholesterol: There were interesting changes in cholesterol levels. Triglycerides, a type of unhealthy fat, decreased by 20%, while LDL cholesterol, often called “bad” cholesterol, increased by 21%.
It’s important to note that interpreting changes in LDL cholesterol can be complex, and more research is needed to fully understand the implications of this finding in the context of the keto diet.
My Take: Keto Diet and Mental Health
This small study is hypothesis-generating, suggesting the promise of a ketogenic diet to reduce symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar disease.
The ketogenic diet also had metabolic benefits.
In summary, the study suggests that the ketogenic diet may offer a dual benefit for people with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder — addressing not only mental health symptoms but also improving metabolic health markers.
Of course, the study is remarkably small, so we should not invest too much in the intriguing findings.
Thank you for reading “Keto Diet and Mental Health.”
