The use of the ketogenic diet in the treatment of psychiatric disorders

Abstract

Introduction The ketogenic diet (KD) is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate, and moderate-protein diet that has shown benefit as a treatment in neurologic disorders and may serve as a therapeutic option in individuals with psychiatric disorders. Methods A search was conducted using EBSCOhost and PubMed databases for studies relating to ketogenic or low-carbohydrate diets and psychiatric disorders. Results A total of 32 experimental or observational studies were identified by initial search strategies, 14 of which met the criteria to be included in this analysis. Although specific diet formulations varied somewhat between studies, they all generally examined low-carbohydrate dietary intake with the goal of producing a ketotic state. The studies included in this review indicated the KD was beneficial in reducing symptoms associated with various psychiatric disorders. Discussion This review summarizes the available evidence regarding the efficacy of the ketogenic diet in psychiatric disease states. Data from the studies analyzed demonstrated a positive response in individuals who were able to remain on the diet, regardless of the disease state. However, there is a need for more data to clearly define the specific benefits the KD may provide.

Nutrition and mental health: A review of current knowledge about the impact of diet on mental health

“…The MIND diet significantly slows cognitive decline with age ( 92 ). The Mediterranean diet has also been shown to have a protective effect on anxiety and mental stress ( 93 ).…”

“…Other reported benefits included positive biometric changes such as improvements in lipid profile, weight reduction, positive change in blood glucose, and reduction in HbA1c. These benefits may facilitate the management of comorbidities and improve overall health and well-being ( 93 ). This highlights that advances in nutritional psychiatry are important and it will be important to replicate, refine and scale up dietary intervention studies targeting the prevention and treatment of common mental health disorders.…”

The interplay between glucose and ketone bodies in neural stem cell metabolism

“…The KD also demonstrated an improvement in auditory hallucinations, mood, energy, the ability to concentrate, and sociability in patients with schizoaffective disorder (Kraeuter et al., 2019). A literature review concerning the use of the KD in treating other psychiatric disorders demonstrated that the KD displays merit as a potential complementary treatment option for anorexia nervosa, ASD, bipolar disorder, and narcolepsy, in addition to schizophrenia (Tillery et al., 2021). The KD has also shown to be effective in treating treatment refractory mental illness, resulting in significant improvements in depression and psychosis symptoms (Danan et al., 2022).…”

The use of ketogenic diet in therapy of drug-resistant epilepsies – current state of knowledge

“…KD is also the subject of numerous studies in the treatment of psychiatric diseases, such as anorexia nervosa, autism spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, narcolepsy and schizophrenia. In all of these, KD can reduce the severity of clinical symptoms [84].…”