Author: Stephen Johnson / Source: Big Think
- The keto diet is known to be an effective tool for weight loss, however its effects on mental health remain largely unclear.
- Recent studies suggests that the keto diet might be an effective tool for treating depression, and clearing up so-called “brain fog,” though scientists caution more research is necessary before it can be recommended as a treatment.
- Any experiments with the keto diet are best done in conjunction with a doctor, considering some people face problems when transitioning to the low-carb diet.
It’s hard to ignore the keto diet. You see it in the news when celebrities are promoting it, decrying it or otherwise duking it out over the science. You might hear about it from friends who’ve lost weight by adopting the diet and are now full-fledged keto converts. Or you maybe know somebody with epilepsy who’s used the diet to reduce seizures, as epilepsy patients have since the 1920s.
The keto diet can clearly help people lose weight: When you drastically reduce the amount of carbohydrates you eat, your body eventually enters a state of ketosis and starts burning fat instead of carbs for fuel, resulting in weight loss. But what’s less clear is how the keto diet affects mental health, particularly depression.
There’s a wealth of anecdotal evidence suggesting the keto diet has helped people overcome depression. As Redditor willilikeit wrote:
“Six months on keto. Have lost 40 pounds. But the best result is how I feel. I’ve gone from waking up with dread and fighting suicidal thoughts off and on most days, to feeling energetic, positive, and only a rare, passing, suicidal thought. It is night and day! Omg. Thank you for all of your posts and support!”
Of course, improvements like these might also stem from the simple fact that any diet that helps people lose weight, gain energy or otherwise reinstall a lost sense of control over one’s life might also lead to improvements in mood and self-esteem. Still, recent research suggests that the keto diet might in fact be a useful tool in combating depression, and possibly other psychiatric conditions including schizophrenia and ADHD.
The keto diet in the psychiatric literature
In 2017, a group of psychiatrists published a paper called “The Current Status of the Ketogenic Diet in Psychiatry“ that examined research conducted on the keto diet and psychiatric conditions over the past couple of decades. On depression, the overview noted two studies:
- A 2004 study, which tested the hypothesis that the “ketogenic diet may act as a mood stabilizer,” showed that rats placed on the keto diet showed fewer signs of depression, or showed less “behavioral despair.”
- A 2014 study on rats showed an even…
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