A Stanford expert's five things to know about keto and mental illness

What it is: A short 2025 interview from Stanford Medicine with psychiatrist and obesity specialist Dr. Shebani Sethi, who led a 2024 pilot study of a ketogenic diet in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

What it says: In that pilot, 21 adults followed the diet for four months alongside their usual medication. Most had better metabolic health, and many had better psychiatric symptoms. Dr. Sethi stresses that more research is needed, and her team is running a larger randomized trial in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression.

Why it matters: It's an easy, trustworthy read for anyone new to the topic, and it is honest that the evidence is still early.

Read the original: Stanford Medicine, "Five things to know about keto therapy and serious mental illness" (April 2025). https://med.stanford.edu/news/insights/2025/04/keto-diet-ketogenic-therapy-mental-illness-bipolar.html

General education only. Not medical advice. Talk with your clinician before changing diet or medication. Crisis (US): call or text 988; emergencies: 911.