General Metabolic Psychiatry

Is metabolic trouble a cause, not just a side effect?

What was studied: This is a commentary, not an experiment. The authors pulled together research on the "brain energy" idea: the theory that poorly working mitochondria, the cell's power plants, sit underneath both metabolic illness and serious mental illness.

What they found: They argue that insulin resistance, long-term stress and our environment may harm both body and brain in shared ways, and that ketogenic diets might help by supporting mitochondria.

Why it matters: For years, weight gain and blood sugar problems in mental illness were seen as side issues. This paper argues they deserve to be front and center in care and research. It's an argument, so it should be tested, not taken as proven.

Read the original: "Beyond comorbidities: metabolic dysfunction as a root cause of neuropsychiatric disorders," BJPsych Advances (2025). https://doi.org/10.1192/bja.2024.74

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

Insulin resistance and the brain: a diabetes medicine helped protect it

What was studied: Insulin resistance is when the body stops responding well to insulin, the hormone that moves sugar into cells. It is common and is a known risk factor for dementia. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic scanned the brains of 72 adults, with and without signs of insulin resistance,

Gut supplements for autism: which kind looks most promising?

What was studied: Researchers in China pooled 17 randomized trials with 904 people with autism. The trials tested supplements aimed at gut bacteria: probiotics (live "good" bacteria, either one strain or several), prebiotics (fibers that feed those bacteria), and synbiotics (a mix of both). Using a method that

Keto for depression and bipolar disorder: where the evidence stands

What was studied: This is a review, not a new experiment. Three psychiatry researchers, from Poland and from McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School in the US, looked at recent research on the ketogenic diet in mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder. The ketogenic diet is very low

The Ketogenic Diet and Mental Health: What We Know So Far

Key takeaways * The ketogenic diet is a proven medical diet for some types of epilepsy. Its use in mental health is still being researched. * Small studies in depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia show encouraging results. * There is no high-quality evidence yet. Larger controlled trials are needed. * Keto can affect

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Insulin resistance and the brain: a diabetes medicine helped protect it

Gut supplements for autism: which kind looks most promising?

Keto for depression and bipolar disorder: where the evidence stands

The Ketogenic Diet and Mental Health: What We Know So Far