Research on ketogenic and metabolic therapies for bipolar disorder.
Depression
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
General Metabolic Psychiatry
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
Bipolar Disorder
Key takeaways * Diet is not a replacement for bipolar treatment. Mood stabilizers and therapy remain the foundation. * People with bipolar disorder have higher rates of metabolic problems, so overall metabolic health matters. * The ketogenic diet is being studied in bipolar disorder. Early results are encouraging but come from small, uncontrolled
General Metabolic Psychiatry
Key takeaways * Metabolic psychiatry studies how the body's energy systems, like blood sugar and insulin, connect to mental health. * People with serious mental illness have higher rates of metabolic problems than the general population. * Diet changes, including the ketogenic diet, are being studied as add-ons to usual
Bipolar Disorder
What was studied: People with bipolar disorder often develop weight gain, blood sugar problems and heart risks. Researchers followed 305 adults with bipolar disorder for three years, with 13 check-ups along the way. They compared people who reported trauma in childhood with people who did not, and tracked blood
General Metabolic Psychiatry
What it is: A WBUR news story (October 21, 2026) about the new McLean Center for Metabolic Psychiatry at McLean Hospital, near Boston. It is funded by a $20 million grant from the Baszucki Group, a philanthropy started by the family of a young man whose bipolar disorder improved on
Bipolar Disorder
What was studied: Researchers in Edinburgh asked 27 adults with bipolar disorder, who were feeling stable at the time, to try a modified ketogenic diet for 6 to 8 weeks with help from a dietitian. 20 people finished. What they found: On average, people lost about 4 kg (9 lb)
General Metabolic Psychiatry
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