Pilot study shows ketogenic diet improves mental illness

Discussion: [0] (61 points, 6 hours ago, 89 comments)<p>[0]: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=39896423">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=39896423</a>

&gt; On average, the participants lost 10% of their body weight; reduced their waist circumference by 11% percent; and had lower blood pressure, body mass index, triglycerides, blood sugar levels and insulin resistance.<p>Any person that loses 10% their body weight through a diet is going to feel much better.

Haven&#x27;t read the paper, but I can&#x27;t tell from this summary article if they tested any other diet programs as a control - is it possible that the improvement comes from being more ordered and thoughtful about food choices, rather than from the specific diet used?

Chris Palmer, Harvard Psychiatrist has written a book called &quot;Brain Energy&quot; about the potential effects of Ketogenic therapy. The crux of his theory relies on Mitochondria&#x27;s health which play essential roles (serotonine dopamine regulation, epigenitic signaling...) apparently a lot more than just providing ATP. And you have millions of them in each neurone so trauma, addiction, chronic stress, malnutrition, brain insulin resistance... may have compromised those organelles and the neurones therefore become over or under excitable. Ketones provide a relief for Mitochondria (only alternate energy source for the brain, mitophagy of damaged cells, protection of healthy ones through uncoupling). It is a lot more than just basic common sense for good health - although getting all the essentials nutriments may be part of it as well !<p>Anyway in his book (or podcasts) there are many anecdotal but nevertheless fascinating cases of hopeless patients in total remission after a couple of months on keto therapy. It seems a lot of research is underway as well

Keep in mind that the study is conducted with schizophrenic and bipolar disorder patents that are on medications, are overweight and gained weight while on their current medication and ...&quot;with at least one metabolic abnormality, such as insulin resistance, hypertriglyceridemia, dyslipidemia, or impaired glucose tolerance.&quot;...<p>Given this study design, I don&#x27;t really find the results that surprising.

I think we&#x27;re just starting to understand the link between diet and mental state. I don&#x27;t know if keto is the best answer (I have opinions on keto having cycled through the diet many, many times) but it is reassuring that this unchartered area of science is being taken seriously.

As anecdotal evidence, I went on a strict keto diet three months ago and my mental state is far more stable. When I have a cheat day, I feel noticeably more anxious.

*severe mental illness<p>It&#x27;s interesting though, I kind of wonder if this is a sort of paradoxical reaction as (relatively) mentally healthy people who I know tried it (e.g Atkins) had their moods significantly worsen.

Anyone considering getting on the latest dietary fad train should think twice; strict adherence to a modified dietary regime without monitoring by medical professionals can lead to unintended consquences. Often, the promoters of such diets use a handful of scientific studies to gain followers (hence revenue), even if such studies (such as the one in this article) aren&#x27;t applicable for the general public. If you want to get on the train regardless, or are already on it, I suggest reading this entire review (2013) (it&#x27;s dense, a chatbot can help).<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov&#x2F;pmc&#x2F;articles&#x2F;PMC3625904&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov&#x2F;pmc&#x2F;articles&#x2F;PMC3625904&#x2F;</a><p>It covers everything from basic biochemistry to unusual disease states, here&#x27;s the diet-relevant bit:<p>&gt; &quot;Ketogenic diets are often unpalatable, which leads to poor patient compliance. Additionally, such diets raise blood cholesterol and free fatty acids, increase the risk of nephrolithiasis, and cause constipation (23, 116, 201). Therefore, Veech and Clarke developed and tested ingestible ketone ester compounds, which can rapidly generate ketoses exceeding 5 mM in rats and humans (37, 103, 195), while sparing the adverse consequences of high-fat diets.&quot;<p>Now these ketone esters are being marketed direct to consumers when they really should only be used under medical supervision as part of a coherent treatment program for specific issues:<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.businessinsider.com&#x2F;ketone-ester-drinks-claim-ketosis-without-keto-diet-2021-8" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.businessinsider.com&#x2F;ketone-ester-drinks-claim-ke...</a>

A friend went on carnivore diet (a ketogenic diet) and went from a person who always had lots of anxiety for several years to being much calmer. While that was the most stark transformation, I know 3 others who have made the same dietary change and are experiencing similar, although less pronounced results. They did not start out being obviously anxious, but it is clearly having an impact.<p>Seeing these results, I made the same dietary change (although I am in decent shape and not overweight). I am seeing similar benefits.

&gt; By the end of the trial, 14 patients had been fully adherent, six were semi-adherent and only one was non-adherent.<p>Very small sample size.

I read some studies about gut flora being tied to mental wellbeing. This is so complicated probably because there’s so much diversity at play, what might balance the gut for one person may unbalance another.

i would argue that&#x27;s the discipline it takes to go through with it<p>but yeah, same outcome

Arguably pilots are outliers in some ways in that their job requires long periods of seating, uninterrupted.. and often bad sleep or an irregular sleep schedule. (edit- yeah I should have read the article, its not about pilots)