The Study
Ketogenic Diet Intervention on Metabolic and Psychiatric Health in Bipolar and Schizophrenia: A Pilot Trial.
This study watched 23 people eat a special diet and noticed they felt better and lost weight. But since there was no other group eating normally to compare, we don't know if the diet caused the changes or if they just got better on their own.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Scientists gave 23 people with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and weight/metabolism problems a very low-carb diet for 4 months to see if it helped their body and mind.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 539 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — these changes are large enough to matter in daily life: less fatigue, better mood, more energy, and reduced risk of diabetes and heart disease.
- 2Their weight dropped 12%, belly fat dropped 36%, insulin resistance dropped 27%, triglycerides dropped 25%.
- 3Schizophrenia symptoms improved 32%, overall mental health improved 31%, and 79% of those with severe symptoms felt better.
- 4Sleep and life satisfaction also improved.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Psychiatry research
Year
2024
Authors
Shebani Sethi, Diane E Wakeham, T. Ketter, F. Hooshmand, Julia Bjornstad, Blair Richards, Eric C. Westman, Ronald M. Krauss, Laura R. Saslow
Related Content
Claims (6)
Among adults with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and metabolic issues, a four-month ketogenic diet was linked to measurable reductions in psychiatric symptom scores and improvements in clinical severity ratings.
In adults with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and metabolic syndrome, a 4-month ketogenic diet resulted in complete reversal of metabolic syndrome, with a 12% reduction in body weight, 13% reduction in waist circumference, 36% reduction in visceral fat, and a 27% decrease in HOMA-IR.
In adults with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and metabolic issues, following a ketogenic diet for four months is linked to a 17% higher self-reported life satisfaction and a 19% better sleep quality.
In adults with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and metabolic issues, following a ketogenic diet for four months is associated with a 25% drop in blood triglycerides and a 27% reduction in a measure of insulin resistance.
Among adults with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and metabolic issues, those who followed a ketogenic diet closely for four months showed larger improvements in both metabolic health and psychiatric symptoms than those who followed it less closely.
Current scientific evidence does not support ketogenic diets as an effective treatment for bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.