The Study
A retrospective evaluation of an online group ketogenic metabolic therapy intervention on mental health outcomes
This study watched what happened to 19 people who tried a special diet to feel better, and most of them did feel better. But we don’t know if the diet made them feel better or if they just felt better because they were getting attention, trying something new, or life got easier for them.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
A group of people with long-term depression and anxiety tried a special low-carb diet guided online, with weekly support and blood tests to make sure they were in ketosis.
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 547 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1These improvements are large enough to be considered clinically meaningful — meaning people felt significantly better, not just slightly better.
- 2After 12 weeks, depression scores dropped by 62% (from 13 to 5), anxiety scores dropped by 46% (from 13 to 7), 47% of people no longer met criteria for depression or anxiety, and everyone stayed in the program.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Frontiers in Nutrition
Year
2026
Authors
Erin L. Bellamy
Related Content
Claims (5)
Adults with bipolar disorder, ADHD, or schizophrenia who followed a ketogenic diet for 12 weeks experienced measurable decreases in symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Among adults with moderate to severe depression and anxiety, a 12-week online ketogenic therapy program with personalized nutrition and ketone monitoring was associated with a 62% decrease in depression scores and a 46% decrease in anxiety scores, with 71% of participants showing clinically meaningful improvement in depression and 79% in anxiety.
In a 12-week program, 15 out of 19 adults with psychiatric conditions maintained blood ketone levels above 0.5 mmol/L on at least 85% of days while following a ketogenic diet delivered remotely in a group setting.
In adults with moderate to severe depression and anxiety, a 12-week ketogenic diet program led to remission of depression and anxiety in 47% of participants, with no serious side effects and all participants completing the program.
In a group of 19 adults with serious mental health conditions who had not responded to previous treatments, all participants completed a 12-week online ketogenic therapy program without dropping out.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.