Trailblazing Stanford Trial Shows Keto Improves Serious Mental Illness - with Dr. Shebani Sethi

A pioneering, peer-reviewed pilot trial at Stanford, supported by funding from by Baszucki Group and others, investigated a 4-month keto diet intervention for individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia who also had metabolic abnormalities such as insulin resistance or impaired glucose tolerance. They saw dramatic psychiatric and metabolic improvements that warrant further research investigations and offer hope to patients looking for new treatment options.

Dr. Bret Scher interviews Shebani Sethi, MD, ABOM of Stanford University School of Medicine and Founding Director of the Stanford Metabolic Psychiatry Clinic. She discusses the details of this study which represents a milestone in the field of metabolic psychiatry: It is the first to investigate ketogenic therapy in serious mental illness since 1965.

Standard of care treatments for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia typically exacerbate metabolic dysfunction, often leading to increased cardiometabolic risk and comorbidities that shorten lifespan. This trial showed unique outcomes in terms of dual improvements in both metabolic function and psychiatric symptoms

Key findings of the single-arm pilot trial include:
- 79% of participants showed clinically meaningful psychiatric improvement
- 100% of participants who met the criteria for metabolic syndrome were in remission by the end of the study.
- Reductions were seen in weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and visceral adipose tissue.
- Improvements were identified across all psychiatric measures.
& more

Based on the results of Dr. Sethi’s study, along with preliminary data from a University of Edinburgh trial, Baszucki Group has followed its pilot trial grants with the establishment of a new global funding program: ReThink Bipolar: Researching Therapeutic Integration of Nutritional Ketosis in Bipolar Disorder. To date, the program has announced $8M in funding to McLean Hospital and the University of Pittsburgh for randomized controlled trials combining mechanistic explorations with a clinical ketogenic intervention.

Experts in this video:
Shebani Sethi MD, ABOM
Twitter: @ShebaniMD

Study:

Stanford news release:

If you or a loved one are looking to begin ketogenic therapy for a psychiatric condition, visit this page for resources:

Dive into the research happening on metabolic psychiatry:

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

About us:
Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.

Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
2:49 Why did Dr. Sethi want to study ketogenic therapy?
4:32 Trial design
6:40 Adherence to the ketogenic diet
9:04 Ketogenic therapy as an adjunctive treatment
11:15 Results of the study
15:00 Mechanisms of a ketogenic diet
17:30 The impact of the study on clinical care
19:13 Side effects of a keto diet
20:25 What is next for Dr. Sethi?

#MetabolicMind
#KetoForMentalHealth
#MetabolicPsychiatry
#MetabolicNeuroscience
#KetogenicMetabolicTherapy
#NutritionalKetosis
#MentalIllness
#AlternativeTreatment
#MedicalKeto
#KetogenicTherapy
#KetoForBipolar
#KetoForSchizophrenia

[danielamorin]

The way the trial was set up was extremely well thought out. Full meals were provided so the patient didn’t need to look for the food or cook it. Additionally, help via email and phone calls were quickly answered. Confronted with a desease like schizophrenia with little hope to recover, this kind of research is priceless. This kind of intervention should be provided in psychiatric wards. (A member of my family participated on this trial and I was 100% involved). This treatment is well worth trying

[annacourville]

I truly hope this work is synergistic with epilepsy and mental illness. I am adult with epilepsy and I brought up keto to my neurologist who discouraged me. I am hard headed and this journey has been life changing. Thank you. Keep going!

[danielamorin]

You guys (your channel), Dr Sethi, Nicole Laurent and all involved in this project really helped and continue to help a member of my family. The Keto intervention works. It might not be a 100% of the answer (at least for my loved one at the moment) but the recovery is astonishing. I will forever be immensely thankful for all you do.

[K.P.]

I wish there would be more studies about metabolic interventions and personality disorders.

[dyaneharwood]

I have the utmost respect for Dr. Sethi! I have bipolar disorder that was triggered postpartum, While I still choose to take bipolar medication, my quality of life has improved 100% since I added a well-formulated vegan ketogenic diet. Metabolic Mind has wonderful resources that have helped me immensely!
Dyane Harwood, co-host of the new "Our Healing Journey with Metabolic Psychiatry" Podcast with Michael Belanger.
Author, "Birth of a New Brain-Healing from Postpartum Bipolar Disorder" endorsed by Kay Redfield Jamison et al.

[lexamdelac]

What promising results! Can't wait for more like this. Thank you for sharing - fantastic work! Glad it works well for both serious mental illnesses. I wonder what ketones levels were plus gki. I'd like to also see keto studies on people that reduce/stop medication as well as those without diagnosed metabolic disorders/dysfunction.

[timbarrett]

Another upbeat update from Metabolic Mind. Thanx! 🙏

[bobcocampo]

Please have a research on effects of 🥑🥓🥚🧀 keto in kids 👶👧🚼 and students 👩‍🎓 on learning, memory and IQ

[Hossaly]

Great study! it would be interesting to see the people that did not fully recover from keto to try carnivore and see if that would help. Also I have seen people that it took em a year to fully recover.

[MichaelBLive]

Wonderful news! I am curious about the preparation in the case where a participant discontinued the therapeutic ketosis therapy considering how stopping any therapy too quickly can be problematic. 16 months for me and doing well. Cheers, Michael

[barbaramartinetti]

Dr. Sethi...What is the cookbook that you sent home with the study participants? Thanks

[Californiansurfer]

Wow, it been a month I eat 2 raw eggs in morning, then evenings, I eat nice steak . I eliminated all sugar. I sleep much better, and my reading has improved, I am relaxed.. I just can’t. Believe it. Yes, this does work. Frank 😅

[Flyfisher-xt]

Well done for giving observational evidence its due! Almost always, this is dismissed as "anecdotal" and given no credence at all. Here common sense and an ability to link the dots was the foundation of what will be hope for many now and in the future.

[karenohanlon]

I appreciate the ideal is most likely a tailor made diet.
However in order to dip our toes in the ketogenic water can you share with us what foods were provided and what was the typical quantity.
Also was there any additional minerals ir vitamins prescribed or taken.
Was excercise outdoors a part of this.
Standard medicines are not having a great impact.
So if food be the essential difference do share the details please.
Thanks in advance.
I love this channel thanks Dr Scher.

[bruceberry]

Many working in metabolic space emphasize the importance of coach/supports for those attempting dietary changes like this. Curious to know if the participants had coach/support in maintaining ? Did the adherents have more social supports than others ?

[md]

Would be wonderful if a similar study could be done for ADHD

[askreceiveshare]

When the brain gets limited energy, the first supply goes to the seat of the unconscious (back of the brain), and the last part to get ATP is the frontal lobe - our center of advanced thinking, free will, and also clear seeing of reality. When there is limited energy, and the frontal lobe does not get energy, the unconscious personality aspects (inner children or states of mind) come to the forefront without the frontal lobe, the conscious mind, to lead the show. It is like our unconscious is in the driving seat of our life and not the wise, mature, conscious mind. Now, the unconscious mind can allow entities and other spirits if good energy boundaries have not been set up. We are all in one ocean of energy and information (consciousness). Most people have entities and attachments, besides other dysfunctional states of mind., This is one of the reasons for mental illness - the unconscious mind takes over, and there is no conscious, wise adult mind policing it.

[danielamorin]

Any decent and caring doctor should recommend this treatment along medications since medications alone DO NOT WORK (at least in my personal experience of several family members with schizophrenia). Frankly it’s more worrisome to consider the side effects of medications than actual food.

[reejuvideo]

New research shows promising developments in how metabolic health impacts our brain and mind. However, it's important to note that small sample sizes and early stages require further exploration. One diet that has gained a lot of attention is the keto diet, but it's not without risks. Studies have shown that it comes with an increased risk of several cancers.

In the past, for short 6 to 8 week keto diet studies, there are also two confounding variables to consider. One is the over and misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder, which may actually be unipolar depression with metabolic dysfunction that improves after a change in diet. Assuming this has been ruled out, the second variable is that antipsychotics can remain stored in fat cells for up to three months, which could explain why some patients do not become psychotic or manic despite being drug-free for six to eight weeks.

Another issue is the quality of our food, particularly the use of pesticides like glyco phosphates. These neurotoxins can affect our brains and the majority of the time, allergies to certain fruits and grains are actually due to allergies to the same pesticides used to produce them.

While the keto diet may show metabolic benefits in short-term studies, it's important to consider the long-term sustainability of this diet. It's also worth exploring whether a Mediterranean or high protein vegan diet, which include complex carbs, could lead to similar results.

It's important to note that the keto diet is not a traditional human diet and has only been consumed in extremely cold regions like Alaska. Countries like Russia and Germany have had a high potato intake for thousands of years. Additionally, it's important to consider the quality of the meat being consumed and whether it's processed or contains meat glue, which can increase the risk of clot formation.

Check out the video linked for more information on this topic.

[Man-u-flex]

I sleep a lot less on keto and carnivore diet and I read that because of lack of carbs does anyone else have this problem ?