How Keto Affects Your Brain

Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy (aka ketogenic diet) has profound effects not only on the body's metabolism but on brain function. Pioneering clinicians are using ketogenic interventions to treat mental disorders like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety and depression.

Physicians and Neuroscientists explain how keto (aka ketogenic diet / nutritional ketosis) affects the brain. Learn how ketogenic metabolic therapy works to restore brain function, reducing or eliminating symptoms of mental illness.

“Ketosis changes our metabolic physiology, which changes our brain chemistry. It can balance the neurotransmitter systems in the brain, balance the energy levels in the brain, and reduce systemic inflammation, which reduces neuroinflammation.”
Dominic D’Agostino, PhD, research scientist at IHMC and Associate Professor at University of South Florida.

Scientists and Clinicians featured in this video:

Jong Rho, PhD - UCSD

Zoltan Sarnyai, PhD - James Cook University
Twitter: @ZSarnyai

Ana Andreazza, PhD - University of Toronto
Twitter: @anacandreazza

Dominic D’Agostino, PhD - University of South Florida
Twitter: @DominicDAgosti2

Georgia Ede, MD - Harvard-trained psychiatrist, Diagnosis:Diet
Twitter: @GeorgiaEdeMD

Chris Palmer, MD - Harvard and McLean Hospital
Twitter: @ChrisPalmerMD

This video was recorded at the first ever Metabolic Psychiatry roadmap retreat, hosted by Baszucki Group and the Milken Institute for Strategic Philanthropy in May, 2022 in Santa Barbara. The conference brought together physicians, neuroscientists, dieticians, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and philanthropists to build community in the emerging field of Metabolic Psychiatry.

About us:
Metabolic Mind™ is a nonprofit initiative incubated by Baszucki Group. Our mission over time will be to provide resources and build community in metabolic psychiatry.

Other resources for Metabolic Psychiatry, metabolic neuroscience and ketogenic metabolic therapy for mental disorders:

New Study: Serious Mental Illness Improves on Ketogenic Diet -

The Role of Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy on the Brain in Serious Mental Illness: A Review

What Is Metabolic Psychiatry? 5 Questions Answered by Dr. Shebani Sethi

BipolarCast: Keto + Bipolar youtube channel, Hosted by Matt Baszucki and Iain Campbell, PhD

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.

#MetabolicMind
#KetoForMentalHealth
#MetabolicPsychiatry

#BipolarTreatment
#MetabolicNeuroscience
#KetogenicMetabolicTherapy
#NutritionalKetosis
#MentalIllnessTreatment
#MentalHealthIsMetabolicHealth

[niamhmckinney]

My anxiety is just gone not 2 weeks in to keto. Gone. Just... Gone.

[views]

I was in keto for like 8 months and I was able to lose weight. Work hard. Sleep better and even make more money. I got back into carbs and my whole life fell apart in 3 months

[Melpomenex]

I'm on week 6 of keto and glad to say that my previous anxiety is almost completely gone. Recently watched the Andrew Huberman podcast with Chris Palmer which pointed me towards Chris's book Brain Energy and I am happy to say that I will be on a Ketogenic diet for the rest of my life now.

[pablogomezthegreattv]

I was on keto for 2 months. I broke some other habits started working out and started to study and read more. During studying I thought I was just motivated to learn and thought that was the reason I was able to understand and interpret things in my own definition. It had been so long that I’ve picked a book up so again I thought this was normal for me. One weekend, I decided to drink alcohol beverages and broke my keto. It was a Friday and went back to my routine on a Monday. I went back to where I left off studying. Quickly noticed I was having a hard time focusing on both what I’m reading and trying to understand what I’m reading. The flow on information was not flowing like it was when I was on keto. For me it definitely affects the speed and process to gather information and interpret myself. Had to go back 2-4 times to even grasp the a concept. Crazy how affects other people

[aoifeboland]

I had complex PTSD and its associated anxiety, depression 10 years ago. I recovered. I then got covid in Dec 2022. I developed covid pneumonia and a plural effusion post infection. 7 months in I'd massive brain fog and cognitive impairment. I'm 18 months now into long covid and 6 weeks ago I went on a keto diet. The results have been huge. My memory, cognitive function and overall enegry has improved significantly. I'm staying on it as it's meant I could finally return to work. I take a good probiotic and complex b vitamins (which I had taken since before getting covid) the keto had been the key in my recovery

[williamboivinjr]

I didn't know anything about the KETO diet except it was low in Carbos & High in fat! I thought I would give it a try for a month. WOW! What a difference! Especially in my knee joints! I can now move so much better, & I can think more clearly! Oh, by the way, I'm 61 yrs. young. Don't let yourself being older stop you!🎉

[ItsAlohaMonday]

I started Keto about a week ago. It’s so strange…there were times I felt tired and exhausted but I had unbelievable mental clarity - it felt like I was always ALERT and present. It’s like I wanted to go sleep cause I was tired, but I couldn’t because my mind was so energized!!!!

[peacefworld]

I have started keto with minimal carb like 50g and 0g processed sugar. I can see the difference already esp in my brain. It feels calm and my mood is good and that really surprised me. My whole life i struggled with chronic anxiety and the many opportunities i missed because of that. Approaching 40 now, im so thankful to these docs and experts on youtube. All i ever wanted is to experience life just like everyone else without anxiety. Its so tough living with it.

[ZEDDAY]

One of the controversies of the agriculture revolution is we’d become less dependent on our symbiosis with nature. Hunting and gathering days were long gone. We controlled the situation with the upper hand and now had the luxury of 3 square meals. No surprise our brains are naturally able to handle energy efficiently in only increments spread out by large gaps of time.

[Jigmaster]

My mother is 75 and my father is 80. They both have joint pain and are tired a lot. I'm 42 years old. I told my parents I have so much energy since doing keto. My mom says to me, wait until you get our age and then tell me how you feel. I told them that age has nothing to do with it. I said it's all the carbs you're eating that are making you tired and causing inflammation. They don't want to believe it. I told my parents that I see people older than them exercising. My parents don't even eat any salt. They think salt is evil. They think red meat is bad for you, and eggs are bad, and full fat dairy is bad. My parents eat pasta, cereal, pizza, bread, potatoes, they think those are healthier than red meat and eggs. Well I can only take care of myself.

[Kogen]

Can’t wait for more science to come out on this. Current psychiatric drugs aren’t a great long term solution for a lot of people, not to mention some prescriptions that are over $1, 000/month.

[sombra]

You should study what happens to our voice on keto. I've never felt better and everything is perfect on keto, except my voice, which is very, very weak. I'm a singer and I can't sing anymore. I also noticed that almost everybody who's promoting keto has a raspy voice. I don't want to go back to my previous diet but I also need my voice. The thing is, I can't find any help at all with this issue. I see people complaining about the same thing I'm complaining, but they also couldn't find help. I see no other way but to go back to eating carbs and feeling like sh*t because my voice is my job. I feel so frustrated it's hard to put it into words. When I finally found something great in my life, it came with a horrible side effect that turns it into a nightmare. Story of my life.

[Themis]

I have PMDD so 3 weeks out of the month I feel much better. My generalised anxiety has gone. I'm more active and productive but the week I ovulate I'm still a mess and nothings changed. I had hoped it would cure it, like it has helped with my period pain but keto hasn't helped my PMDD. Yet. Still hoping it will. It's a vicious cycle and I'm so tired of it.

[regzlion]

Prolonged fasting achieves a significant amount of ketones to be produced from fat storage.

[YourLifeRedefined]

Not according to Paul Saladino and Georgi Dinkov who think we should be eating sugar and fruit which wouldn’t have been available throughout much of human evolution. Wish we could all get on the same page and figure this out.

[hplsqyd]

The only problem with this is that it demonises carbohydrates. Zero refined carbohydrates and a small amount of complex carbs are fine, as long as you work them off. I don't thin being in keto all the time is necessary or even desirable. Low carb is probably enough and all of us have a different tolerance for carbohydrates depending on age, genetics, etc.

[e.miller]

The keto diet results in ketones in the brain because of consumption of large amounts of saturated fat and no sugar spikes. You can do the same thing on a vegan diet by eating large amounts of cocoanut oil and avoiding sugar and refined carbs. What's the difference?

[christine]

I know keto affects my brain. I've tried it as a diet method, but it almost immediately triggered a manic episode. The episode stopped when I started eating carbs normally again because of hospitalization.
I believe ketogenic diets might help some people with certain mental disorders, just not mine.

[speedracerjeff]

Keto may be good for those who already experience stress and anxiety. But Keto can and often does give people bad anxiety and panic attacks, esp those who aren’t normally anxious.

[deathamdx]

you have mental clarity but you have also high cortisol and your brain works slower cause atp.