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 episode:
Shebani Sethi MD, ABOM
https://med.stanford.edu/profiles/shebani-sethi#bio
Twitter: @ShebaniMD
Study:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165178124001513?via%3Dihub
Stanford news release:
https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2024/04/keto-diet-mental-illness.html
If you or a loved one are looking to begin ketogenic therapy for a psychiatric condition, visit this page for resources:
https://www.metabolicmind.org/families-and-peers
Dive into the research happening on metabolic psychiatry:
https://www.metabolicmind.org/research
Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.
Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/
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.
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