First Randomized Controlled Trial Shows Promise of a Ketogenic Diet in Psychotic Disorders

First randomized controlled trial shows promise of a ketogenic diet in psychotic disorders

Published today in Schizophrenia Bulletin, a first-of-its-kind randomized controlled trial (RCT) from researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), adds to growing literature on the potential benefit of a ketogenic diet for treating psychotic disorders. The study, which enrolled participants with schizophrenia-spectrum or bipolar 1 disorders, demonstrated rapid metabolic improvements with a ketogenic diet compared with diet-as-usual during an initial one-month RCT open-label phase. Furthermore, those who continued with the optional four-month single-arm ketogenic diet extension saw meaningful gains across metabolic, psychiatric and cognitive measures.

Trial shows potential benefit of ketogenic diet for treating psychotic disorders

Published today in Schizophrenia Bulletin, a first-of-its-kind randomized controlled trial (RCT) from researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and funded in part by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), adds to growing literature on the potential benefit of a ketogenic diet for treating psychotic disorders.

Ketogenic Diet Eases Schizophrenia and Bipolar Symptoms

The ketogenic diet is a highly feasible, safe, and potentially transformative intervention for serious mental illness.