The ketogenic diet improved the physical and mental health of patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, according to a new study.
- Participants with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia lost an average of 10% of their body weight and reduced their waist size by 11% on the ketogenic diet.
- Three-quarters of them showed a clinically significant improvement, of around 31%, in their mental illness.
- They also reported better sleep and a higher quality of life.
In France, 600,000 people are affected by schizophrenia according to the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) and High Authority of Health (HAS) estimates that between 1 and 2.5% of the population is affected by bipolar disorder.
Ketogenic diet improves health in bipolar and schizophrenia patients
For these two diseases, the effectiveness of treatments varies from one patient to another. But a pilot study, the results of which were published in the journal Psychiatry Researchhas just found a new element that can help patients: diet and more precisely, the ketogenic diet which consists of the virtual elimination of carbohydrates in favor of fatty foods and proteins.
“The ketogenic diet has been shown to be effective against treatment-resistant epileptic seizures,” explains Shebani Sethi, one of the authors of the study, in a communicated. University researchers Stanford Medicine therefore wanted to test this diet in patients suffering from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia
To do this, the team of researchers followed 21 adult patients suffering from these two pathologies. During the four months of the study, they had to follow a ketogenic diet, with about 10% of calories coming from carbohydrates, 30% from protein and 60% from fat.
All participants were taking treatment for their illness. 29% had metabolic syndrome which can be defined, according to Insermsuch as excess fat inside the belly accompanied by at least two other abnormalities among the following: a hyperglycemia (excess blood sugar), high triglyceride levels (hypertriglyceridemia), low levels of good HDL cholesterol (dyslipidemia), a blood pressure too high.
31% improvement in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia
Results: Participants lost an average of 10% of their body weight and reduced their waist size by 11%. Other metabolic syndrome abnormalities also improved. In addition, three-quarters of them showed a clinically significant improvement, of the order of 31%, in their mental illness. They also reported better sleep and a higher quality of life.
“We are seeing huge changes, says Shebani Sethi. We saw more benefits in the adhering group [au régime cétogène], compared to the semi-adherent group. (…) Anything that improves metabolic health in general will likely improve brain health. (…) Many of my patients suffer from both diseases [trouble bipolaire et schizophrénie]so my desire was to see if metabolic interventions could help them.”