Ketogenic Diet Benefits Mental and Physical Health in Bipolar Disorder
Baszucki Group Launches Pilot Study on Ketogenic Diet for Bipolar Disorder
The Baszucki Group has launched a groundbreaking pilot study investigating the effects of the ketogenic diet on individuals with bipolar disorder. This study, published in BJPsych Open, is the first to use neuroimaging techniques to examine how the ketogenic diet may improve brain metabolism in bipolar disorder patients. The ketogenic diet, already well-established for treating epilepsy, is now gaining attention for its potential to treat various psychiatric and neurological conditions.
Neuroimaging Reveals Positive Brain Changes
For the first time, the pilot study used advanced neuroimaging techniques, including magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), to measure brain metabolism changes in participants with bipolar disorder. The results demonstrated a reduction in excitatory neurotransmitters, which are typically elevated in individuals with bipolar disorder. This reduction suggests a possible mechanism for how the ketogenic diet could benefit those with the condition. In addition, the study revealed that in certain participants, increases in ketone body levels correlated with improvements in symptoms such as mood, motivation, impulsivity, and anxiety.
Pilot Study Overview and Participant Insights
Co-led by Dr. Ian Campbell (Baszucki Research Fellow in Metabolic Psychiatry), Daniel Smith, MD, and Harry Campbell, MD, at the University of Edinburgh, the study enrolled 27 individuals with bipolar disorder. After a 6-8 week period, 20 participants completed the study, and the results showed that the ketogenic diet was safe and well tolerated. Notably, 91% of participants tested positive for blood ketones, indicating they were effectively following the diet. Participants who consistently tracked their ketone levels and mental health reported significant improvements in mood and mental clarity.
One study participant shared, “For the first time in years, I felt like my brain was finally running on the right fuel.” Another described the experience as “life-changing,” noting improvements in motivation, hope, and overall symptom management.
Physical and Mental Health Improvements
The study also observed notable physical health benefits. Of the 20 participants who completed the study, 19 lost an average of 4.2 kg (9.3 lbs) and experienced improvements in BMI and blood pressure. These findings suggest that the ketogenic diet may also help reduce the metabolic health risks commonly associated with bipolar disorder and its treatments, potentially mitigating the risk of shortened lifespan often linked to the disorder.
Dr. Ian Campbell, who has bipolar disorder and follows a ketogenic diet himself, commented on the brain metabolism results: “We observed markers of reduced excitotoxicity in two key brain regions involved in bipolar disorder, the anterior and posterior cingulate cortex. These findings suggest the ketogenic diet may serve as an adjunctive metabolic intervention for bipolar disorder.”
The Metabolic Overdrive Hypothesis
The observed changes align with Dr. Campbell’s “metabolic overdrive hypothesis,” which proposes that energy dysregulation could be an underlying mechanism of bipolar disorder. According to this theory, correcting metabolic dysfunction through approaches like the ketogenic diet may help manage and mitigate the symptoms of the disorder.
Paving the Way for Larger Studies
This pilot study serves as a foundation for further research, including a larger study at the University of Edinburgh. The study is supported by Europe’s first “Metabolic Psychiatry Hub,” established with a competitive research grant from the UK Medical Research Council. The Hub, also funded by the Baszucki Group, aims to accelerate research into the links between metabolism and mental health, with a particular focus on ketogenic approaches and other metabolic interventions.
Ketogenic Diet Benefits Mental and Physical Health in Bipolar Disorder
Advancing Mental Health Treatments with Metabolic Interventions
This research follows a similar study conducted at Stanford University, which also investigated the effects of ketogenic therapy on mental health and metabolic markers. Funded by the Baszucki Group, the Stanford study suggested that whole-body metabolic changes induced by the ketogenic diet might contribute to the stabilization of severe mental illness.
Jan Ellison Baszucki, co-founder and president of the Baszucki Group, said, “This study marks an important step towards establishing ketogenic therapy as the standard of care for severe mental illness. We are proud to support this research and look forward to continued advancements that will deepen our understanding of the metabolic mechanisms that contributed to our son’s recovery.”
A Growing Movement in Neuroscience and Mental Health
With increasing recognition of the relationship between metabolic function and brain health, this study contributes to a growing global movement exploring neurometabolic approaches to understanding and treating mental illness. The results of this study offer hope for the development of new, innovative treatments for individuals with bipolar disorder and other severe mental health conditions.
Through continued research, the Baszucki Group and its collaborators are helping pave the way for personalized, metabolically informed treatments that could transform the lives of individuals with mental illness.
About Baszucki Group
Founded in 2021 by Roblox founder and CEO David Baszucki and best-selling author Jean Ellison Baszucki, Baszucki Group leverages private giving, impact investing, advocacy, storytelling, and community building to drive social change. One of Baszucki Group ‘s primary objectives is to transform mental health outcomes by supporting efforts at the intersection of metabolism, psychiatry, and neuroscience. To learn more about metabolic approaches to mental disorders and ketogenic therapy, visit Baszucki Group’s nonprofit initiative, Metabolic Mind .
