Famous actors, rock stars and more point to this century-old diet for maintaining vitality and supporting overall wellness as they age.
But it’s not just celebrities…
Science shows that this diet may help support healthy weight management, metabolic function, and physical performance.
Since the diet was originally created to support neurological function, researchers at Stanford Medicine wondered if it could also support mood and emotional well-being. So, they set up a first-of-its-kind trial to find out.
Key Takeaways
- The keto diet supports healthy markers associated with metabolic wellness, including blood pressure, triglycerides, and insulin sensitivity.
- The keto diet may support mood, mental clarity, and emotional well-being.
- Celebrities follow the keto diet for its energy-supporting and weight-management effects.
The Origins Of The Ketogenic Diet
In the early 1920s, doctors were searching for ways to help children with epilepsy. Researchers had observed that fasting often reduced seizures, but fasting obviously couldn’t be maintained long term.
So physicians at the Mayo Clinic developed a diet designed to mimic the metabolic effects of fasting while still allowing people to eat food.
That diet became known as the ketogenic diet because it causes the body to produce molecules called ketones.
The Keto Diet Supports Mood And Mental Wellness
The ketogenic diet, or the keto diet as it’s known, is low in carbs, moderate in protein, and high in fat. It’s also known as metabolic therapy because it reduces the body’s dependence on glucose for fuel. Instead, it relies on ketone bodies formed from fat to supply the body with energy.
Over the last six years, research findings have suggested that metabolic health and brain health may be more closely connected than previously thought. Some researchers believe that supporting healthy energy production in the body may positively influence mood, cognition, and emotional wellness.
Strong Link Between Mental Wellness & Metabolic Health
Evidence for this comes from the high prevalence of metabolic imbalances in individuals struggling with mood and emotional wellness challenges. These imbalances are associated with factors like weight gain, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular strain.
In addition, some medications may influence metabolism and energy balance, which has led researchers to explore nutritional strategies that support overall metabolic function.
Providing an alternative fuel source for the brain may influence metabolism in ways that support cognitive and emotional wellness.
What's more, the diet itself is believed to positively influence the brain by supporting healthy inflammation levels, reducing oxidative stress, and helping stabilize brain signaling pathways. This may support mood, focus, and overall cognitive performance.
Outside of its established role in supporting neurological health, there were only a few reports — all positive — examining its use for mood and emotional wellness. As a result, Shebani Sethi, MD, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford, set up a pilot trial in 21 participants to explore the ketogenic diet further.
All participants had at least one metabolic imbalance, while 29 percent met the criteria for metabolic syndrome, having at least three of the following: abdominal obesity, elevated triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, and elevated fasting glucose levels.
The research team told all participants to continue their prescribed care and follow a ketogenic diet, with around 10 percent of calories coming from carbs, 30 percent from protein, and 60 percent from fat. They were given keto-friendly meal ideas, cookbooks, and access to a health coach.
The trial's findings were highly encouraging, not just for emotional wellness but for metabolic health as well.
Improvements In Metabolic Wellness
By the end of the four-month trial, 14 participants had been fully adherent, six were semi-adherent, and only one abandoned the diet. The results for those who fully adhered to the diet included:
- Support for healthy blood pressure
- Support for healthy triglyceride levels
- Support for healthy blood sugar balance
- Improved insulin sensitivity
- Lower body mass index
- Weight loss (up to 12 percent lost)
- Smaller waist circumference (up to 13 percent reduced)
- Reduced visceral fat (fat around organs, up to 36 percent lost)
- Better sleep
- Clearer thinking
- Greater life satisfaction
The results were simply amazing. But it was only the beginning... many participants experienced notable improvements in mood and overall well-being based on standardized wellness assessments.
Those who were semi-adherent to the diet also experienced similar benefits to a lesser extent, suggesting consistency may play an important role.
Dr. Sethi was encouraged by the results:
“It’s very promising and encouraging that you can take back control of your wellness in some way, aside from the usual standard of care.
“We’re seeing huge changes. Even if you’re on medications, we can still support healthier body composition, metabolic wellness, and insulin sensitivity. I think that’s very encouraging for participants [who also] reported improvements in their energy, sleep, mood and quality of life. They feel healthier and more hopeful.”
Metabolic Psychiatry
Several years before the study, Dr. Sethi coined the term metabolic psychiatry, a new field that approaches mental wellness from an energy-conversion perspective.
Researchers believe that supporting healthy metabolism in the brain may help optimize brain function and overall cognitive wellness.
“Anything that improves metabolic health in general is probably going to improve brain health anyway,” Sethi said. “But the ketogenic diet can provide ketones as an alternative fuel to glucose for a brain with energy challenges.”
Following The Keto Diet
For those interested in following the ketogenic diet used in this trial, participants were asked to avoid bread and pasta and focus on minimally processed foods. Carbohydrates were limited to 20 grams a day (excluding fiber), and they were asked to eat a cup of non-starchy vegetables, two cups of salad vegetables, and eight glasses of water. They were encouraged to use avocado oil, coconut oil, olive oil, and butter.
In addition to the above, a keto diet generally includes moderate protein (20 to 25 percent) from meat, fatty fish, eggs, nuts, and seeds.
Summary
The ketogenic (keto) diet, popular among celebrities, may support healthy weight management, metabolic wellness, and mood by helping the body use fat-derived ketones for energy instead of glucose. Emerging research suggests the keto diet may positively influence brain metabolism, emotional wellness, and cognitive function while also supporting healthy metabolic markers. A Stanford pilot study found participants experienced improvements in body composition, energy, sleep, and overall well-being while following the diet.
References:
Sethi S et al. Ketogenic Diet Intervention on Metabolic and Psychiatric Health in Bipolar and Schizophrenia: A Pilot Trial Psychiatry Res. 2024 May;335:115866.
Stanford Medicine Pilot study shows ketogenic diet improves severe mental illness April 1, 2024
