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Not long after upending federal diet guidelines in order to prioritize \u201creal food\u201d<\/a> on our plates, United States Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has offered a new piece of questionable advice. During a tour to promote these dietary recommendations, Kennedy recently claimed<\/a> that a keto diet can cure schizophrenia\u2014an assertion that experts have quickly thrown cold water on.<\/p>\n The ketogenic diet promotes<\/a> fat-rich meals and low amounts of carbohydrates. While keto eating has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years\u2014it ranked the most Googled<\/a> diet in the U.S. in 2020\u2014it was initially designed<\/a> in the early 20th century for patients with epilepsy. More recent studies have confirmed<\/a> that the diet is effective for certain types of epilepsy because it can control seizures.\u00a0<\/p>\n Meanwhile, we have much less evidence for its impacts on symptoms of schizophrenia. So far, small<\/a> studies<\/a> have offered some early evidence that ketogenic diets may help people with the condition.\u00a0<\/p>\n ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Nautilus Members enjoy an ad-free experience. \u201cThere is currently no credible evidence that ketogenic diets cure schizophrenia,\u201d Mark Olfson, a psychiatrist at Columbia University, told<\/a> The New York Times.<\/p>\n Read more: \u201cEat Like a Neanderthal<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n Kennedy also proclaimed that the diet can essentially cure bipolar disorder, according to studies he recently read. But as with schizophrenia, keto\u2019s impacts on bipolar disorder have only been<\/a> examined in limited numbers of patients so far.<\/p>\n ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Nautilus Members enjoy an ad-free experience. Preliminary findings have also hinted that a keto diet could ease symptoms of depression. It may offer \u201csmall antidepressant benefits\u201d for people who don\u2019t respond to medication, according to a recently published JAMA Psychiatry paper<\/a>. But this work is in the early stages as well and remains far from conclusive.<\/p>\n Scientists are seeking new therapies for these types of conditions because anti-psychotic drugs come with some major limitations. Many patients stop<\/a> taking<\/a> such drugs over time due to side effects, which include weight gain, drowsiness, and loss of motivation.<\/p>\n Scientists think that the ketogenic diet might help treat these conditions in a whole host<\/a> of ways. For one, it can reduce inflammation in the brain, which is linked to anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. It may also contribute to the stability of one\u2019s neural networks, a key component of mental health.<\/p>\n ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Nautilus Members enjoy an ad-free experience. Right now, several randomized controlled trials\u2014the gold standard in medical research\u2014are in the works to learn whether keto diets can work as effective treatments for bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other mental health conditions.\u00a0<\/p>\n While RFK Jr. touted the diet as a cure, researchers have emphasized that it should supplement existing treatments for now. Shebani Sethi, a psychiatrist and obesity specialist at Stanford University, noted<\/a> that she harnesses this diet as \u201cone powerful therapeutic metabolic tool among many.\u201d Enjoying\u00a0 Nautilus<\/a>? Subscribe to our free newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Nautilus Members enjoy an ad-free experience. Lead image: zuzyusa \/ Pixabay<\/p>\n Molly Glick <\/p>\n
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