Seems like we just might be what we eat after all. Days after researchers published a paper revealing that eating a lot of fish could slow the progression of multiple sclerosis, a group of Scottish scientists have followed up with evidence in support of ketogenic diet.
A keto diet, embraced by doctors and influences alike, has already shown promise as an effective defense for refractory epilepsy. Now the University of Edinburgh researchers insist it can also up those with bipolar disorder. Their pilot study suggests that the diet might offer positive metabolic and neurological effects for anyone living with the condition.
“These results add to a small but growing body of evidence suggesting that a ketogenic diet may be a safe and effective intervention for bipolar disorder, alongside existing medications,” Iain Campbell, PhD, study lead and Baszucki Group Research Fellow in Metabolic Psychiatry at the university’s Center for Clinical Brain Sciences, said in a press release. “Poor metabolic health is a significant problem for people with bipolar disorder, so the study of metabolic treatment approaches is very much welcomed by the patient community.”
A Long History as an Epilepsy Treatment
Though it’s been around for more than 100 years now, the keto diet still stirs up controversy, whether it’s as a weight loss regimen or as a metabolic therapy for epilepsy. And it has some of the science on its side. More than a dozen randomized controlled trials over the years have repeatedly backed up claims of its efficacy in curbing seizures. The diet – built on a menu of foods high in fat, moderate in protein, and lacking almost any carbs – tilts the body’s energy source from glucose to ketones, a process that could have neuroprotective effects.
Preliminary case reports – along with observational studies – have hinted at the diet’s potential benefits in psychiatric conditions. Researchers have noted that epilepsy and bipolar disorder might share some overlapping physiological mechanisms that could account for this. Doctors frequently prescribe a variety of anti-seizure medications as mood stabilizers for bipolar disorder.
Addressing Metabolic Challenges
We already know that bipolar disorder carries notable metabolic risks, such as high rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Bipolar disorder patients live under the cloud of a lower life expectancy due – in no small part – to these common comorbidities. To make matters worse, many first-line bipolar medications contribute to weight gain and increased cardiometabolic risk.
But these are just a handful of the challenges that have motivated researchers to investigate adjunctive treatment strategies.
To explore the diet’s potential for bipolar disorder, the research team launched a pilot study to gauge its feasibility and acceptability among euthymic (stable mood) patients with bipolar disorder. The researchers conducted the study as a single-group, non-randomized open interventional trial, which meant that everyone stuck with the ketogenic diet. There was no control group.
Key Takeaways
The researchers also considered secondary clinical, metabolic, and brain imaging outcomes through the use of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Specifically, they focused on how the ketogenic diet might impact brain energy metabolism, neuroinflammation, and the overall mental well-being of the study participants.
The researchers noted a link between increased ketone levels and improvements in mood, energy, impulsivity, and anxiety. Speed of thought, however, remained unchanged.
Additionally, brain imaging revealed reductions in excitatory neurotransmitters in two key brain areas tied to bipolar disorder, “suggesting a potential mechanism behind a ketogenic diet’s effectiveness.”
“The idea that a severe mental illness such as bipolar disorder may respond to a metabolic treatment such as the keto diet is challenging and exciting,” senior author Professor Daniel (Danny) Smith, Chair of Psychiatry and Head of the Division of Psychiatry at the University of Edinburgh’s Center for Clinical Brain Sciences, added. “We are looking forward to carefully exploring links between metabolism and mental illness over the next few years.”
Further Reading
Fish Consumption Could Slow Disability Progression in MS
Can Physical Changes – Like a Keto Diet – Help Mental Illness?
