Millions of people around the world struggle with mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. In the United Kingdom alone, about 1.7 million people are currently waiting to receive mental health care.
Long waiting lists and limited resources mean that many people must wait months before they can speak to a specialist or begin treatment.
Because of this growing challenge, scientists are searching for new ways to support mental health that are affordable, accessible, and effective. A new study suggests that a special nutrition program based on a ketogenic diet may help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, shows promising results from a small group of participants who followed a structured program for 12 weeks.
The program is called Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy, often shortened to KMT. It is a nutritional approach that changes how the body produces and uses energy.
Normally, the body uses carbohydrates from foods like bread, rice, and sugar as its main fuel source. When carbohydrates are reduced and healthy fats are increased, the body enters a state called ketosis. In ketosis, the body begins burning fat instead of sugar to produce energy.
Researchers believe this change in energy use may help the brain function more efficiently. The brain requires a large amount of energy to work properly, and some scientists think that improving the brain’s energy supply may help reduce certain mental health symptoms.
The study involved 19 adults who were experiencing different mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety.
Instead of attending in-person therapy sessions, participants joined a remote group program. The program was delivered online and included educational sessions, professional guidance, and support from other members of the group.
Participants learned how to follow a therapeutic ketogenic diet that replaced many carbohydrate-rich foods with healthier fats and nutrient-rich meals. The program also provided information about mental health, lifestyle habits, and ways to stay motivated during the process.
After 12 weeks, the results were striking. Depression scores among the participants dropped by about 62 percent. Anxiety scores also improved significantly, with a reduction of around 46 percent. These changes suggest that the ketogenic program may have had a meaningful impact on participants’ emotional well-being.
One of the most interesting findings was that every participant completed the full program. In many mental health treatments, a large number of people stop participating before the program finishes.
However, in this study, the completion rate was 100 percent. In addition, participants remained in the metabolic state of ketosis about 85 percent of the time during the study period.
Erin Bellamy, a research fellow at the University of East London and the lead author of the study, explained that traditional treatments such as antidepressant medications and psychotherapy remain very important for many people.
However, she also noted that these approaches often focus on managing symptoms rather than addressing deeper biological factors that may influence mental health.
Bellamy pointed out that long waiting times for treatment have become a major problem in the United Kingdom and in many other countries. Because of this, researchers are interested in approaches that could provide support more quickly and reach more people.
The ketogenic metabolic therapy program used in the study was delivered through a digital group format, which means people could participate from home using the internet.
This approach may make it easier to expand the program to larger groups of patients in the future. It may also reduce pressure on public health systems that are struggling to meet demand.
While the results are encouraging, the researchers emphasize that the study was small and more research is needed. Larger clinical trials with more participants will be necessary to confirm whether the ketogenic approach works consistently and safely for different groups of people.
Scientists also want to learn more about how long the benefits might last and whether the diet is practical for long-term use. Maintaining a ketogenic diet can be challenging for some people, so future studies will explore ways to make the approach easier to follow.
Even with these questions, the study highlights an important idea. Mental health is influenced by many factors, including brain chemistry, lifestyle, nutrition, and metabolism. Approaches that combine medical care, psychological support, and nutrition may offer new ways to help people improve their well-being.
If future research confirms these early findings, ketogenic metabolic therapy could become a valuable addition to current mental health treatments. It may provide another option for people who are waiting for care or looking for new ways to manage depression and anxiety.
If you care about mental health, please read studies about 6 foods you can eat to improve mental health, and B vitamins could help prevent depression and anxiety.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how dairy foods may influence depression risk, and results showing Omega-3 fats may help reduce depression.
The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition.
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