Keto diet may help fight depression: A new study from Ohio State University found that students who followed a strict low-carb diet for 10 weeks saw a nearly 70 percent reduction in symptoms of depression. The work is published in Translational Psychiatry.
The study involved 16 students with diagnosed depressive disorder who were already receiving medication or psychotherapy. After switching to a ketogenic diet, their mental health scores improved, their overall well-being nearly tripled, and cognitive tests showed significant progress in memory, attention, and processing speed.
Interestingly, the positive effect was observed regardless of weight loss: although most participants lost an average of 5 kilograms, it was the changes in diet that were associated with symptom relief.
The authors note that despite the small scale of the experiment and the lack of a control group, the results can be seen as an important step towards exploring diet as an adjunct therapy for depression. The scientists now plan larger clinical trials to confirm the effectiveness and safety of the approach.
