Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
Can ketogenic therapy improve symptoms, cognition, and metabolic health in people living with serious mental illness?
In this episode of Metabolic Mind, Dr. Bret Scher speaks with Dr. Judy Ford, Juliette Kyner (previously Juliette Ward), and Dr. Shebani Sethi about the first-ever randomized controlled trial of a ketogenic diet intervention in individuals living with schizophrenia spectrum disorder or bipolar I disorder with psychotic features.
The conversation explores what made this trial possible, from prepared meals and coaching to the structured support that helped participants stay engaged. It also highlights encouraging four-month findings across metabolic health, cognition, depressive symptoms, and both positive and negative psychiatric symptoms.
They discuss:
- Why this trial is an important step for metabolic psychiatry
- How participants adhered to a ketogenic diet with structured support
- What changed in metabolic health markers like BMI, A1C, and HOMA-IR
- Why cognitive improvements were especially meaningful
- How positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and depressive symptoms changed over time
- What family members noticed as participants re-engaged with daily life
- Why future studies may need to be longer, larger, and more mechanistic
This trial marks an important step for metabolic psychiatry and points to the need for larger, longer, fully controlled studies that can better clarify how ketogenic interventions may affect metabolic, cognitive, and psychiatric outcomes.
👉 Learn more about this trial on our study page: metabolicmind.org/trials/featured-post/peer-reviewed-results-of-first-ever-randomized-controlled-trial-of-ketogenic-diet-in-schizophrenia-spectrum-and-bipolar-i-disorder
🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.
#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #Schizophrenia #BipolarDisorder
*Expert Featured:*
Dr. Judy Ford
- bbrfoundation.org/about/people/judith-m-ford-phd
Juliette Kyner, Research Assistant at UCSF
- linkedin.com/in/juliette-marie-kyner
Dr. Shebani Sethi
- metabolicpsychiatry.com/team
- linkedin.com/in/drsethi
- https://x.com/ShebaniMD
*Resources Mentioned*
*Metabolic Improvements with a Ketogenic Diet Correlate with Symptom Improvement in Psychosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial*
- doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbag082
*Free CME Clinician Trainings:*
Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.
Our courses have been made *FREE* by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:
metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/?utm_medium=organic-social&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=cme-yt
Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at metabolicmind.org
*About us:*
Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.
Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.
*Timestamps:*
0:00 - Introduction: The First Randomized Controlled Trial of Ketogenic Therapy for Schizophrenia & Bipolar Disorder
1:30 - How the First Ketogenic Diet RCT for Serious Mental Illness Came Together
8:00 - Can People with Schizophrenia Successfully Follow a Ketogenic Diet? Challenging a Common Myth
12:40 - Early Results: Improvements in Metabolic Health, Depression & Psychotic Symptoms After Just Four Weeks
15:57 - The Most Surprising Findings: Depression & Cognitive Improvements on a Ketogenic Diet
17:20 - Families Notice Real-Life Changes: Quality of Life Beyond Symptom Scores
19:18 - Why This Trial Is a Major Milestone for Metabolic Psychiatry Research
24:40 - Key Takeaways: Why This Study Could Change Treatment for Serious Mental Illness
Can ketogenic therapy improve symptoms, cognition, and metabolic health in people living with serious mental illness?
In this episode of Metabolic Mind, Dr. Bret Scher speaks with Dr. Judy Ford, Juliette Kyner (previously Juliette Ward), and Dr. Shebani Sethi about the first-ever randomized controlled trial of a ketogenic diet intervention in individuals living with schizophrenia spectrum disorder or bipolar I disorder with psychotic features.
The conversation explores what made this trial possible, from prepared meals and coaching to the structured support that helped participants stay engaged. It also highlights encouraging four-month findings across metabolic health, cognition, depressive symptoms, and both positive and negative psychiatric symptoms.
They discuss:
- Why this trial is an important step for metabolic psychiatry
- How participants adhered to a ketogenic diet with structured support
- What changed in metabolic health markers like BMI, A1C, and HOMA-IR
- Why cognitive improvements were especially meaningful
- How positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and depressive symptoms changed over time
- What family members noticed as participants re-engaged with daily life
- Why future studies may need to be longer, larger, and more mechanistic
This trial marks an important step for metabolic psychiatry and points to the need for larger, longer, fully controlled studies that can better clarify how ketogenic interventions may affect metabolic, cognitive, and psychiatric outcomes.
👉 Learn more about this trial on our study page: metabolicmind.org/trials/featured-post/peer-reviewed-results-of-first-ever-randomized-controlled-trial-of-ketogenic-diet-in-schizophrenia-spectrum-and-bipolar-i-disorder
🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.
#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #Schizophrenia #BipolarDisorder
*Expert Featured:*
Dr. Judy Ford
- bbrfoundation.org/about/people/judith-m-ford-phd
Juliette Kyner, Research Assistant at UCSF
- linkedin.com/in/juliette-marie-kyner
Dr. Shebani Sethi
- metabolicpsychiatry.com/team
- linkedin.com/in/drsethi
- https://x.com/ShebaniMD
*Resources Mentioned*
*Metabolic Improvements with a Ketogenic Diet Correlate with Symptom Improvement in Psychosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial*
- doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbag082
*Free CME Clinician Trainings:*
Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.
Our courses have been made *FREE* by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:
metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/?utm_medium=organic-social&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=cme-yt
Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at metabolicmind.org
*About us:*
Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.
Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.
*Timestamps:*
0:00 - Introduction: The First Randomized Controlled Trial of Ketogenic Therapy for Schizophrenia & Bipolar Disorder
1:30 - How the First Ketogenic Diet RCT for Serious Mental Illness Came Together
8:00 - Can People with Schizophrenia Successfully Follow a Ketogenic Diet? Challenging a Common Myth
12:40 - Early Results: Improvements in Metabolic Health, Depression & Psychotic Symptoms After Just Four Weeks
15:57 - The Most Surprising Findings: Depression & Cognitive Improvements on a Ketogenic Diet
17:20 - Families Notice Real-Life Changes: Quality of Life Beyond Symptom Scores
19:18 - Why This Trial Is a Major Milestone for Metabolic Psychiatry Research
24:40 - Key Takeaways: Why This Study Could Change Treatment for Serious Mental Illness
