Bipolar Resources | Metabolic Mind

What is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a psychiatric condition characterized by extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression). Symptoms can include euphoria, increased energy, or irritability during manic episodes, while depressive episodes may bring feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and low energy. Bipolar I involves full manic episodes, often requiring hospitalization, while Bipolar II features milder hypomania and severe depression. These mood shifts can profoundly affect daily life, relationships, and functioning.
Bipolar disorder affects between two and four percent of the population worldwide, yet research has been tragically underfunded relative to other psychiatric conditions. Traditional treatments include medication and therapy, but emerging metabolic strategies, such as ketogenic therapy, are showing promise.
Although most sufferers struggle to maintain stable work and social lives, those living with bipolar disorder have paradoxically made outsized contributions to science, academia, government and the arts. Though often viewed as a lifelong illness, the Baszucki family has witnessed firsthand that full recovery is possible through evidence-based metabolic interventions that stabilize brain networks.

Metabolic and Ketogenic Therapies for Bipolar Disorder
This hub brings together the history, published research, active clinical trials, clinician insights and real stories of healing.

2025 and beyond

Active Studies

Ketogenic and Nutritional Interventions for First Episode Bipolar Disorder – Mclean Hosptial

The Effects of Diet on Metabolic and Mental Health Outcomes Measures in Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial – James Cook University

Examining Neurobiological Mechanisms Underlying the Therapeutic Effect of the Ketogenic Diet in Bipolar Disorder (BD) – University of Pittsburg

16-Week Ketogenic Intervention for Bipolar Depression: Roadmap Clinical Trial Driving Clinical Implementation – Mayo Clinic

A Ketogenic Diet Approach to Bipolar Disorder in Adolescents – UCLA, University of Cincinnati, University of Pittsburg, University of Colorado

Can Neural Network Instability in Schizophrenia be Improved With a Very Low Carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet? – Northern California Institute of Research and Education

Ketogenic Diet Intervention in Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder: Deep Omic Profiling – Stanford University

Additional Active Studies
Bipolar Disorder and Ketogenic Diet: A Survey of the Lived Experience of Over 100 Patients – Edinburgh University

Ketogenic Therapy in Action: A Pilot Program to Collect Case Study Data on the use of a Ketogenic Diet to Treat Bipolar Disorder in Children Aged 8 to 17 – Children’s Mental Health Resource Center

Brain Small Chain Fatty Acid Metabolism in Bipolar Disorder: Ketones (BIPO) – University of Michigan

THINK + SMART Profiles

Every week, we receive new submissions from individuals who are using THINK+SMART strategies to improve their mental and neurological health. Dive into community profiles to find examples of specific strategies that are helping people manage symptoms better, improve well-being, and even send their disorders into remission.