1921
The Ketogenic Diet is Discovered for Pediatric Epilepsy
The effects of ketonemia on the course of epilepsy
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Metabolic Psychiatry offers a new treatment approach for Bipolar Disorder
Revolutionizing Bipolar, One life at a Time
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.
Tracing key studies, groundbreaking discoveries, and the expanding scientific case for metabolic psychiatry and ketogenic therapy for bipolar disorder.
1966-2019
Studies
December 2001:
The Ketogenic diet may have mood-stabilizing properties
May 2011:
Mitochondrial dysfunction and pathology in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia
April 2012:
The ketogenic diet for type II bipolar disorder
February 2016:
Medical comorbidity in bipolar disorder: The link with metabolic-inflammatory systems
May 2018:
Ketogenic diet as a metabolic therapy for mood disorders: Evidence and developments
October 2018:
Ketogenic Diets for Adult Neurological Disorders
March 2019:
The influence of ketogenic diets on mood stability in bipolar disorder
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2020 – 2022
June 2020
Ketogenic therapy in serious mental illness: Emerging Evidence
July 2020
Ketogenic therapy in neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders: From mice to men
October 2020
Ketogenic diet as a metabolic treatment for mental illness
May 2021
Insulin resistance and blood-brain barrier dysfunction underlie neuroprogression in bipolar disorder
October 2022
The role of ketogenic metabolic therapy on the brain in serious mental illness: A review
January 2023
Ketogenic diet as a metabolic therapy for bipolar disorder: Clinical developments
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February 2025
A pilot study of a ketogenic diet in bipolar disorder: Clinical, metabolic and magnetic resonance spectroscopy findings
Supporting Publication
Pilot study of a ketogenic diet in bipolar disorder
Pilot study of a ketogenic diet in bipolar disorder: A process evaluation
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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
Saving Lives
Metabolic Psychiatry is having a growing impact on bipolar disorder treatment. With more clinicians engaged, studies underway, and lives transformed, the momentum continues to build.
Clinicians Engaged
Active Studies
Metabolic Psychiatry Content Reach
a growing community
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.
Lauren Kennedy West
In remission from
Schizoaffective Disorder
Started Journey: 2023
Neseret Bemient
In remission from
Antidepressant Induced Bipolar 2
Started Journey: 2021
Robyn Dobbins
In remission from
Bipolar, Depression, OCD
Started Journey: 2017
Lauren Kennedy West
In remission from
Schizoaffective Disorder
Started Journey: 2023
Neseret Bemient
In remission from
Antidepressant Induced Bipolar 2
Started Journey: 2021
Robyn Dobbins
In remission from
Bipolar, Depression, OCD
Started Journey: 2017
Bipolar
Explore our blogs and videos diving deep into topics at the intersection of bipolar disorder and metabolism, including ketogenic diet.
Frontiers in Metabolic Mental Health
February, 2025. First-of-its-kind European pilot study leads to weight loss and lower blood pressure, along with improvements in mood, energy and anxiety—fueling hope for a new treatment for bipolar disorder.
Learn moreA Closer Look at a Common Yet Misunderstood Mental Health Condition — and the Emerging Therapies That Are Changing Lives Bipolar disorder is a complex mental health condition…
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A new paper has reported the clinical, neuroimaging and metabolic findings of an interventional trial that offers fresh insights into a ketogenic diet’s impact on serious mental illnesses…
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Healing isn’t just about symptom relief—it’s about transformation. THINK+SMART offers a roadmap for recovery, helping individuals reclaim their lives. THINK+SMART, a practical and powerful framework grounded in metabolic…
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Analysis | Jul 01, 2025
This analysis paper aims to investigate associations between a ketogenic diet and mood stabilization among individuals with bipolar disorder.
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Reviews | Jul 01, 2025
This review paper describes recent findings, highlighting 2 types of neurobiological abnormalities in BD: 1) mitochondrial dysfunction and 2) neurotransmitter and neural network functional abnormalities.
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Protocols | Jul 01, 2025
This ongoing triple-blind, randomized controlled crossover trial investigates the effects of a single ingestion of KE (ketone esters) on signs and symptoms of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) and…
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Protocols | Jul 01, 2025
This pilot clinical trial protocol aims to investigate the effect of a ‘ketogenic-mimicking diet’ on neural network stability, mood, and biomarker outcomes in the setting of bipolar disorder.
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Clinical Trials | Jul 01, 2025
A pilot study aiming to assess the impact of a ketogenic diet in bipolar disorder on clinical, metabolic and magnetic resonance spectroscopy outcomes.
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Clinical Trials | Jul 01, 2025
A process evaluation providing insights into the experiences of people living with bipolar disorder initiating and following a ketogenic diet.
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Frontiers in Metabolic Mental Health | Jun 27, 2025
A Nuanced Guide to Understanding Bipolar Mood Disorders, Why They’re Often Misdiagnosed, and How Personalized Treatment Is Reshaping Lives. Bipolar mood disorders are complex and often misunderstood mental…
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Media Mentions | Jun 12, 2025
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he wants to “make America healthy again.” With HHS updating its Dietary Guidelines for Americans this year, now…
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Media Mentions | Jun 10, 2025
Years of research link brain health to metabolism. Researchers are now exploring treatments like ketogenic metabolic therapy, which shows early promise for bipolar disorder.
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Media Mentions | Jun 10, 2025
During high school, Matt Baszucki suffered from insomnia and panic attacks. By 19, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and despite taking numerous medications, progressed into mania. Like Laura…
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Frontiers in Metabolic Mental Health | Apr 11, 2025
A Closer Look at a Common Yet Misunderstood Mental Health Condition — and the Emerging Therapies That Are Changing Lives Bipolar disorder is a complex mental health condition…
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Frontiers in Metabolic Mental Health | Mar 24, 2025
Each year on March 30th, World Bipolar Day brings together individuals, families, and professionals to raise awareness and foster understanding of bipolar disorder. This day is dedicated to…
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Press Releases | Mar 11, 2025
Baszucki Group today announced the launch of two new initiatives across multiple sites exploring the effectiveness of ketogenic therapy for children and adolescents with bipolar disorder. The participating…
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Press Releases | Mar 04, 2025
$3.3 million gift from Baszucki Group fuels transformative bipolar disorder research and precision nutrition clinical service. Learn more here!
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Press Releases | Feb 25, 2025
“For the first time in years, I felt like my brain was finally running on the right fuel,” said one of the participants in a new pilot study…
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Press Releases | Feb 07, 2025
UCLA Health is set to begin a multi-site pilot study to explore whether a ketogenic diet, when combined with mood stabilizing medications, helps stabilize mood symptoms in teenagers…
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Case Series | Feb 06, 2025
A case series of two individuals who experienced full remission of psychotic and mood symptoms after implementing ketogenic metabolic therapy.
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News | Jan 23, 2025
A Letter From Our Founder
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Radiant beast | Dec 28, 2024
From the depths of psychosis to the light of recovery, this article explores how envisioning a better future can transform despair into hope. Being diagnosed with bipolar I…
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Media Mentions | Dec 28, 2024
Read the full New York Post article here! Desperate for answers, Matt’s parents — Roblox co-founder David Baszucki and novelist Jan Ellison — turned to Dr. Chris Palmer,…
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Radiant beast | Nov 08, 2024
From end-of-life care to personal rebirth: reflections on life, death, and the profound impact of healing through metabolic therapies for mental and neurological health. Death Doula Wisdom In…
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Radiant beast | Sep 12, 2024
Have you ever woken up and felt like you were no longer yourself? As though overnight, your identity slipped through your fingers, leaving behind a person you didn’t…
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Radiant beast | Aug 29, 2024
Through metabolic therapies, I’ve discovered that the positives I once believed were tied to my bipolar illness—like creativity and philosophical thinking—can be retained in recovery. I’ve learned that…
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Protocols | Aug 20, 2024
A clinical trial protocol to investigate whether a ketogenic diet can reduce psychiatric and metabolic symptoms in individuals with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and schizoaffective disorder by comparing it…
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Case Series | Aug 11, 2024
A case study about how ketogenic therapy improved treatment-resistant depressive symptoms in a patient with bipolar disorder, leading to a stabilized mood, enhanced quality of life, and reduced medication…
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Radiant beast | Aug 02, 2024
Have you ever wondered why the thrill of a new purchase fades so quickly or how we bounce back from life’s setbacks with surprising resilience? The answer lies…
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Radiant beast | Jun 20, 2024
Mid-Year Hack: My Future Self Has Better Cells “Discipline is remembering what you want.” – David Campbell In my article, How To Meet Your Future Self on New…
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Clinical Trials | May 28, 2024
A 4-month clinical trial at Stanford of ketogenic diet for serious mental illness showed promising preliminary results indicating remission of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in participants who adhered…
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THINK + SMART | May 23, 2024
Often when I share my story of using metabolic treatments, including ketogenic therapy, to put bipolar 1 disorder into remission, people ask me how to convince someone to…
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Media Mentions | May 22, 2024
A recent Stanford study suggests that a ketogenic diet may help treat bipolar disorder. The diet, which is high in fats and low in carbohydrates, led to remission in about…
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Frontiers in Metabolic Mental Health | May 09, 2024
We recommend working with trained clinicians when implementing a medical keto diet, but what are the options if a patient cannot access metabolic psychiatry care? Metabolic psychiatry, a…
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Radiant beast | Apr 30, 2024
There was a day about a year after I sent my bipolar 1 illness into remission using ketogenic and other metabolic therapies, when I began to get angry:…
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Press Releases | Apr 01, 2024
Peer-reviewed clinical pilot trial reports dramatic improvements in psychiatric and metabolic outcomes in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia
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Frontiers in Metabolic Mental Health | Mar 29, 2024
Ketogenic therapy has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of bipolar disorder. Rigorous research is investigating mechanisms, but some patients may not want to wait. I first met…
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News | Mar 21, 2024
Funding will support the creation of a multidisciplinary research team focusing on the intersection of neuroscience, psychiatry, and metabolism
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THINK + SMART | Mar 20, 2024
Can vegetarians and vegans use ketogenic therapy as a cutting-edge treatment for psychiatric disorders? People are often surprised to learn that I put bipolar 1 disorder into remission…
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Radiant beast | Mar 01, 2024
Recovery from psychosis is a long, grueling process. The last time I had a manic episode was in the spring of 2021. I was a marketing and development…
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Media Mentions | Feb 21, 2024
Three years after starting a keto diet with the help of Dr. Chris Palmer, Matt Baszucki needs fewer medications to manage his bipolar disorder. He shared his story on NBC's…
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News | Feb 15, 2024
$2 million gift from Baszucki Group will support translational research for early phase illness
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Radiant beast | Feb 06, 2024
In the summer of 2021, while listening to podcasts about spiritual transformation, I spent countless hours painting my kitchen cabinets teal and stenciling them with ornate golden designs….
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Media Mentions | Jan 27, 2024
Iain Campbell, a researcher in Scotland, has lived with bipolar disorder since he was young. After trying the ketogenic diet, he discovered profound improvements in his symptoms — and now…
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Radiant beast | Dec 21, 2023
The Power of Metabolic Therapies: A Shortcut to a Better Future Self Time to connect with your Future Self! This article explores how the “science of Future Self”…
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Frontiers in Metabolic Mental Health | Dec 01, 2023
It’s estimated that 4% of adults in the United States will experience bipolar disorder at some point in their lifetime. It’s most common in the 18-29 age group,…
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Radiant beast | Nov 10, 2023
Embracing a body-positive approach to metabolic mental health. When you look at pictures of me at the beginning of my ketogenic therapy versus today, more than two years…
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Clinical Trials | Oct 10, 2023
A clinical trial paper demonstrating the safety and efficacy of using ketogenic therapy in bipolar disorder.
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Radiant beast | Sep 11, 2023
Though I was diagnosed with bipolar 1 disorder more than ten years ago, I no longer use this diagnostic label to refer to my illness. Instead, I have…
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News | May 23, 2023
Jan Ellison Baszucki penned an op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle to share her family's journey of using a ketogenic diet to treat her son's bipolar disorder.
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News | May 01, 2023
Matt Baszucki found the low-carb/high fat diet finally made the difference to his bipolar disorder – after being prescribed 29 drugs over five years.
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News | Dec 07, 2022
Dr. Iain Campbell will lead pioneering studies of Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy for Bipolar Disorder at the University of Edinburgh, one of the United Kingdom’s leading research centers
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News | Jul 18, 2022
Baszucki Brain Research Fund backs first clinical pilot trials of ketogenic metabolic interventions for mental health conditions in nearly 60 years.
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Case Series | Jul 06, 2022
Dr. Albert Danan showed that in a French cohort of treatment-resistant inpatients, all experienced weight loss and psychiatric symptom reduction, with nearly half no longer meeting criteria for…
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Clinical Trials | Feb 01, 2022
Dr. Cynthia Calkin and colleagues demonstrate that improving insulin sensitivity in treatment-resistant bipolar depression led to remission after decades of illness.
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Reviews | Dec 28, 2020
Drs. Harry and Iain Campbell suggest that mitochondrial dysfunction in bipolar disorder likely stems from issues with the Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex (PDC), leading to reduced energy production (ATP)….
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From expert insights to personal stories and support, explore Metabolic Mind’s YouTube channel and podcast, and a growing number of other channels dedicated to exploring metabolic approaches to understanding and treating bipolar disorder.
02:21
A New Treatment For Bipolar Disorder