Depression and Metabolism: What This New Study Reveals

In this special episode of Metabolic Mind, Dr. Julie Milder, Director of Neuroscience at Baszucki Group, speaks with Dr. Fabiano Gomes, psychiatrist and researcher at McMaster University, and the inaugural recipient of the Baszucki Group Metabolic Psychiatry Scholar Award.

Dr. Gomes recently published a pilot feasibility trial of a ketogenic diet for depression in the Journal of Affective Disorders. In this conversation, he shares how the study came together, what the results revealed, and why metabolic approaches may offer new hope for people struggling with treatment-resistant depression.

In this episode, they discuss:

1. The pilot ketogenic diet trial for depression and its key findings
2. How the study successfully transitioned to a fully remote clinical trial during COVID
3. What the results suggest about feasibility, adherence, and clinical improvements
4. The role of nutritional ketosis in mood disorders and metabolic psychiatry
5. Dr. Gomes’ vision for launching a Metabolic Psychiatry Clinic in Canada
6. Plans to integrate biomarkers, brain imaging, and real-world clinical care
7. The importance of training clinicians and dietitians to expand access to metabolic therapies

Dr. Gomes’s work represents an exciting step forward in the growing field of metabolic psychiatry, which explores how metabolism and brain energy may influence conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental health disorders.

The conversation also highlights the importance of building clinical infrastructure and training programs to make metabolic therapies more accessible to patients today.

💡Learn more about the growing research on metabolic psychiatry and depression on our Depression Topic Page: https://www.metabolicmind.org/resources/topics/keto-for-depression/

👍 If you found this discussion helpful, please like and subscribe for more conversations about metabolic health and mental health.

🔎 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 #Depression

Expert Featured:

Dr. Julie Milder

1. https://www.metabolicmind.org/team/julie-milder-phd/
2. http://linkedin.com/in/juliemilder

Dr. Fabiano Gomes

1. https://www.instagram.com/dr.fabianogomes/
2. linkedin.com/in/fabiano-gomes-b03b492a/
3. https://x.com/fagomes1981

Resources Mentioned:

1. https://canbind.ca/

Medically supervised ketogenic diet as an adjunctive treatment for moderate to severe depression: A pilot study

1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.121079

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: https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/?utm_medium=organic-social&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=cme-yt

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://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.