Remote Keto Therapy for Depression? Results from New Clinical Evidence

The second-ever pilot trial (published in the Journal of Affective Disorders) is making waves: a virtual medically supervised ketogenic diet showed impressive improvements in people with moderate to severe depression, including nearly 7 out of 8 study completers achieving clinical remission.

In this interview, Dr. Bret Scher sits down with lead researcher Dr. Elisa Brietzke, Professor of Psychiatry at Queen’s University, to explore the inspiration, execution, and implications of this study.

What began as a bold idea, that metabolic dysfunction plays a role in depression, evolved into a fully remote clinical intervention. Despite skepticism and challenges, the results were clear: ketogenic therapy can be safely and effectively implemented in a remote outpatient setting. Participants who completed the study experienced improvements in depression, anxiety, and anhedonia (the loss of pleasure).

In this conversation, Dr. Brietzke shares:

1. Why she turned to metabolic therapy for mental health
2. How the team pulled off a fully remote ketogenic trial during the pandemic
3. The science behind how inflammation, insulin resistance, and brain energy affect mood
4. Why traditional antidepressants often fail to address anhedonia
5. What’s next for research, and how this could shape depression treatment guidelines

👉 If you or someone you know is struggling with treatment-resistant depression, learn more about metabolic therapies on our Depression Topic Page: https://www.metabolicmind.org/resources/topics/keto-for-depression/

🔎 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 #FoodAsMedicine #Depression #Anhedonia

Expert Featured:

Dr. Elisa Brietzke

1. https://psychiatry.queensu.ca/news/welcome-dr-elisa-brietzke
2. https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisa-brietzke-844606281/?originalSubdomain=ca
3. https://www.instagram.com/dr.elisabrietzke/
4. https://x.com/@e_brietzke

Resources Mentioned:

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:

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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.