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Ketogenic Diet Shows Promise in Treating Depression

2/6/2026

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Summary

Story summary

A JAMA Psychiatry trial with 88 participants with treatment-resistant depression found six weeks on a ketogenic diet reduced depression severity by 10.5 points, versus an 8.3-point reduction on a plant-based control.
The comparator used a plant-based diet as control.
Experts caution the ketogenic diet is hard to maintain and not a substitute for traditional treatments.
Further research is needed to determine long-term effects and the diet's overall clinical significance.

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Story summary

A JAMA Psychiatry trial with 88 participants with treatment-resistant depression found six weeks on a ketogenic diet reduced depression severity by 10.5 points, versus an 8.3-point reduction on a plant-based control.
The comparator used a plant-based diet as control.
Experts caution the ketogenic diet is hard to maintain and not a substitute for traditional treatments.
Further research is needed to determine long-term effects and the diet's overall clinical significance.