Ketogenic Therapy in Psychiatry: What the Experts Agree On
Metabolic Mind
Why consensus is timely
Bret Scher and Georgia Ede discuss research momentum and patient interest driving need for practical guidance.
How can doctors, psychiatrists, and other health practitioners implement keto for serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression?
In this short interview, Dr. Bret Scher sits down with Dr. Georgia Ede to discuss a newly published Delphi consensus paper in Frontiers in Nutrition, authored by eight experienced clinicians and researchers to establish best practices for the use of ketogenic metabolic therapy (KMT) in serious mental illnesses.
Using a structured expert consensus process, the group created 33 statements clarifying things like:
- What ketogenic metabolic therapy is
- Who may be appropriate candidates?
- Safety considerations and medical screening
- Monitoring standards and clinical implementation
- How KMT can be integrated alongside standard psychiatric care
These statements were then brought to a larger group of experienced clinicians to assess broader consensus, which resulted in all 33 statements reaching the consensus threshold.
This paper is not a set of formal treatment guidelines. Instead, they represent an important first step in delivering practical, experience-informed guidance for clinicians who are seeing growing patient interest in metabolic approaches to serious mental illness
As research continues to evolve, this consensus provides a thoughtful framework for psychiatrists, primary care clinicians, therapists, dietitians, and multidisciplinary teams who wish to incorporate ketogenic metabolic therapy into individualized treatment plans.
If you are a clinician interested in learning more about metabolic approaches in psychiatry, we encourage you to explore the full publication.
If you are a patient or family member, consider sharing this paper with your care team to start an informed discussion about whether metabolic strategies may be appropriate in your individual case.
With the clinical evidence still accumulating and randomized controlled trials ongoing, we expect this clinical guidance to continue to evolve as more data and real word experience becomes available.
📚 Read the Paper: Published in Frontiers in Nutrition: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2026.1749406
#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #MetabolicPsychiatry
🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.
Expert Featured:
Dr. Georgia Ede
- Harvard-Trained Psychiatrist
- https://www.diagnosisdiet.com/
Dr. Bret Scher
- Baszucki Group Medical Director
- https://x.com/bschermd
Resources Mentioned:
Awareness and Best Practices in using Ketogenic Therapy to Treat Serious Mental Illness: A Modified Delphi Consensus
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.
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