2024-04-06 16:30:06
“It can reverse obesity, metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance.”
People suffering from mental disorders such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder are required to take drug treatments which, although helping to regulate brain dysfunction, often cause metabolic side effects such as insulin resistance and weight gain which can lead to obesity and push them to stop their treatment. According to a new American study, a change in diet could reduce these side effects and improve psychiatric symptoms of these serious mental illnesses. “We thought it would be interesting to explore this treatment in psychiatric conditions” explains the Pr. Shebani Sethi of Stanford Medicine, author of the study.
During a pilot test carried out over four months, the results of which were published in the journal “Psychiatry Research”, his team followed 21 adults diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, taking antipsychotic medications and presenting with a metabolic abnormality. The test consisted of changing their diet by eliminating carbohydrate (sugar) intake as much as possible. Their menus consisted of precisely 10% carbohydrates, 30% proteins and 60% fatty acids. When the study began, 29% of participants met 3 or more criteria for metabolic syndrome (abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, high blood pressure, high fasting blood sugar, low HDL cholesterol). At the end of the study period, no more participants responded. Those who followed the diet completely “experienced a significant reduction in weight (12%), BMI (12%), waist circumference (13%) and visceral adipose tissue (36%)”. Their blood pressure dropped as did their blood sugar and triglyceride levels.
This diet, which has already proven effective against obesity, type 2 diabetes and epilepsy, seems to improve not only the metabolic health of people with psychiatric disorders, allowing them to better tolerate their medications, but also reduce their symptoms. : “We’re seeing huge changes. Even if you take antipsychotics, we can still reverse obesity, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance. I think that’s very encouraging for patients” commented Professor Sethi.
Overall, participants reported “improvements in their energy, sleep, mood and quality of life. They feel healthier and have more hope.” At the end of the trial, more than half adopted the diet proposed by the authors which was the “ketogenic” diet also called “keto”. This enthusiasm seems favorable for further research according to experts: “It is very promising and very encouraging to be able to regain control of your disease in one way or another, outside of usual care”, explains Professor Shebani Sethi. According to his team, as the ketogenic diet improves the body’s metabolism, it would also improve the brain’s metabolism. There is growing evidence that psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder arise from metabolic deficits in the brain that affect the excitability of neurons.
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