Keto diet

The ketogenic diet may help some neurological and mental health conditions, but effects vary, and it should not be used as contraception.

• Epilepsy: Developed as a treatment for epilepsy, the diet shifts brain metabolism toward ketones and can reduce seizures for some people. One proposed mechanism is increased inhibitory GABA activity and a changed GABA–glutamate balance. 1 2
• Treatment-resistant depression: It may help some people whose depression has not responded to standard antidepressants; the proposed mechanism includes changing the brain’s GABA–glutamate balance. 3 4
• Other conditions: The diet has also been explored for adults with epilepsy and for Alzheimer’s disease. Ketones may provide an alternative fuel source for the brain, though the evidence described for Alzheimer’s includes pilot trials. 5 6
• Mitochondria: It may promote mitophagy, clearing old or defective mitochondria, and mitochondrial biogenesis, producing more mitochondria that may be healthier over time. 7