The ketogenic diet, often promoted for weight loss, may also have mental health benefits, according to a new pilot study from The Ohio State University. Researchers found that college students with major depressive disorder who followed a well-formulated keto diet for at least 10 weeks reported a 70% drop in depression symptoms.
The 16 participants, who were already receiving medication, counseling or both, also reported nearly three times higher global well-being and performed better on memory and attention tests. Most lost weight as well.
“So many people are suffering right now, so it’s rewarding to potentially bring forward a solution,” said lead author Jeff Volek, PhD, professor of human sciences at Ohio State. “There is more science yet to do, but because there is evidence of a benefit, expanding accessibility to a well-formulated ketogenic diet as an augmentation to treatment for depression is something to think about.”
The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat eating pattern that shifts the body’s main fuel source from glucose to fat, producing compounds called ketones that the brain and body can also use for energy.
Students in the study were advised to eat fewer than 50 grams of carbs per day, with higher fat and moderate protein intake, to achieve nutritional ketosis. Researchers provided starter meals, snacks and guidance through a private app to support adherence. Participants achieved ketosis about 73% of the time.
By week two, self-reported depression scores had dropped by more than a third, reaching nearly 70% improvement by week 10–12. Clinician-rated assessments showed a similar decline. None of the students’ symptoms worsened during the trial.
“The average effect size for medications and counseling after 12 weeks is about 50%, and we saw a substantially greater result,” said co-author Ryan Patel, DO, a psychiatrist in Ohio State’s Office of Student Life. “That is an impressive finding … everybody got better, and across the board, our participants did not need more treatment or emergency intervention.”
While the results are promising, researchers caution that the trial was small and lacked a control group, making it too early to draw firm conclusions. The team has begun analyzing biological data to explore how ketosis might influence brain function and inflammation, with plans for larger studies ahead.
“The idea is that the ketogenic diet is working through a variety of potentially different mechanisms — there’s a whole range of physiological metabolic adaptations to the diet that could overlap with some of the pathophysiology of depression,” Volek said.
The study, published in Translational Psychiatry, adds to growing interest in nutrition as a potential tool to support mental health, but experts emphasize it should be seen as a possible complement, not a replacement, for established therapies.
This project was supported by a grant to The Ohio State University from the Baszucki Brain Research Fund.