One of the most common questions I get from clients is, "How long will it take for Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy to improve my mental health?" Based on research studies and anecdotal experiences shared online, many people expect results in less than three months.
While this is true for many individuals, my clients included, others find that the process takes longer. There are several factors at play here. Getting into ketosis might take longer than anticipated, learning about nutrition and ketone levels requires time, and overhauling your diet is a significant commitment.
Additionally, navigating social situations, seeking the right support, and choosing between going it alone or working with professional guidance also influences the timeline. For some, co-existing health conditions and psychiatric medications can further extend the journey. Yes, some see significant, in some cases, life-changing improvements as soon as they enter ketosis, and then others don’t.
More frequently these days, I’ve had potential clients reach out feeling discouraged, questioning whether "this just doesn’t work for me". However, for many, the reality is that it simply takes longer than three months to experience substantial improvement. Once you're confident that you're on the right track, with proper attention to macronutrients, supplements, and biometric testing, the next step is to stay patient and remain hopeful, trusting that improvements will come over time. Checking in with a professional is a good idea for peace of mind. Remember, it is a lifestyle change - and something that needs to be sustainable long term. This takes time.
After reviewing the progress of my clients, and tracking their journey from the start of ketogenic metabolic therapy to significant improvements, I wanted to see if others were experiencing a similar timeline.
What Did I Do?
I set out to conduct a poll on X, inviting individuals who have used Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy to manage their mental health symptoms to share their experiences. Over the course of a week, 335 people participated, offering insights into their personal journeys. My goal was to explore how long it typically takes for individuals to notice significant improvements in their mental health while following a therapeutic ketogenic approach.
The individuals represented a random sample from X, and I don’t have specific details about their demographics or the exact ketogenic protocols they followed. That said, assuming a conservative scenario where most individuals were likely navigating this therapy on their own, without professional guidance, the results are encouraging.
Based on my clinical experience, I imagine their paths were filled with trial and error, ups and downs, moments of celebration, social challenges, occasional setbacks, and valuable lessons, much like any real-life endeavour.
What Did I Find?
Here are the results. Of the 335 individuals who voted:
🎯 201 individuals took less than three months to feel significant improvements in their mental health with Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy. This is 60% of the 335 individuals.
🎯 81 individuals took between three and six months to feel significant improvements in their mental health with Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy. This is 24% of the 335 individuals.
🎯 53 individuals took more than six months to feel significant improvements in their mental health with Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy. This is 16% of the 335 individuals.
What Does the Science Say?
Experiencing significant improvements in mental health symptoms within three months aligns with findings in current literature and some clinical outcomes. It’s no surprise that 60% of individuals reported feeling better within this timeframe.
For the remaining 40%, however, progress took longer. Among them, 134 participants shared that it took more than three months to notice significant improvements. Notably, 22 individuals (6.6%) attributed the extended timeline beyond six months to the medications they were taking.
What Does This Mean?
It’s important to acknowledge the limitations of this information. This is citizen science, not peer-reviewed research. However, for those seeking relief now, these insights can still be invaluable and encouraging.
If you’ve been following a therapeutic ketogenic protocol for your mental health for three months without significant improvements, check in with a professional to make sure you are on the right track. Then take this as a sign to stay the course. You might be among the 40% of individuals who take a bit longer to respond, and that is not a problem.
In the growing field of Metabolic Psychiatry, we still don’t have all the answers about who will respond to Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy or how long it will take. While promising hypotheses are being explored in numerous clinical trials, it may take some time before we have definitive outcomes.
Here’s what we do know from over a century of evidence:
Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy can significantly improve physical health and overall metabolic well-being (6).
Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy can enhance psychological well-being (2). For many, it reduces the severity and frequency of mental health symptoms and, in some cases, leads to complete remission.
Conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and schizoaffective disorder have all shown remarkable responses, along with a reduced reliance on psychotropic medications (1-5, 7-12).
When implemented correctly with the right guidance, information, and professional support Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy can be a low-risk and immensely powerful tool for both mental and physical health.
My recommendation? Commit to Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy for at least six months to experience its full potential.
What Are the Takeaways?
These results align closely with the existing research and what I see clinically in my 1:1 programs and online groups. These findings offer valuable insights for setting realistic expectations for individuals considering Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy as part of their mental health journey.
As the New Year approaches, consider making 2025 the year you give Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy a serious trial as part of your comprehensive care plan. It might just be the change you’ve been looking for.
To read the comments left by those who voted, check out the original post here on X.
Do You Need Support Implementing Ketogenic Therapy for Your Mental Health?
If you have been using Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy for some time, and are not seeing improvements, then get in touch. If you are interested in trying Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy and other metabolic therapies for your mental health, then check out my programs and services here at IKRT.
You can read testimonies from those who have used Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy for their mental health symptoms here.Â
References and Further Reading
Anderson, J., Ozan, E., Chouinard, V.-A., Grant, G., MacDonald, A., Thakkar, L., & Palmer, C. (2024). The Ketogenic Diet as a Transdiagnostic Treatment for Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Mechanisms and Clinical Outcomes. Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry, 12(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40501-024-00339-4
Bellamy, E. L., Hadjiefthyvoulou, F., Walsh, J., Brown, J., & Turner, J. (2024). Understanding the experiences of ketogenic metabolic therapy for people living with varying levels of depressive symptoms: A thematic analysis. Frontiers in Nutrition, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1397546
Calabrese, L., Frase, R., & Ghaloo, M. (2024). Complete Remission of Depression and Anxiety using a Ketogenic Diet: Case Series. Frontiers in Nutrition, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1396685
Campbell, I. H., & Campbell, H. (2019). Ketosis and bipolar disorder: Controlled analytic study of online reports. BJPsych Open, 5(4), e58. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2019.49
Carmen, M., Safer, D. L., Saslow, L. R., Kalayjian, T., Mason, A. E., Westman, E. C., & Sethi, S. (2020). Treating binge eating and food addiction symptoms with low-carbohydrate Ketogenic diets: A case series. Journal of Eating Disorders, 8(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-020-0278-7
Choi, Y. J., Jeon, S.-M., & Shin, S. (2020). Impact of a Ketogenic Diet on Metabolic Parameters in Patients with Obesity or Overweight and with or without Type 2 Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients, 12(7), 2005. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12072005
Danan, A., Westman, E. C., Saslow, L. R., & Ede, G. (2022). The Ketogenic Diet for Refractory Mental Illness: A Retrospective Analysis of 31 Inpatients. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 1421. https://doi.org/10.3389/FPSYT.2022.951376/BIBTEX
Laurent, N. (2024). Retrospective case study: Ketogenic metabolic therapy in the effective management of treatment-resistant depressive symptoms in bipolar disorder. Frontiers in Nutrition, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1394679
Needham, N., Campbell, I. H., Grossi, H., Kamenska, I., Rigby, B. P., Simpson, S. A., McIntosh, E., Bahuguna, P., Meadowcroft, B., Creasy, F., Mitchell-Grigorjeva, M., Norrie, J., Thompson, G., Gibbs, M. C., McLellan, A., Fisher, C., Moses, T., Burgess, K., Brown, R., … Smith, D. J. (2023). Pilot study of a ketogenic diet in bipolar disorder. BJPsych Open, 9(6), e176. https://doi.org/10.1192/BJO.2023.568
Norwitz, N. G., Hurn, M., & Forcen, F. E. (2023). Animal-based ketogenic diet puts severe anorexia nervosa into multi-year remission: A case series. Journal of Metabolic Health, 6(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.4102/jir.v6i1.84
Sarnyai, Z., & Palmer, C. M. (2020). Ketogenic Therapy in Serious Mental Illness: Emerging Evidence. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 23(7), 434–439. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijnp/pyaa036
Sethi, S., Wakeham, D., Ketter, T., Hooshmand, F., Bjornstad, J., Richards, B., Westman, E., Krauss, R. M., & Saslow, L. (2024). Ketogenic Diet Intervention on Metabolic and Psychiatric Health in Bipolar and Schizophrenia: A Pilot Trial. Psychiatry Research, 335, 115866. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115866
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