Mood + Mindfulness | Journal Club | The Metabolic Link Ep. 27

In this episode, our co-hosts Victoria Field, Dr. Dominic D'Agostino, and Dr. Angela Poff discuss two recent scientific papers on the potential metabolic connections to psychiatric disorders and mindfulness-based interventions.
The first paper is a systematic review on the efficacy of low-carb and ketogenic diets for treating mood and anxiety disorders. They discuss the importance in defining what constitutes a low-carb or ketogenic diet in research studies. Our hosts also discuss the limited data available, with only 12 studies meeting the criteria for inclusion. However, the review indicates some positive preliminary findings for the use of these diets for conditions like bipolar disorder, depression and schizophrenia.
The second paper is a meta-analysis examining mindfulness-based interventions for psychiatric disorders. It found mindfulness approaches were superior to non-evidence based treatments and comparable to standard therapies for conditions like anxiety and depression. Our hosts discuss the need for more research, but note the promising potential for simple lifestyle approaches like mindfulness, breathwork and nutrition to positively impact mental health.
Overall, the episode highlights emerging science linking metabolic function to brain health and psychiatric wellbeing. Our hosts emphasize the need to continue conducting rigorous clinical trials in this nascent field of metabolic psychiatry and share their perspectives on implementing lifestyle interventions for optimal mental health.
In every episode of The Metabolic Link, we’ll uncover the very latest research on metabolic health and therapy. If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, follow, and leave us a comment or review on whichever platform you use to tune in!
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*Please keep in mind: The Metabolic Link does not provide medical or health advice, but rather general information that does not serve as a substitute for a licensed healthcare professional. Never delay in seeking medical advice from an appropriately licensed medical provider for any health condition that you may have.

[@scottstevens6380]

Thank you. This was my favorite episode.

[@swimfit57]

That was a great Podcast! I get Headaches (Tension Headaches) when I went keto I would still get headaches, but I could get rid of the headache. Before Keto I could have a headache for Two or three days . And that was with taking my meds.

[@prometheas]

Great episode! Can you guys please share a link to the papers? Thanks 🙏 ❤

[@nicolelaurentLMHC]

Is this the Dietch, et al. (April 2023)? I had a real problem with that article. I think the inclusion of so many articles in which they never actually confirmed ketosis really muddies the picture. Imagine if you were a physician trying to decide if a ketogenic diet might be viable for a patient with anxiety and how lackluster the effects would be read as! "All studies stated that the intervention was a ketogenic diet. However, there is no widely accepted definition of a ketogenic diet, carbohydrate intake was not reported in five studies and confirmation of ketosis was incomplete (blood ketone testing in two studies, urinary ketone testing in five, no confirmation in five). It is therefore possible that some of the interventions may have been a low carbohydrate rather than a ketogenic diet." I think this paper caused more confusion than clarity. Not a fan.

[@MichaelBLive]

Metabolic Psychiatry is so promising. I just gave a lived experience talk at a Metabolic Psychiatry conference this past weekend in Boston. It was a life changing event by Dr Matt Bernstein. If you need lived experience speakers I know a couple of amazing brave people who's stories of recovery from serious mental struggles ate so hopeful for the future. Cheers, Michael B