Ketogenic Therapy: How 3 Patients Put Depression and Anxiety in Remission with Dr. Lori Calabrese

[@QuasiBlond]

I'm a ketovore for about five years. I am 75 and my mental health HAS NEVER BEEN BETTER. Not only has my anxiety disappeared, but my cognition is great. I feel more in charge of myself now than any previous times in my life. This is true despite having fairly sever residual effects of Guillaine Barré Syndrome that had put me on life support for three months in a state of total paralysis eight years ago. I'm loving this mental clarity. I

[@henryzhao4622]

Hi do you remember if you had anxiety for the first few weeks during the transition?

[@QuasiBlond]

@@henryzhao4622 My mood/anxiety was noticeably improved within a few weeks, but it then continued to get better and better.

[@whatthehellisANSKY]

No sugar or carbs in weeks for me. I started lifting weights 2 months ago. I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety and ADHD 30 years ago. I've lost 40 pounds with my food and exercise plan too!! Best I've felt in a really long time. I still take Buspar and Alprazolam, but I'm starting to feel relief... thank goodness.🙏🙏

[@henryzhao4622]

How long did it take for the no sugar and carbs to help? How long did you feel withdrawal or transition symptoms? Thanks

[@MrEpsilonZero]

How did diet help with ADHD!?

[@kenadams5504]

​​​@@MrEpsilonZero Not eating carbs /sugar allows our body to enable our second metabolic state ...a ketogenic metabolic state ,whereby, all our cells are vitalised with ketones .This improves functioning of everything in our body , and helps with conditions like Adhd.(amongst many mental and physical conditions).

[@whatthehellisANSKY]

About 2 months of hard workouts and diet. I'm still medicated. But I feel great. I had a cheat day last week and felt horrible the next day. Just stick with it. Weightlifing has helped me too. Go hard. Negative failure on each set. Good luck. You're not alone. ​@henryzhao4622

[@whatthehellisANSKY]

​@@MrEpsilonZeroWeightlifting more than diet for ADHD. Tires me out. I feel great.

[@HaroldCrews]

There are difficulties in conforming to a ketogenic diet, but it's easy compared to living or surviving with depression or another mental illness.

[@mazymonroe8749]

Absolutely! Eliminating processed foods /sugar and starchy carbs is relatively simple really!

[@ianaliciaperry5243]

Dr. Calabrese, you are the psychiatrist we all wish we had. Thank you for this outstanding work and for sharing it here.

[@stephenarkless9444]

All my mental health problems except ocd have disappeared on the carnivore diet I’m no longer on any medications and I was taking a lot!

[@christianstephens7213]

Did you have diet sodas in that time

[@IK7.]

Damn, I have ocd. I was hoping this can relieve some of my ocd

[@Cat-ht7ki]

​@@IK7. It does for some people

[@freetinkerer3878]

I think inositol shows promise. I get it bulk on Amazon

[@MiguelGarcia-dk8vo]

@@IK7. try therapeutic carnivore

[@kassrripples3659]

Fantastic… sharing to friends living in assisted living aged care homes… the food they are fed is not fueling their brains and is triggering depression and anxiety.

[@eulaguider21]

I was thinking the same the other night. They are consuming lots of carbs and sugar.

[@Allanwify]

Just started keto 5 days ago. It got to me when she said "your best self", I´m 54 and last time I meet my best self was in my childhood. Really hope this works, I´m positive my sleep and energy are better I feel, even after this short time. Or maybe I.m just happy to do something about it, I don´t know.

[@pierreleroy6826]

Me too,i started 5weeks ago. How do you feel now? Blessings from France

[@naomi8097]

It would be nice to interview patients if they were willing.

[@johnbrain3960]

Does keto help if depression and anxiety are hereditary? I have insulin resistance, diagnosed a year and a half ago, and 3 months ago the anxiety returned. I will try Keto.

[@SandraQueen-vm8hh]

Trying psychedelics will help you in your fight against anxiety and depression the way it did with me, and I get my stuff discreetly from a source that sells the best shrooms dmt, LSD, mdma, edibles and many more

[@SandraQueen-vm8hh]

Pharmpsych4

[@SandraQueen-vm8hh]

On Instagram

[@Peem_pom]

Well what if your family who you inherited this from also cd have been cured by keto? It may not be genetic

[@Cat-ht7ki]

Read about how it helps in your situation...thebook BRAIN ENERGY by Dr Chris Palmer goes over connection of insulin resistance and mental health

[@heathersmith6177]

What a blessing you both are! Pushing metabolic therapies forward one interview at a time!

[@sgtcoach62]

knowledge is power!!!

[@cazza993]

Fantastic interview and so good to so much being published on ketogenic diets and mental health. How many years until the ADA is recommending an animal based low carb diet for human health and thriving? How long until this is 'consensus'? I have been sold on this for 10 years but know many skeptics who take the view that until it's in textbooks or the authoritative bodies recommend it it's not worth learning about (because accepted truth changes or some such)

[@joecaz]

Very inspiring! and exciting! and hopeful!

[@danscieszinski4120]

I did keto for 15 years and was the clearest health wise I’ve ever lived. Lost weight, all mental complaints disappeared. Then suddenly I started getting low blood sugar problems and started eating “normal” carb levels again but no grains. It corrected the low blood sugar episodes but I am no longer in ketosis and I have mood issues again. Why would after 15 years my blood sugar lows start on strict keto?

[@jayb2175]

Not enough protein maybe?

[@Hertz2laugh]

What were the low blood sugars testing at? What symptoms were you having?

[@danscieszinski4120]

@@Hertz2laugh some around 60. I can tell when my heart starts skipping and I get shaky and concentration goes to crap.

[@gsts379]

Things that might have affected your long term ketogenic lifestyle: Low electrolytes? Too much protein and not enough fats? What changed then - life stressors, adding low carb bread, changes in exercise? Hope you figure out something that helps.

[@dardan9218]

This is spectacular

[@galaxytrio]

Dr. Calabrese is so interesting and benign.

[@effiepatricia3610]

I 'm in ketosis now for 3 full days. So far I could not experience changes regarding my OCD/ depression. But I feel more awake and fitter. After which time period can one expect improvements, if at all? 1 month, 3 month? Thank you.

[@bridgethollandsworth2138]

Give it a try for atleast 90 days. It takes everyone different time.

[@effiepatricia3610]

@@bridgethollandsworth2138 Thank you. Yes, that makes sense.

[@luckyluciano1840]

It takes a lot of time. You are probably going to worse first. Carb sugar withdrawal and gut healing

[@johanliebert5781]

I have a few questions and would love if you could answer them: 1. Is there sufficient evidence to suggest the long term safety of Keto? I want to go keto with Intermittent Fasting for a long time. 2. In prolonged ketosis, is it dangerous to have cheat meals (which are mostly refined carbs) like a dinner or outing? 3. Do the initial benefits of Ketosis wear off after a while? I'd appreciate your response.

[@metabolicmind]

Thanks for your questions. There are case reports of people safely eating a keto diet for 10 years, and trial data out to five years. But another question is if there is any data to suggest harm from long term use? Most people seem to notice a sustained effect, although some may see diminishing benefits over time. And as for cheat meals, that is a much more complicated question that we can't answer in this forum. Here are a couple of sites that may explain more www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/cheat, www.virtahealth.com/faq/cheating-on-keto

[@brianhamilton811]

For someone who won't try a keto diet, would adding sufficient MCT oil to the diet accomplish the same thing?

[@metabolicmind]

Good question. We interviewed Dr. Mary Newport about her experience using coconut oil and MCT oil for her husband's dementia. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGSQZnqHm8p9bJo It seemed to work well for him. But he was also eating a low-carb diet, even if it wasn't a true ketogenic diet. So, if someone was eating a very high-carb diet and adding MCT oil, it may not have the same effect as someone eating a relatively low-carb diet and adding MCT oil. We still have more to learn through research, but there's always the question of asking, is it worth trying? For many the answer is yes.

[@Ymforever79]

I wish i had you as my psychiatrist

[@danielbartok9989]

How were the therapeutic drugs handled during the ketogenic therapy??

[@metabolicmind]

That's going to be different for each individual. Here's a video we made that goes into more detail about handling psychiatric medications with ketosis. We hope it helps! kzbin.info/www/bejne/mobckGSMjJxsbc0

[@starkrazi]

I don’t feel better on keto. How long does it take to feel better

[@metabolicmind]

That depends. Some people feel better right away, and some may take a few weeks or months. It also depends on where you are staring and what you are treating. Working with an experienced coach or dietician is always a good idea, especially when someone isnt seeing the results they hoped for. Here are a few directories that may help. www.diagnosisdiet.com/directory thesmhp.org/directory/ www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/doctors nutrition-network.org/find-a-practitioner/

[@barbaramartinetti]

In regard to my son with schizophrenia, one thing I cannot advise him on is how to reduce sugar, knowing that artificial sweeteners seem to be bad for the body. Recently the OOBLI sweetener made from proteins was introduced. Can you give an opinion as to the metabolic effect of this sweetener on ketogenic therapies?

[@metabolicmind]

The most common sweeteners used by people in ketosis seem to be allulose, monk fruit, and erythritol. There has been some bad press recently around erythritol, so it seems people are leaning more toward the first two.

[@kathyhebert1651]

I use Allulose😊

[@motorsoph6994]

Your half way there with the keto diet but it works because your not feeding candida what it loves to eat = sugar, carbs, yeast!! You need to consume antimicrobials too to kill the overgrowth of candida and get it back down to normal levels in the body. Candida took over my body after i was prescribed diazepam, codeine and naproxen all at the same time when i hurt my arm. I was also consuming sandwiches and cake bars for work everyday. I started suffering uncontrollable panic attacks out of nowhere a year ago. 3 weeks ago I started a candida cleanse which is very similar to keto(no sugar, carbs, gluten, wheat, processed food) and I am completely back to my normal self again. Candida has 79 toxins which wreak havok with the brain. I just wish my doctor told me this rather than advising i went of antidepressants.

[@jayb2175]

That doesn't mean everyone has candida because you did.

[@motorsoph6994]

@jayb2175 I'm not saying they do. But it's strange how eating one sugary snack or one sandwich can make the symptoms come back again. Like you're fuelling something to attack your brain again. Not many people will want to live on a ketogenic diet forever. I have lived on sugar and carbs for 30 years of my life just fine until panic disorder rocked my world a year ago. What made my body/brain change like that and funny how it changed after I was prescribed a concoction of drugs from the hospital to kill of my good gut bacteria.

[@joeberrouard3743]

Which antimicrobials did you use?

[@motorsoph6994]

I started taking natural ginger and allucin(garlic) supplements every night. I noticed a massive improvement within a couple of days. That's how I knew it was yeast as they are antimicrobials. Also magnesium supplement seemed to get rid of the dizziness I was experiencing all day. I then added in grapeseed extract and probiotics everyday. Drinking 2 litres of filtered water everyday too. That is what helped me personally.

[@joeberrouard3743]

@@motorsoph6994 thanks for the response!

[@mariamorris954]

Anyone consuming fermented food,? My anxiety is pretty high Keto with Natto/fermented veg's might be the answer for me

[@SandraQueen-vm8hh]

Psychedelics was of profound help to me during my depression and anxiety stage,I was referred to a mycologist that acted as a therapist and he hooked me up with some psychedelics that aided the fight against my issues

[@SandraQueen-vm8hh]

Pharmpsych4

[@SandraQueen-vm8hh]

On Instagram

[@henryzhao4622]

Anyone else feel more anxious for the first few weeks on keto? Hope it’s not just me

[@QuasiBlond]

I was nervous about doing the diet as I was being told how unhealthy it was. Also, getting my electrolytes sorted out was a bit dicey at times and I didn't feel so good when that was happening.

[@lynndecarlo6704]

That's more of the energy you feel when getting rid of the carbs. I always felt lethargic after carbs.. I started keto and was waking up with so much clarity and energy it can definitely be mistaken for other things.

[@juleslinnie4702]

exercise if important and so is LMNT type electrolytes. Helped me or eat snack of celery and almond butter

[@henryzhao4622]

@@juleslinnie4702 thanks yes ive focused on those a lot too! did you happen to feel some sleep difficulty the first few weeks though? I've read that cortisol spikes the first few weeks to create sugar to compensate before it normalizes, but its tough

[@raqueldubya2981]

I am only 9 days in and had some really bad anxiety spikes the first couple of days. I have rationalised that I already had severe anxiety with really severe anxiety spikes before keto and that I am just noticing them more as part of my ingrained hypervigalence. Years of experimenting with traditional anxiety/depression medications have also made me ridiculously anxious around what any kind of new treatment is going to do to me and means I am constantly checking in and analysing anything and everything, good or bad. I also suspect that my body and my brain are going through a lot of adjustments with the diet change and that things will take time to settle and for there to be real solid progress. Not sure about you, but I have been very unwell with anxiety for a few years now and I think a keto diet is not going to be a quick fix. It took me years to get to where I am and it's going to take time to heal. Wishing you good luck with your keto journey.

[@jimdenzler389]

One reason why therapists don’t get into metabolics is b/c they didn’t really go into therapy to help people; they thought solving other people’s problems would help to solve their own problems… Also, there lots of money in therapy!

[@lmagas-om9dp]

Does keto help ADHD?

[@NoTrashInHeaven]

I've heard many testimonials of those with ADHD say yes!

[@meihsieh4440]

Yes! It helps ADHD, decreased Seizure activity and else. I’ve witness those 🙏🏻❤️

[@metabolicmind]

Here's a video we did about an upcoming study on keto and ADHD from Ally Houston. We hope that helps! kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYakk6SOmLh0sMk

[@joe-zp7ge]

if you start the keto and your anxiety subsides.... will it return when you stop eating keto? to stay on the keto indefinitely is unrealistic and wishfull thinking

[@metabolicmind]

We would push back a little on "to stay on the keto indefinitely is unrealistic and wishfull thinking." For those who have put their anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, etc, into remission, keto is not a chore at all. There's no question that for some people it can be challenging. But others have stayed in ketosis for years and decades without an issue. It's probably something people need to experience before deciding if it is possible or not.

[@janetanked6288]

It does take effort and commitment to change anything, in any way. Remission, what’s that worth? I’m keto, 8 years it’s worth it to me. 😊

[@amytrojan2563]

Does it indeed help OCD as well!

[@gabardjean-paul3779]

3 patients . rather small cohort !

[@gsts379]

That addressed at the beginning of the video. This was a case study not a trial.