Oxford’s Keto for ADHD & Depression Randomized Controlled Trial - with Ally Houston

A new randomized controlled trial (RCT) at University of Oxford will examine the ketogenic diet for ADHD and depression. Ally Houston, who began treating his ADHD, seasonal depression, and chronic anxiety with ketogenic therapy in 2016, is spearheading the trial. Within weeks of starting the medical keto diet, Ally’s life completely transformed. He ultimately reversed his conditions, which inspired him to leave a career in physics to help others with metabolic interventions. He co-founded MetPsy, an app and coaching platform that supports individuals implementing ketogenic therapies for mental illness. Ally is currently conducting a crowdfunding campaign to support the study, and Baszucki Group is matching every donation dollar for dollar.
In this interview with Dr. Bret Scher, Ally shares his perspective that rigorous scientific research gives patients evidence that medical keto is a legitimate treatment option, perhaps helping them garner more support from their community when implementing ketogenic therapy. The 16-week study at Oxford will test a ketogenic diet against a control diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables that follows the NHS Eat Well Guide.
Ally Houston:
X: @AllyTransforms
LinkedIn: / ally-houston-726b4614
Support this study:
www.gofundme.com/f/ketofeel-o...
Study in Holland:
www.steunleiden.nl/project/on...
Related Resources:
metpsy.com/
Dr. Rachel Brown:
rootcausepsych.com/
X:@DrRSBrown
Dr. Phil Burnett:
www.psych.ox.ac.uk/team/phil-...
Dr. Mike Browning:
www.psych.ox.ac.uk/team/micha...
NHS Eat Well Guide:
www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well...
Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.
Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at metabolicmind.org/
About us:
Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.
Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.
Timestamps
0:00 Introduction
0:56 How Ally Houston got involved in metabolic psychiatry
6:06 Why Ally is doing keto for ADHD and depression research
9:25 Keto for ADHD and depression trial
15:30 Is this keto for ADHD and depression trial limited to the UK?
18:15 Why keto may work for ADHD
24:40 How to support the trial
25:47 Conclusion
#MetabolicMind
#KetoForMentalHealth
#MetabolicPsychiatry
#KetogenicMetabolicTherapy
#NutritionalKetosis
#MentalIllness
#MedicalKeto
#KetogenicTherapy
#KetoDiet
#KetoforADHD
#ADHDTreatment

[@martywilsonlife]

'Glad to see that more people are getting on board. Applying the truth that there is a positive link between the ketogenic therapy and ADHD or depression can literally save hundreds of thousands of lives. These are exciting contributions to the world's mental health epidemic.

[@proudam3969]

I follow a low carb whole foods clean keto diet. Been doing this diet for over 15 years and have perfect health and look much younger than my age. Mostly eating white meat like boneless skinless chicken breast, and non starchy vegetables and leafy greens. I cook in extra virgin olive oil. What a lot of people don't understand is the body can heal itself not because your eating meat per say but because your body is not running on glucose aka blood sugar. The lack of blood sugar puts your body in ketosis the way our body is meant to operate. Glucose is actually the alternative energy source and Ketone bodies is the primary energy source we have things upside down 🙃. The body won't have to release insulin and your mitochondria functions optimally and your body creates new healthy cells which can do a lot of internal repair including proper brain function.

[@naomi8097]

Interesting I learned something new! I was wondering how this lifestyle healed the body

[@kassrripples3659]

I hope children’s school teachers and personnel see this as so many children aged 4-11 are fed high carbohydrate foods at school during a school day.

[@RC-qf3mp]

I’ve done low/carb, keto off-and-on for decades, but experienced the best impact of diet on the brain when adding lots of fatty fish. I was previously taking supplements for omega 3, but dont think they did much for my brain. Eating fish daily for three weeks and i felt a huge difference, and saw minor skin issues go away, and saw nasal congestion clear up. I think of myself as being on an anti-inflammatory diet, and a keto diet happens to be more anti-inflammatory.

[@naomi8097]

What do you do Ketos for?

[@RC-qf3mp]

@@naomi8097 chronic inflammation.

[@caitlinhoey841]

Donated to their GoFundMe today! I wish Ally and his team the best!

[@kylerford5522]

You guys should interview Dr. Elena Gross about migraine and metabolism and keto. Her story is amazing and migraine definitely belongs in the bucket of metabolic disorders keto can help with!

[@jan_ellison_baszucki]

We are investors in Keto Swiss. Great idea! A depression trial is underway there as well.

[@c.hunter9069]

She rocks

[@silencenhikes6692]

​@@jan_ellison_baszuckiwhat is keto swiss?

[@silencenhikes6692]

And Angela Stanton and her lifelong research on migraines. She also prescribes keto and salt.

[@metabolicmind]

Here's their website www.keto.swiss/

[@kassrripples3659]

Checking in from Montgomery Texas. I am a student of PreKure. Wonderful to see Ali being interviewed on this podcast. Fantastic.

[@stevelanghorn1407]

Thanks for this Bret. Exciting progress currently happening.

[@lisamarieharmon8585]

What about Tourette's and OCD? Is anybody studying those? I have ADHA and Tourette's and my son has all three. I'd love to hear a testimony of someone who has used the ketogenic diet to treat either of those.

[@bobcocampo]

Request Elon Musk to finance research on metabolic diseases

[@abhiarjunnaganna72]

Well appreciated 👍❤

[@sarahbeth5924]

I have heard many reports that food sensitivities, especially non celiac gluten sensitivity, cause ADHD symptoms. So it’s possible people could improve on keto solely because they’re not eating gluten or some other food they are sensitive to.

[@2a3ylin]

for some, but for most its being in ketosis

[@md82892]

We already have continuous ketone monitors (company is sibionics) and I’m using it. This could be a key in his research to provide accurate and more granular data. I also use CGM but I can say CGM is not helpful to assess ketosis levels, my blood glucose is at very good and stable levels in carnivore diet, but it’s very hard to get into ketosis unless you’re eating very high amounts of fat. I can say from my experience that oura and cgm won’t be a valuable data sources, continuous ketone monitor is the key. What I figured out is if I can stay above 1.5mmol/l for 3-4 days in a row I start feeling that I can concentrate without ritalin. I would love to be part of this study, too bad it’s only in UK.

[@metabolicmind]

We are excited about CKMs and can't wait for them to be widely available, both for research and clinically. Thanks for your comment.

[@md82892]

@@metabolicmind it is actually widely available already, I have been using it for two months and I check the accuracy with blood ketone meter which seems to be highly accurate.

[@kassrripples3659]

@Md82892 do you use vitamin D liquid or fish oils at all?

[@md82892]

@@kassrripples3659 I drink 3mg fish oil and 3 tablespoons of MCT oil every day

[@kassrripples3659]

Will estradiol and progesterone be taken into account?

[@kassrripples3659]

I wonder if the Zoe Study has any tools you could tap into. Or the NutritionOptimizer tool (Marty Kendall).

[@kassrripples3659]

Will you be connecting with Dr Daniel Amen and potentially doing SPECT scans?

[@kassrripples3659]

I wonder if the Zoe Study has any tools you could tap into.

[@charliehobson33]

Does anyone know a website that shows visually how much carbs you can have? I'm struggling to get started, grams don't mean much to me and I don't have scales (travelling). Thank you.

[@metabolicmind]

Heres a guide that may help www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/20-50-how-much.

[@mbrochh82]

if in doubt, aim for 0 carbs.

[@silencenhikes6692]

​@@mbrochh82carnivore?

[@mbrochh82]

@@silencenhikes6692 yea, or keto

[@Philush97]

Unfortunately therapeutic keto requires a lot more precision than regular keto and scaling/logging foods is essential to that.

[@user-em6cd3gi4l]

Hello, i have bipolar disorder and my biggest problem is hypersexuality most doctors told me this hypersexuality caused by bipolar so am looking help how can i stop this shameful issue please.

[@troecurov3]

There are a lot of 12 steps programms, like Alcoholic Anonymous. There's AS, as well. You could try to call them and ask help.

[@alexd7466]

What is the ADHD study in Holland he's talking about?

[@charliehobson33]

Maybe contact him, he seems approachable

[@metabolicmind]

This is the study in Holland that Ally mentions in the video: www.steunleiden.nl/project/onderzoek-is-een-ketogeen-dieet-goed-voor-je-hersenen?locale=en

[@CarnivoreDeb]

I've been carnivore for over 40 days, exercise, leave at least a 16 hour fasting window and still can't get my ketones up. I tried mct oil, it didn't work. Anyone have any ideas what I'm doing wrong? I eat high fat, mod protein.

[@shirleywilkinson9335]

What are your ketone numbers? I was .03 for ever . 1 was drinking electrolytes sweetened with stevia. I found out I was allergic to stevia. Stopped sweeteners and my ketones went up to 1-1.5 . When I fast they are higher.

[@hELLOGUY-gy5hg]

How are you measuring your ketones?

[@user-wookim007]

I found too much protein is not good.

[@CarnivoreDeb]

@@shirleywilkinson9335 thanks for that. I'm .4 some days 1.1 others. Usually around .7 I was higher when I first went carnivore. They seem to have dropped the longer I do it. I eat ribeye or other fatty steak, chicken thighs with skin, bacon and sausages, eggs, butter. That's it.

[@CarnivoreDeb]

@@hELLOGUY-gy5hg I bought a Keto Mojo blood test kit.