Popular diet trend could help limit symptoms of bipolar depression, says expert

Ketogenic low carbs diet concept. Ingredients for healthy foods selection set up on white concrete background.
-Credit: (Image: Getty Images)


A popular diet could help lessen the underlying causes of bipolar depression, a leading expert has said.

Iain Campbell, from the University of Edinburgh, has taken a keen interest in bipolar depression, because he lives with the condition. According to the NHS, around one in every 100 people will be diagnosed with the condition at one point in their life.

It mostly develops between the ages of 15 and 19. Formerly referred to as manic depression, it affects men and women equally.

READ MORE: Lidl’s 69p item that may lower your cholesterol and risk of heart disease

The root cause of bipolar disorder remains unclear. Campbell led a study however that found the condition could have metabolic links.

Speaking to The Observer, he said: “We should be thinking of bipolar depression, not as a primary emotional problem, but as a malfunctioning of energy regulation in the body. It is a very different way of thinking about mental illness.”

Raw meat
The keto diet encourages eating high-fat foods. -Credit:Getty

People living with bipolar disorder can often find themselves lacking energy, feeling sad and irritable one minute and then full of energy, easily distracted, and overjoyed the next. However, academics now believe a ketogenic diet could help stabilise the mood of people living with bipolar.

Edinburgh University found a third of the 27 people living with bipolar who were switched to a keto diet - which involves eating more high-fat products and fewer carbohydrates - for eight weeks found improvements in their mood. Researcher Danny Smith told the Observer: “A third of them did very well. Their mood was more stable, they were less impulsive, and their depression lifted.”

READ MORE: Zoe founder shares his 'one weakness' he indulges in every night

READ MORE: Professor Tim Spector's alcohol 'treat' which also helps with heart health and inflammation

Previously the ketogenic diet has been used to treat drug-resistant epilepsy in children. Great Ormond Street Hospital says it has been known to lead to children living seizure free.

Meanwhile the NHS recommends that people living with bipolar should eat well and exercise to help limit weight gain, which can be a popular issue for people with the condition.

What is the keto diet?

The ketogenic diet encourages people to limit the amount of carbohydrates they eat by including more high-fat food foods. It aims to encourage the body to enter a state of “ketosis” - where your body uses stored fat to make ketones.

Traditionally, your body uses glucose from carbohydrates to fuel activity and support your vital organs. According to Harvard Health , you should limit yourself to 20 to 50 grams of carbs per day.

It says a daily 2,000 calorie diet could include 165 grams of fat, 40 grams of carbs, and 75 grams of protein. Although the exact amounts will differ per person.