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Ketogenic diet as a therapeutic intervention for obsessive-compulsive disorder: a case series of three patients.

Frontiers in nutrition
May 5, 2025
Aaron John MacDonald et al. (2 authors)
Case ReportsJournal ArticleHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to determine whether a ketogenic diet could effectively reduce symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in individuals.

Results Summary

The study found that three participants achieved remission of OCD symptoms and became medication-free after adopting a ketogenic diet, with an average 90.5% reduction in Y-BOCS scores. Symptoms returned when participants deviated from the diet.

Population

Individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (5)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
ketogenic diet
decrease
symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
three individuals
-
reduced
#1
ketogenic diet
decrease
average Y-BOCS scores
three participants
21 points
reduced
#2
ketogenic diet
decrease
Y-BOCS scores
three participants
90.5%
corresponding to a mean decrease
#3
deviations from the ketogenic diet
increase
symptoms
all cases
-
resulted in a return
#4
ketogenic diet
increase
metabolic dysfunction associated with OCD
-
-
improve
#5
Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The ketogenic diet is being explored as a therapeutic intervention for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. Emerging research suggests that these conditions share common pathophysiologies, with the ketogenic diet showing promise in addressing these. This study reports three individuals who reduced their symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) after adopting a ketogenic diet. METHODS: Participants were recruited through personal and professional networks among the authors. Each patient was interviewed, and evidence of their mental health history was collected. Their OCD symptoms were retrospectively assessed before and after adopting the diet using the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). RESULTS: The three participants in this case series have all achieved remission of their symptoms and are medication-free. The diet implementation reduced their average Y-BOCS scores by 21 points, corresponding to a mean decrease of 90.5%. In all cases, deviations from the ketogenic diet resulted in a return of their symptoms. CONCLUSION: The ketogenic diet may be an effective treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Its capacity to improve the metabolic dysfunction associated with OCD may target the underlying mechanisms of the disorder. Controlled clinical trials of the ketogenic diet as a treatment for OCD are warranted.

Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy85/10
Quality60/10
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.05
Weight Score1.10
Normalized Score0.66
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