CUTTING out carbs could be a crucial tool in fighting a mental illness suffered by hundreds of thousands of Brits.
The trendy keto diet — loved by celebs like Halle Berry and Kourtney Kardashian — is normally followed as a means of losing weight.
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The keto diet helps reduce schizophrenia and bipolar symptomsCredit: Getty
It involves cutting carbohydrates to 50g or less per day – the equivalent of around two bananas or slices of bread.
US researchers found it can help reduce schizophrenia symptoms – and may also help patients with mental health conditions including bipolar disorder.
Dr Shebani Sethi, of Stanford University, said: “It’s very promising and very encouraging that you can take back control of your illness in some way, aside from the usual standard of care.
“The participants reported improvements in their energy, sleep, mood and quality of life.
“They feel healthier and more hopeful.”
The ketogenic diet is an eating protocol that involves swapping out carb-heavy foods like potatoes and pasta for higher fat ones like fish, eggs and avocados.
This leads to ketosis — a metabolic state where the body burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates.
Previous research has suggested it could help delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
However, it is not recommended for everyone because it can cause low blood pressure, kidney stones, constipation, nutrient deficiencies and an increased risk of heart disease.
Experts warn people with pancreas, liver, thyroid or gallbladder conditions should steer clear of it.
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The latest study, published in Psychiatry Research, looked at whether the diet could help fix issues caused by antipsychotic drugs – and what effect it has on mental health issues as well.
Dr Sethi said: “The ketogenic diet has been proven to be effective for treatment-resistant epileptic seizures by reducing the excitability of neurons in the brain.
“We thought it would be worth exploring this treatment in psychiatric conditions.”
What did the study find?
Researchers tracked 21 adults with schizophrenia or bipolar…