Small Ketogenic Diet Trial in Anorexia Patients Shows Symptom Improvement but Experts Urge Caution Pending Larger Studies

Eighteen of 22 women with anorexia nervosa completed a 14-week ketogenic diet and 13 of them, or 72 percent, fell below the clinical diagnosis threshold for both anorexia and depression. The participants began the trial with body mass index values in the healthy to slightly underweight range.

They followed a regimen high in fat, moderate in protein and very low in carbohydrates, supervised by a dietician, a psychiatrist and a peer support counsellor who had experienced anorexia.

Weight, mood and anorexia symptoms were assessed weekly through questionnaires that measured body image, depression, food-related anxiety and fear of weight gain. All 18 women who finished the trial remained in the healthy to slightly underweight BMI range and did not relapse.

Guido Frank of the University of California, San Diego, who led the study, said the level of recovery was far better than what is seen in other anorexia treatments.

He also noted that patients often describe the disorder in terms of addiction, saying they crave the restriction. 1038/s43856-026-01644-0. Ketogenic diets were first developed in the 1920s as a treatment for epilepsy.

Researchers have since linked problems releasing energy from glucose in the brain to both epilepsy and certain mental health conditions, including anorexia, and have examined whether ketone bodies can serve as an alternative fuel. Sahib Khalsa of the University of California, Los Angeles, cautioned that the approach requires close monitoring by an eating disorder psychiatrist, dietitian and treatment team.

He said it is too early to change standard treatment, which typically combines therapy and nutritional support, until larger randomised controlled trials are completed.

@NewScientist reported the findings from the trial conducted by Frank and his team.