This 2019 case study from Bristlecone Medical, Inc. in Maple Grove, Minnesota, reviews the use of a ketogenic diet to reverse long-term metabolic and psychological illness in a patient.
A 65-year-old, sedentary patient presented with a 26-year history of uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes alongside chronic major depressive disorder and a variety of other psychological symptoms. The patient was placed on a ketogenic diet with 10% of calories from carbohydrate for 12 weeks and guided HIIT (high-intensity interval training) with weekly coaching.
This intervention reduced HbA1c from a baseline of 8.0% to 5.4%, below the threshold for a diabetes diagnosis. HOMA-IR decreased from 9.4 to 2.3, while the triglyceride-to-HDL ratio decreased from 4.7 to 1.2.
Improvements in behavioral metrics were equally dramatic, with score-based measures of self-efficacy indicating complete resolution of depression. The patient reported improved self-confidence, energy, sleep, mood stability, and cognition.
These results are from a single case, and thus we can only extrapolate from these results with caution. This study does, however, suggest intensive diet-and-exercise therapy can resolve forms of both metabolic disease and depression. Future articles on CrossFit.com will continue to explore the connections between metabolic disease and mental health.
Ketogenic Diets Potentially Reverse Type II Diabetes and Ameliorate Clinical Depression: A Case Study