Keto Diet May Offer Modest Benefits for Treatment-Resistant Depression

New clinical trial suggests high-fat, low-carb diet could help some patients, but experts caution it's not a cure-all.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 5:15pm

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A recent clinical trial found that people with treatment-resistant depression who followed a ketogenic diet for six weeks saw a 10.5 point drop in their depression scores, compared to an 8.3 point drop in a control group following a plant-based diet. While the benefits were statistically significant, researchers say the improvements were modest and more difficult to sustain than some online claims suggest.

Why it matters

Around a third of people with depression don't get adequate relief from medication, so new treatment options are needed. The keto diet has generated significant public interest as a potential way to improve mental health, but high-quality research on its effects has been lacking until now.

The details

The study, published in JAMA Psychiatry, followed 88 participants with treatment-resistant depression. One group ate a keto diet with less than 30 grams of carbs per day, while the control group followed a plant-forward eating plan. After six weeks, the keto group saw a larger drop in depression scores, but the researchers say the benefit was modest and more difficult to sustain than some online claims suggest.

  • The study was published on February 4, 2026.
  • Participants followed the diets for six weeks.

The players

Min Gao

The lead study author, an epidemiologist and health behavior scientist at the University at Oxford in England.

Amir Afkhami

A professor and the vice chair of the George Washington University department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences.

Gail Saltz

A clinical associate professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City and the host of the How Can I Help? podcast.

Aaron P. Brinen

An assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

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What they’re saying

“Our study shows that when a ketogenic diet is tested carefully, any benefit appears to be real but modest — and more difficult to sustain than some claims suggest.”

— Min Gao, Lead study author

“This is one of the first well-controlled, randomized clinical trials testing a ketogenic diet in the treatment of treatment-resistant depression.”

— Amir Afkhami, Professor and vice chair, George Washington University department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences

“No one in psychiatry is ready to recommend this as a research-backed method of treatment for treatment-resistant depression.”

— Gail Saltz, Clinical associate professor of psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College

What’s next

Researchers are currently investigating the potential mechanisms by which the keto diet may impact depression, including changes in brain energy use, inflammation, gut microbiome, and metabolism.

The takeaway

While the new study provides the most rigorous evidence to date that the keto diet may offer modest benefits for treatment-resistant depression, experts caution that it is not a cure-all and should not be pursued without first consulting a doctor or mental health professional.