Eating a high-fat, low-carb keto diet could help reduce symptoms of depression

Eating a high-fat, low-carb diet could help reduce symptoms of depression, a study claims.

As many as one in five adults in the UK have experienced some form of depression in their life.

And for one in three of them antidepressants will not fully clear symptoms, say experts.

For this group – described as having treatment-resistant depression – eating a ketogenic, or ‘keto’, diet could help, according to researchers.

The regimen forces the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates.

Experts believe that may reduce inflammation in the brain, alleviating symptoms of depression.

A 2025 study found that a keto diet reduced symptoms of depression by as much as 70 per cent in college students.

To explore this effect, a group of researchers at Oxford University took a sample of 88 adults with depression, for whom traditional medication had not worked. Participants were randomly assigned either a keto or non-keto diet.

Those following the keto plan were given three prepared meals, as well as snacks, that provided less than 30g of carbohydrates per day.

The non-ketogenic diet group were advised to eat normally, with small changes such as swapping saturated fats for unsaturated fats, and eating an extra portion of fruits and vegetables a day.

Both groups also continued their usual medication.

After six weeks, those who had been following the keto diet saw a significant reduction in their depressive symptoms, the researchers found.

While the diet was difficult to maintain for most participants once the trial was over, lead researcher Dr Min Gao said: ‘Our study suggests that following a ketogenic diet in addition to usual care could provide small benefits for depression.’

The keto diet is already used to treat seizures, and recent studies have begun to investigate its use in other mental illnesses, including bipolar and schizophrenia.