Study Suggests Ketogenic Diet May Aid Anorexia Nervosa Treatment - Video

A disorder that can take over a decade to diagnose may finally have a new treatment avenue. Researchers at the University of California San Diego have reported promising results from a pilot study suggesting that a ketogenic diet could help improve symptoms of anorexia nervosa, one of the deadliest psychiatric illnesses worldwide.

Published in Communications Medicine, the study tested a supervised ketogenic nutritional intervention in 22 adults with weight-normalized or mildly underweight anorexia nervosa. The diet, which is high in fat, low in carbohydrates, and moderate in protein, was followed for 14 weeks.

The results were encouraging. Nearly 72% of participants who completed the intervention reached the recovered range on eating disorder symptom scales, meaning they no longer met the criteria for an anorexia nervosa diagnosis by the end of the study. All participants who completed the program also showed improvements in depression symptoms, with most reaching normal depression score ranges.

Anorexia nervosa is characterized not only by dangerously low body weight but also by persistent psychological symptoms, including an intense fear of gaining weight, body image distress, and restrictive eating behaviors. Even after weight restoration, many patients continue to struggle with these symptoms, contributing to high relapse rates.

Researchers believe the ketogenic diet may work by addressing underlying neurometabolic dysfunction. Previous studies have suggested that anorexia nervosa could involve disruptions in how the brain processes and uses energy. By altering metabolism and encouraging the production of ketones, the diet may help regulate brain function and improve psychological symptoms.

The study's authors caution that these findings are preliminary. Still, the findings offer hope for a condition with limited treatment options. Larger clinical trials are now needed to determine whether ketogenic therapy can become a safe and effective addition to standard anorexia nervosa care.

REFERENCE: Frank, G. K. W., et al. (2026). Symptom impact and safety of ketogenic therapy in adults with anorexia nervosa: a feasibility trial. Communications Medicine. DOI: 10.1038/s43856-026-01644-0. https://www.nature.com/articles/s43856-026-01644-0