Why Setbacks Can Happen with Ketogenic Therapy for Mental Illness — and How to Respond

Nov 10, 2025

Guest

Lauren Kennedy West

Guest

Matt Baszucki

Guest

Georgia Ede

Dr. Georgia Ede, a seasoned psychiatrist specializing in ketogenic therapies, joins patient advocate Matt Baszucki and content creator Lauren Kennedy West, who shares her journey with schizoaffective disorder. They dive into the non-linear path of healing, tackling the emotional rollercoaster of tapering medications. Insights include managing variable ketone levels, stigma around dietary choices, and the importance of support systems. They also discuss how setbacks can drive personal growth, encouraging listeners to embrace challenges on the road to mental health.

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ADVICE

Maintain Consistent Ketone Levels

Keep ketones high and avoid long periods out of ketosis to reduce risk of mood instability when re-entering ketosis.
Monitor ketones daily and use diet adjustments like fewer meals, more fat, or carnivore experiments to maintain levels.

INSIGHT

Therapeutic Ketone Range Is Individual

Ketone levels affect cognition for some but individuals vary in their therapeutic range and tolerance of fluctuations.
Aim for a personal target (Matt tracks 1.5–2.5 mmol/L) and prioritize time spent in that range over transient blips.

ADVICE

Taper Medications Carefully

Expect complex medication interactions and potentiation when starting ketogenic therapy and proceed cautiously with any taper.
Research, self-advocate, and consult clinicians experienced in deprescribing to reduce withdrawal risk.

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What does it really look like to heal a serious mental illness with ketogenic therapy?

At Metabolic Mind, we often highlight powerful stories of individuals putting serious psychiatric conditions into remission with ketogenic and metabolic therapies. But healing isn't always linear, and it's rarely easy.

In this honest and deeply human episode, Dr. Bret Scher and Dr. Georgia Ede sit down with Matt Baszucki and Lauren Kennedy West to explore the real-world challenges of using ketogenic therapies for mental health.

Together, they discuss:

The emotional and practical realities of tapering psychiatric medications
Navigating variable ketone levels and the effect on mood, cognition, and stability
The stigma around diet and mental illness, and the power of self-trust
What it takes to sustain long-term lifestyle change (and the benefits of support)
How setbacks can become opportunities for growth, resilience, and self-discovery

Whether you're just starting a metabolic therapy or supporting someone who is, this conversation offers validation, insight, and encouragement to keep going — even when the path is hard.

👉 Subscribe to Metabolic Mind for more real conversations on metabolic psychiatry and mental health: https://www.youtube.com/@metabolicmind.

#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #MetabolicTherapies #FoodAsMedicine #Schizophrenia #BipolarDisorder

Expert Featured:

Dr. Georgia Ede
Dr. Bret Scher

Matt Baszucki

Lauren Kennedy West

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits:

https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/?utm_medium=organic-social&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=cme-yt

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.