Mental Health Meets Heart Health in New Mayo Clinic Initiative

May 19, 2025

Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, a cardiology expert at Mayo Clinic, and Dr. Mark Frye, a psychiatrist with a focus on bipolar disorder, dive into innovative intersections of heart and mental health. They discuss groundbreaking research on ketogenic therapy as a potential treatment for mood disorders and its effects on cardiovascular health. The duo emphasizes the need for precision nutrition, exploring how tailored dietary strategies can address individual metabolic pathways. Their engaging conversation reveals exciting advancements in integrating nutritional interventions into clinical practice.

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INSIGHT

Mood Influences Diet Quality

Mood significantly influences dietary choices and diet quality impacts depressive symptoms and eating behavior.
Different types of depression show distinct food-related symptoms, affecting appetite and cravings differently.

INSIGHT

Ketogenic Diet Alters Brain Metabolism

Changing the brain's fuel source from carbs to fat via ketogenic diet alters brain energetics.
This shift may stabilize mood, linking mitochondrial function and genetics in bipolar disorder treatment.

ADVICE

Monitor Cardiovascular Health Closely

Regularly monitor metabolic, lipid, and inflammatory markers when prescribing diets.
Use endothelial function testing to detect early cardiovascular changes and assess diet safety.

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Can ketogenic therapy improve both cardiovascular and mental health? A new study at Mayo Clinic is exploring that question—and during Mental Health Awareness Month, it's especially exciting to see one of the world’s most prestigious medical institutions investigating the connection between ketogenic therapy and psychiatric care. This research marks a powerful full-circle moment: the ketogenic diet was first used to treat epilepsy at Mayo Clinic over 100 years ago.

In this episode, we sit down with two leading physician-scientists from Mayo Clinic: Dr. Mark A. Frye (Psychiatry) and Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez (Preventive Cardiology). Together, they explore how nutrition—particularly ketogenic therapy—can play a role in treating bipolar disorder, improving cardiovascular health, and addressing shared metabolic pathways that impact both heart and brain health.

In this interview, you'll learn:

Why Mayo Clinic is investing in research on ketogenic interventions for bipolar disorder
The potential shared mechanisms between mood disorders and cardiovascular disease
What "precision nutrition" really means and why one-size-fits-all diets may not work
How Mayo researchers are using advanced cardiovascular testing to monitor safety
Why implementation science is key to bringing dietary interventions into clinical care

This conversation bridges disciplines and opens the door to new, integrated approaches to mental and metabolic health. Watch now and discover how this groundbreaking research is challenging old paradigms and paving the way for better care.

Expert Featured:

Mark Frye, MD
Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, MD, MS

Other Resources Mentioned:

Managing Major Mental Illness with Dietary Change: The New Science of Hope

https://www.mycme.com/courses/managing-major-mental-illness-with-dietary-change-9616

Brain Energy: The Metabolic Theory of Mental Illness

https://www.mycme.com/courses/brain-energy-the-metabolic-theory-of-mental-illness-9615

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.