Nurturing your relationship with yourself and your body can play a meaningful role in how you move forward from a mental health setback.

Nicole Laurent shares a grounded, compassionate perspective on navigating setbacks. She explores how these moments can sometimes disrupt trust in ourselves, creating an internal tension that makes progress feel harder than it needs to be.

She explores:

• Why setbacks can shake trust in your body, and how to rebuild it
• How to approach challenges with curiosity instead of self-judgment
• Common triggers that can lead to going off track
• How mindset and framing influence long-term success
• How your relationship with food and your body can evolve over time

The key takeaway: setbacks are part of the learning process. Reconnecting with the idea that your body is working toward balance can help you move forward with more clarity, confidence, and resilience.

💡Learn more about navigating setbacks on the mental health journey in our blog: How to Bounce Back from Challenges and Setbacks.

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #MetabolicPsychiatry

Expert Featured:

Nicole Laurent, LMHC

• https://mentalhealthketo.com/nicole-laurent-lmhc-about-me/
• https://x.com/KetoCounselor
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/nlaurent/
• https://www.instagram.com/mentalhealthketo/

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, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, 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.

Is high LDL cholesterol always a red flag?

For a growing group of people known as Lean Mass Hyper-Responders (LMHRs), the answer might not be so black and white.

In this video, Dr. Bret Scher unpacks the science and questions behind LMHRs—metabolically healthy, lean individuals who see a dramatic rise in LDL cholesterol after starting a ketogenic diet. Unlike people with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), their elevated LDL occurs in a unique metabolic context: low insulin, high HDL, low triglycerides, excellent metabolic health, and comes on only after adopting a ketogenic diet.

🔍 In this video, you'll learn:

• What defines a Lean Mass Hyper-Responder

• Why conventional cholesterol risk frameworks may not apply to LMHRs

• The key differences between LMHRs and those with familial hypercholesterolemia

• Why context, like insulin sensitivity and metabolic health, might matter

• Why this phenomenon deserves thoughtful study, not assumptions

This growing curiosity around LMHRs is the focus of a powerful new documentary: The Cholesterol Code. Featuring researchers, clinicians, and individuals living with this phenotype, the film challenges long-held beliefs about cholesterol, risk, and metabolic health, and opens the door to a more nuanced conversation

🎬 Real change starts with real conversations. Join us in sharing The Cholesterol Code, a powerful film that challenges outdated thinking about cholesterol and heart health. Sign up to host a screening or find one near you at 🔗 https://cholesterolcodemovie.com/host-a-screening/.

Together, we can reach the people who need this most.

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #FoodAsMedicine #LDLCholesterol

Expert Featured:

Dr. Bret Scher

• Baszucki Group Medical Director
• https://x.com/bschermd

Resources Mentioned:

• https://cholesterolcodemovie.com

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, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, 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.

Are we destined for cognitive decline as we age, or do we have more control than we think?

In this conversation, Dr. Bret Scher sits down with neuroscientist and researcher Dr. Tommy Wood to explore a powerful shift in how we think about brain health, aging, and dementia prevention.

Dr. Wood challenges the common belief that cognitive decline is inevitable, highlighting how lifestyle, environment, and daily habits can meaningfully shape our brain’s trajectory over time. He introduces his “3S Framework”—Stimulus, Supply, and Support—to explain how brain function is built, maintained, and optimized across the lifespan.

In this interview, you’ll learn:

• Why cognitive decline isn’t inevitable
• How mindset and engagement can influence brain aging
• The role of metabolic health and energy supply in brain function
• How nutrition, sleep, exercise, and social connection interact to support the brain
• Where ketogenic therapy and ketones may fit into brain health and cognitive decline
• How to navigate modern challenges like technology, AI, and information overload from a brain health perspective

Dr. Wood also shares insights from his upcoming book, The Stimulated Mind, offering a practical framework to help individuals “future-proof” their brain and stay sharp in an ever-changing world.

The key takeaway: brain health isn’t about a single intervention. It’s about consistently engaging, fueling, and supporting the brain in ways that promote resilience over time.

💡 To learn more about metabolic approaches to brain and mental health, visit metabolicmind.org or sign up fo the Metabolic Mind newsletter at metabolicmind.org/newsletter

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #Dementia

Expert Featured:

Dr. Tommy Wood

• https://www.drtommywood.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/drtommywood/

Resources Mentioned:

Dr. Wood's Book

• https://www.drtommywood.com/stimulated-mind

Google effects on memory: cognitive consequences of having information at our fingertips

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21764755/

Adult Changes in Thought study: dementia is an individually varying convergent syndrome with prevalent clinically silent diseases that may be modified by some commonly used therapeutics

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22471861/

Dietary cholesterol or egg consumption do not increase the risk of stroke, Finnish study finds

• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190520093448.htm

Multimodal strategy to rescue the brain in mild cognitive impairment: Ketogenic oral nutrition supplementation with B vitamins and aerobic exercise

• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9541319/

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, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, 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.

In this second video of our Bounce Back Series, Dr. Georgia Ede shares practical, compassionate guidance for returning to ketosis using simple, effective strategies rooted in diet and lifestyle.

Rather than approaching setbacks with frustration or perfectionism, Dr. Ede emphasizes a mindset of curiosity and learning. Falling out of ketosis will happen and it’s not a failure. With the right tools, you can use that information to refine what works best for your body.

In this video, you’ll learn:

1. Why “ketosis interruptions” are normal and part of the process
2. How mindset plays a critical role in long-term success
3. Simple strategies to return to ketosis quickly, including fasting and exercise
4. How food choices can support appetite regulation and metabolic stability
5. The role of supplements like exogenous ketones and their limitations
6. Why personalization is key to sustainable metabolic health

Dr. Ede also explains the underlying physiology of ketosis: how insulin, glucose, and stored glycogen influence your body’s ability to shift back into fat-burning mode.

The key takeaway: consistency matters, but perfection isn’t required. With the right approach, you can recover quickly, learn from the experience, and continue moving forward.

💡Learn more about navigating setbacks on the mental health journey in our blog: How to Bounce Back from Challenges and Setbacks.

Check out part 1 of this series: https://youtu.be/C4KCNIO31tM

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #MetabolicPsychiatry

Expert Featured:

Dr. Georgia Ede

1. https://www.diagnosisdiet.com/
2. https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiaedemd
3. https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaEdeMd/
4. https://www.instagram.com/georgiaedemd/?hl=en

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, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, 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.

If you only read the headlines, it sounds simple: plants are protective, red meat is harmful. But when you examine the actual studies behind those claims, the conclusions aren’t nearly so clear.

In this video, Dr. Bret Scher takes a closer look at two recently published papers, one linking red meat consumption to diabetes risk and another suggesting vegetarian diets reduce cancer risk. Both studies rely on observational nutrition data, which can reveal associations but cannot prove cause and effect.

In this video, you'll learn:

1. Why many nutrition headlines oversimplify complex research
2. The difference between observational studies and causal evidence
3. How healthy user bias and lifestyle confounding can distort results
4. Why hazard ratios in nutrition studies are often too small to draw meaningful conclusions
5. How media coverage and expert commentary can reinforce existing dietary narratives

Dr. Scher explains why these studies may say more about overall lifestyle patterns like calorie intake, diet quality, alcohol use, and smoking, than about individual foods like red meat or plant-based diets.

The bigger takeaway: nutrition science is nuanced, and the best diet for metabolic health may vary from person to person. Instead of focusing on simplistic narratives like “meat bad, plants good,” we should focus on improving overall dietary quality and metabolic health.

💡If you’re looking for deeper, more nuanced discussions about nutrition, metabolic health, and mental health, explore our resources at metabolicmind.org.

#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #FoodAsMedicine

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

Expert Featured:

Dr. Bret Scher

1. Baszucki Group Medical Director
2. https://x.com/bschermd

Resources Mentioned:

Vegetarian diets and cancer risk: pooled analysis of 1.8 million women and men in nine prospective studies on three continents

1. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41416-025-03327-4

Association between red meat intake and diabetes: a cross-sectional analysis of a nationally representative sample of US adults (NHANES 2003-2016)

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41667215/

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, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, 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.

In this special episode of Metabolic Mind, Dr. Julie Milder, Director of Neuroscience at Baszucki Group, speaks with Dr. Fabiano Gomes, psychiatrist and researcher at McMaster University, and the inaugural recipient of the Baszucki Group Metabolic Psychiatry Scholar Award.

Dr. Gomes recently published a pilot feasibility trial of a ketogenic diet for depression in the Journal of Affective Disorders. In this conversation, he shares how the study came together, what the results revealed, and why metabolic approaches may offer new hope for people struggling with treatment-resistant depression.

In this episode, they discuss:

1. The pilot ketogenic diet trial for depression and its key findings
2. How the study successfully transitioned to a fully remote clinical trial during COVID
3. What the results suggest about feasibility, adherence, and clinical improvements
4. The role of nutritional ketosis in mood disorders and metabolic psychiatry
5. Dr. Gomes’ vision for launching a Metabolic Psychiatry Clinic in Canada
6. Plans to integrate biomarkers, brain imaging, and real-world clinical care
7. The importance of training clinicians and dietitians to expand access to metabolic therapies

Dr. Gomes’s work represents an exciting step forward in the growing field of metabolic psychiatry, which explores how metabolism and brain energy may influence conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental health disorders.

The conversation also highlights the importance of building clinical infrastructure and training programs to make metabolic therapies more accessible to patients today.

💡Learn more about the growing research on metabolic psychiatry and depression on our Depression Topic Page: https://www.metabolicmind.org/resources/topics/keto-for-depression/

👍 If you found this discussion helpful, please like and subscribe for more conversations about metabolic health and mental health.

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #Depression

Expert Featured:

Dr. Julie Milder

1. https://www.metabolicmind.org/team/julie-milder-phd/
2. http://linkedin.com/in/juliemilder

Dr. Fabiano Gomes

1. https://www.instagram.com/dr.fabianogomes/
2. linkedin.com/in/fabiano-gomes-b03b492a/
3. https://x.com/fagomes1981

Resources Mentioned:

1. https://canbind.ca/

Medically supervised ketogenic diet as an adjunctive treatment for moderate to severe depression: A pilot study

1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.121079

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, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, 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.

Setbacks are a natural part of any journey, and mental health recovery is no exception. In this video, Dr. Matt Bernstein shares a powerful perspective on why downturns aren’t failures, but opportunities to learn, adapt, and build resilience.

Rather than viewing setbacks as something to fear or avoid, Dr. Bernstein explains how adopting a growth mindset can transform the way we respond to challenges. With the right preparation and support, moments of struggle can become key turning points in long-term recovery.

In this video, you’ll learn:

1. Why setbacks are normal in any recovery journey
2. How to reframe “failures” as opportunities for growth
3. The importance of identifying early warning signs
4. How to build a personal plan for navigating downturns
5. Why support systems and connection are critical during difficult times
6. How tools like mindfulness and structured planning can help you regain momentum

Dr. Bernstein also discusses practical strategies like creating a Wellness Recovery Action Plan, leveraging your support network, and even planning ahead for more serious crises with tools like a healthcare proxy.

If you’re navigating mental health challenges or supporting someone who is, this conversation offers practical tools and a more compassionate framework for the journey.

💡Learn more about navigating setbacks on the mental health journey in our detailed article: How to Bounce Back from Challenges and Setbacks.

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #MetabolicPsychiatry

Expert Featured:

Dr. Matt Bernstein

1. https://accordmh.com/
2. http://linkedin.com/in/matthew-bernstein-md-5743338

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, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, 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.

Can a ketogenic diet improve mental health?

This week marks a significant moment for metabolic psychiatry and ketogenic therapy for serious mental illness.

A New York Times piece highlighted early research from Stanford University, The Ohio State University, and the University of Edinburgh—alongside stories from individuals who have shared their lived experience here on Metabolic Mind.

This kind of visibility matters. It reflects years of work by researchers and clinicians like Drs. Chris Palmer, Shebani Sethi, and Iain Campbell, research funded by Baszucki Group, advocates like Jan Baszucki, as well as the many people who have been willing to share their personal stories.

Lived experience alone isn’t enough. Early data alone isn’t enough. But together, they point to something that must be tested, confirmed — or challenged — through high-quality science. That’s why we are excited about several RCTs currently completed or underway around the world.

We need to continue efforts to advance education, public awareness and research on a scale that will require public funding. That’s how medicine moves forward. And that’s the exciting work ahead.

📰 Read the full article here: https://nyti.ms/4sj2WZD

Hear more from our founder Jan Baszucki, calling for further investments in research and clinical care, and sharing her family’s story highlighting how after a decade of illness, ketogenic therapy sent her son's bipolar I disorder symptoms into remission and has kept him there since 2021.

🔗 Read Jan’s op-ed: https://bit.ly/4dpkU7Z

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

Expert Featured:

Dr. Bret Scher

1. Baszucki Group Medical Director
2. https://x.com/bschermd

Resources Mentioned:

NYT Article: Can the Keto Diet Really Improve Mental Health?

1. https://nyti.ms/4sj2WZD

Foundational Clinical Trials Page

1. https://www.metabolicmind.org/resources/science/clinical-trials/

Maya Schumer’s THINK+SMART Profile:

1. https://www.metabolicmind.org/thinksmart/explore-strategies/maya-schumer/

Lewis Anstee’s THINK+SMART Profile:

1. https://www.metabolicmind.org/thinksmart/explore-strategies/lewis-anstee/

Lived Experience Stories & Strategies

1. https://www.metabolicmind.org/thinksmart/explore-strategies/

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, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, 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.

Can the ketogenic diet help improve symptoms for individuals living with treatment-resistant depression?

In this conversation, Dr. Bret Scher sits down with Dr. Megan Kirk Chang, a senior researcher in metabolic psychiatry at the University of Oxford and a co-author of the recently published DIME trial.

This study represents the first randomized clinical trial to evaluate a ketogenic diet in adults with treatment-resistant depression.

Participants were assigned to either a ketogenic diet or a plant-rich comparison diet for six weeks to assess whether dietary intervention could influence depressive symptoms. Both groups experienced meaningful improvements in depression scores, with the ketogenic diet slightly outperforming the control group at 6 weeks.

While the difference between groups did not reach the threshold for statistical significance, the findings suggest a positive signal that warrants further investigation.

In this interview, Dr. Kirk Chang reflects on:

1. The strengths of the study and where she sees opportunity for improvement.
2. What the modest difference between diets might mean
3. Why early pilot trials are designed to detect signals rather than definitive answers
4. What the study revealed about adherence, cravings, and behavioral factors
5. How these results will inform larger and longer clinical trials now being planned

As Dr. Kirk Chang explains, this six-week pilot trial was designed as proof-of-concept research to determine whether there is enough signal to justify larger studies in metabolic psychiatry.

At Metabolic Mind, we view studies like this as an important step in a growing scientific effort to understand how metabolism and nutrition may influence serious mental illness. Each new study contributes to the evolving evidence base that will help researchers determine who may benefit, why, and under what conditions.

🔗 To learn more about the available evidence for ketogenic therapy in depression and our top resources, visit our Depression Topic Page: https://www.metabolicmind.org/resources/topics/keto-for-depression/

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

Expert Featured:

Dr. Megan Kirk Chang, PhD

1. Senior Researcher, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford
2. https://x.com/DrMegKirkChang
3. https://www.linkedin.com/in/megankirkchang/

Resources Mentioned:

A Ketogenic Diet for Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Randomized Clinical Trial

1. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2025.4431

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, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, 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.

A new meta-analysis just dropped, and once again, saturated fat takes center stage. But does the data actually support the decades-long warnings we've heard about saturated fat and heart disease? Not exactly.

In this video, Dr. Bret Scher dives deep into a recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine that reviewed randomized controlled trials on saturated fat intake and health outcomes.

Despite the headlines and abstract language hinting at risk, a closer look at the data reveals no statistically significant increase in heart attacks, strokes, or early death, even with modest increases in LDL.

So why the disconnect between what the data shows and what the authors claim? Dr. Scher breaks it down and explores the nuances often missing from the conversation about saturated fat, including context like food quality, carbohydrate intake, metabolic health, and lifestyle factors that make a big difference.

🔍 Key Topics Covered:

1. What this new meta-analysis actually found (vs. what it claimed)
2. The persistent bias in nutrition science and reporting
3. Why LDL isn’t the whole story
4. How dietary context, like carbs, processing, and lifestyle, matters more than saturated fat alone
5. Why focusing on whole dietary patterns is essential for metabolic health

Dr. Scher says it best, “If the medical and dietetic institutions are so certain that saturated fat is harmful, why are there so many studies that fail to reach meaningful conclusions?”

To learn more about ketogenic therapy and heart disease, check out our Is Keto Safe Topic Page for more content from cardiologist Dr. Bret Scher breaking down keto, dietary fat, saturated fat, LDL, and more.

https://www.metabolicmind.org/resources/topics/is-keto-safe/

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

Expert Featured:

Dr. Bret Scher

1. Baszucki Group Medical Director
2. https://x.com/bschermd

Resources Mentioned:

Effect of Interventions Aimed at Reducing or Modifying Saturated Fat Intake on Cholesterol, Mortality, and Major Cardiovascular Events: A Risk Stratified Systematic Review of Randomized Trials

1. https://doi.org/10.7326/ANNALS-25-02229

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.