Dr. Chris Palmer has been a psychiatric researcher for 25 years, and he’s used the ketogenic diet—validated for epilepsy treatment—to reverse symptoms of his patients’ chronic depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Ketogenic diets are described as high-fat with minimal carbohydrates and moderate protein.
While he doesn’t necessarily endorse a ketogenic diet for everyone, Dr. Palmer said dietary strategies are among personalized approaches that can prevent and slow the progression of mental health symptoms. Many lifestyle strategies, he said, can sometimes work better than medications and psychotherapy, with the bonus of improving physical health, too.
He expands on these concepts in his new book, “Brain Energy,” which offers new solutions to mental health problems that can get worse in spite of accelerated drug treatments.
To unify mental illness research among medical disciplines with evidence found in clinical, neuroscience, and metabolic research, Dr. Palmer has proposed a new theory: Mental disorders are metabolic disorders of the brain.
Because metabolism is something that can ebb and flow, symptoms can surface before a diagnosis and be key warning signs for anyone who has even occasional bouts of anxiety and depression or has been told they are prediabetic or at risk of Alzheimer’s disease. In other words, Dr. Palmer’s findings have key takeaways for anyone who wants to be in optimal health.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
American Essence: Explain what you mean by a metabolic disorder of the brain.
Dr. Chris Palmer: A simple way to think about it is that metabolism is the process of cells getting and effectively using nutrients to produce energy and build the things that they need in order to function properly, which includes cell parts, such as proteins and membranes, but also includes things the cell secretes, such as hormones and neurotransmitters.
All of these are ultimately made from the food that we eat after the food is digested and broken down into various molecules. Problems with metabolism can be caused by a number of things, including nutrient/calorie deficiencies, excess caloric intake, inflammation, hormonal imbalances, toxins, etc. Any of these can cause cells to malfunction. When brain cells aren’t functioning properly, it can lead to symptoms of mental illness.
AE: Why should we be concerned about metabolic brain disorders?
Dr. Palmer: All of us are vulnerable to developing metabolic problems in our bodies and brains. As most people know, rates of metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes are increasing steeply.
At the same time, rates of a wide variety of mental disorders are also increasing at alarming rates across a wide range of diagnostic categories, including depression, burnout, anxiety, ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), bipolar disorder, and autism-spectrum disorders. Mental disorders are a leading cause of disease burden and disability throughout the world. Our current approaches are not preventing these increasing rates and fail to work far too often. We as society need to be asking why this is happening and look at the science that connects these conditions with metabolic health. This can lead to better ways to understand, prevent, and treat these conditions.
AE: Who’s having success with this approach?
Dr. Palmer: Countless people are sharing their success stories of recovering from a variety of mental illnesses using metabolic treatment strategies.
One woman [in a study Dr. Palmer co-authored] suffered from schizophrenia for 53 years, experiencing daily hallucinations and delusions. At the age of 70, she tried the ketogenic diet under the direction of a physician. Within two weeks, she noted dramatic reductions in hallucinations and delusions. Within six months, she tapered off all of her psychiatric medications and was free of symptoms of schizophrenia. She went on to live another 15 years, symptom-free, medication-free, and out of psychiatric hospitals. Oh—she also lost 150 pounds and kept it off. Everyone’s journey is a little different, but there is hope for improving chronic mental illnesses.
AE: What can we all do to improve our mental health?
Dr. Palmer: There are many strategies that can be employed, including eating a healthy diet of real, whole foods; getting appropriate exercise/movement; getting adequate sleep; avoiding harmful substances, such as drugs and excessive amounts of alcohol; managing our stress with strategies like mindfulness and meditation; having good relationships; and developing a strong sense of purpose in life.
Although many people equate some of these strategies with physical health, the brain is part of the body, too, and is affected by these same lifestyle factors. In reality, biological, psychological, and social factors all play a role in mental health and in metabolic health.
This article was originally published in American Essence magazine.
