Research so far is small and very limited<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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TUESDAY, Feb. 10, 2026 (HealthDay News) \u2014 U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr<\/a>. said this week that the ketogenic, or keto, diet could cure schizophrenia.<\/p>\n But experts say the claim goes far beyond what science supports.<\/p>\n Speaking at the Tennessee State Capitol, Kennedy told a crowd that diet plays a major role in mental illness.<\/p>\n He said a Harvard doctor had \u201ccured schizophrenia using keto diets,\u201d and added that some people were no longer diagnosed as bipolar after changing what they eat.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are studies right now that I saw two days ago where people lose their bipolar diagnosis by changing their diet,” Kennedy said.<\/p>\n The keto diet is high in fat and very low in carbohydrates. While popular for weight loss, it is hard to follow long-term and may raise heart health risks.<\/p>\n Experts say there is no strong evidence that the eating regimen cures schizophrenia.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is currently no credible evidence that ketogenic diets cure schizophrenia,\u201d Dr. Mark Olfson<\/a>, a psychiatry professor at Columbia University, told The New York Times.<\/em><\/p>\n Kennedy appeared to be referring to research<\/a> by Dr. Christopher Palmer<\/a>, a Harvard psychiatrist who described two patients in 2019 whose schizophrenia symptoms went into remission while on a keto diet. Palmer later called the diet a \u201cpromising\u201d approach, but not a cure.<\/p>\n Mental health experts stress that these reports are very small, however.<\/p>\n It’s \u201csimply misleading to suggest that we know that ketogenic diets can improve schizophrenia symptoms, much less that they can \u2018cure\u2019 the condition,\u201d said Dr. Paul Appelbaum<\/a>, former president of the American Psychiatric Association.<\/p>\n Some short-term studies suggest keto diets may help certain symptoms, but most lack control groups for comparison.<\/p>\n Schizophrenia affects thinking, emotions and behavior and usually requires lifelong treatment, according to the Mayo Clinic<\/a>.<\/p>\n Antipsychotic medications remain the main treatment, although they can cause side effects like weight gain and fatigue.<\/p>\n Experts agree that diet may play a role in overall health but warn against replacing proven treatments.<\/p>\n More information<\/strong><\/p>\n The Mayo Clinic has more on schizophrenia<\/a>.<\/p>\n