A Scoping Review of Ketosis-Inducing Therapeutic Strategies and Their Effectiveness in Treating Psychiatric, Mood, and Mental Disorders

Psychiatric disorders are a leading cause of global disability, with prevalence continuing to rise despite advances in mental health care. Standard pharmacological and psychological treatments are frequently limited by treatment resistance and significant adverse effects, particularly metabolic complications that increase morbidity and mortality, underscoring the need for alternative or adjunctive therapeutic strategies. Emerging evidence from neurological and metabolic conditions suggests that ketosis-inducing interventions may confer therapeutic benefits by targeting underlying metabolic and neurobiological mechanisms, with pre-clinical and early clinical studies indicating that ketone bodies may influence mood regulation and brain function through neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory pathways. Ketosis can be achieved through dietary approaches, such as the ketogenic diet, or via exogenous ketone supplementation, each with distinct advantages and limitations. In this context, this review aims to consolidate and critically appraise evidence on the effectiveness of ketone bodies in the treatment of psychiatric disorders, drawing on both human and animal studies and examining their use as primary or adjunctive interventions. The review will also explore biochemical changes, adherence, acceptability, dosage, and duration of ketosis, and will assess completed and ongoing clinical trials to identify limitations, outcomes, and key gaps relevant to future research and clinical translation.