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Ketogenic diet and ketamine for chronic persistent eating disorder

By Lori Calabrese 1Barbara Scolnick 2Beth Zupec-Kania 3Caroline Beckwith 4Kayla Costello 5Guido K W Frank 6

Summary of the Study

Purpose: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe psychiatric disorder, and shape and weight concerns are often chronic despite weight normalization. No specific treatments exist for those preoccupations that interfere with recovery and trigger relapse. A case study using a ketogenic diet followed by ketamine infusions led to sustained remission in one patient with chronic AN. Here we conducted an open-label trial to test whether this response could be replicated.

Methods: Five adults weight recovered from AN but with persistent eating disorder thoughts and behaviors adopted a therapeutic ketogenic diet (TKD) aimed at maintaining weight. After sustaining nutritional ketosis, participants received six ketamine infusions and were followed over 6 months.

Results: All participants completed the study protocol without significant adverse effects. Two participants maintained TKD for 8 weeks prior to ketamine infusions due to good behavioral response and remained on TKD. Three participants received TKD for 4 weeks prior to and during ketamine, then tapered off after the final infusion. The group showed significant improvements on the Clinical Impairment Assessment (p = 0.008), Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDEQ) Global score (p = 0.006), EDEQ-Eating Concerns (p = 0.005), EDEQ-Shape Concerns (p = 0.016), EDEQ-Weight Concerns (p = 0.032), Eating Disorders Recovery Questionnaire (EDRQ) Acceptance of Self and Body (0.027) and EDRQ-Social and Emotional Connection (p = 0.001). Weight remained stable, except for one participant who relapsed 4 months after treatment and off TKD.

Conclusion: This novel treatment appears to be safe and effective for adults with chronic AN-related psychopathology. The results from this open trial support that there are specific neurobiological underpinnings of AN that can be normalized using TKD and ketamine.

Level of evidence: Level IV, multiple time series with intervention.

Keywords: Anorexia nervosa; Eating disorders; Ketamine; Ketamine treatment; Keto diet; Ketogenic diet.

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