From a study conducted on mice, researchers say ‘ketogenic’ diets don’t only fight schizophrenia; but also help in waging war against side-effects resulting from drugs used to treat schizophrenia.
In the research published in the journal Schizophrenia Research, the mice were well fed with ketogenic; a diet which the researchers claim is high in fat but low in carbohydrates.
“Most of a person’s energy would come from fat, said Dr Zoltan Sarnyai, who led the research. So the diet would consist of butter, cheese, salmon, etc.
Initially it would be used in addition to medication in an in-patient setting where the patient’s diet could be controlled.”
Researchers noted that when compared with a control group, the mice displayed fewer animal behaviours related to schizophrenia.
Dr Sarnyai concludes that the diet may also be helpful in combating side-effects of drugs used in treating schizophrenia:
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“It’s another advantage that it works against the weight gain, cardiovascular issues and type-two diabetes we see as common side-effects of drugs given to control schizophrenia.”