My guest this episode is Chris Palmer, M.D., a board-certified psychiatrist and assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He explains the important connection between nutrition, metabolism and mental health and his pioneering work using the ketogenic diet to successfully treat patients with various mental illnesses, including depression and schizophrenia. Dr. Palmer explains how the ketogenic diet is an evidenced-based treatment for epilepsy, mimics the fasted state and can offset the cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s. He describes the key roles of mitochondria in mental health, how certain conditions likely arise from mitochondrial dysfunction, and how low-carbohydrate diets increase mitochondrial turnover to improve mental health. He also explains how low-carbohydrate diets positively impact the gut microbiome and weight loss, important risk factors for mitochondrial health such as marijuana and alcohol, and the best way to increase circulating ketones depending on individual needs. We also cover how a ketogenic diet impacts mood, sleep, and fertility. Dr. Palmer’s work stands as a revolutionary approach to mental health and disease that, given the prevalence of mental health challenges, should be of interest to people of all backgrounds and ages.
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Dr. Chris Palmer
Dr. Palmer’s website: https://www.chrispalmermd.com
Brain Energy: A Revolutionary Breakthrough in Understanding Mental Health–and Improving Treatment for Anxiety, Depression, OCD, PTSD, and More: https://amzn.to/3XheFIV
Medical profile: https://www.mcleanhospital.org/profile/christopher-palmer
Academic profile & publications: https://connects.catalyst.harvard.edu/Profiles/display/Person/70255
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisPalmerMD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrispalmermd
Timestamps
00:00:00 Dr. Chris Palmer, Mental Health & Metabolic Disorders
00:03:25 Thesis, Eight Sleep, ROKA
00:07:18 Nutrition & Mental Health
00:20:43 Low-Carb Diets & Anti-Depression, Fasting, Ketosis
00:27:52 Schizophrenia, Depression & Ketogenic Diet
00:34:32 AG1 (Athletic Greens)
00:35:38 Psychiatric Mediations, Diet Adherence
00:42:35 Highly Processed Foods, Ketones & Mental Health Benefits
00:46:51 Ketogenic Diet & Epilepsy Treatment
00:56:10 Ketogenic Diet & Mitochondria Health
00:57:05 Nutrition & Benefits for Neurologic/Psychiatric Disorders
01:05:44 Mitochondrial Function & Mental Health
01:15:12 InsideTracker
01:16:23 Mitophagy, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Aging & Diet
01:25:09 Neurons, Mitochondria & Blood Glucose
01:31:54 Obesity, Ketogenic Diet & Mitochondria
01:40:00 Mitochondrial Function: Inheritance, Risk Factors, Marijuana
01:46:34 Alcohol & Ketogenic Diet
01:55:21 Brain Imaging, Alzheimer’s Disease & Ketones
02:01:05 Exogenous (Liquid) Ketones vs. Ketogenic Diet
02:06:27 Neuronal Damage, Ketones & Glucose
02:10:16 Alzheimer’s Disease, Age-Related Cognitive Decline & Ketogenic Diet
02:23:45 Ketogenic Diet & Weight Loss
02:35:47 Ketogenic Diet & Fasting, Hypomania, Sleep
02:46:37 Low Carbohydrate Diets, Menstrual Cycles, Fertility
02:52:23 Obesity Epidemic, Semaglutide & GLP-1 Medications
03:01:01 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Momentous Supplements, Neural Network Newsletter, Social Media
Huberman Lab is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.
Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac – https://www.blabacphoto.com
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Is keto the only diet to cure depression? It’s very strict. Can lazy keto produce the same benefits?
You should speak with Dr. Dale Bredesen about Keto Diet and Alzheimer's.
Thank you so much. You have no idea what you ve done for me. I have depression and anxiety and the ketogenic diet and fasting put them in remission but hypomania would kick in instead. Now I know what to do keep that state in control and how to be normal after 14 years of mental disorders.
Thank you so much.
As a person who for many years now who has a poor relationship with food I found this truly interesting. I follow the keto diet (not religiously but I fast for 2 days then kick start on the third day with high fat protein before introducing carb. I found my cognitive improvement amazing and once I go back to eating too many carbs and too many sweet food I stoop into a slumber.
I believe obesity levels are so high in Western societies it is important for governments to look to the Asian diet and perhaps the Mediterranean diet why they don’t have such a levels of obesity. Also Western societies over prescribed medication which may also be a contributing factor to obesity….. just a thought
Hey, thank you so much for your hard work and for taking the time to share this knowledge with us. I learned so much! I am beyond grateful. I preface that I am not trying to argue because I know texts can be misinterpreted. I am wondering why we only talk about marijuana as harming mitochondria but not stress or prescription pills? Why don't we compare marijuana and prescription pills? I see people with heart problems and epilepsy on things like adderall and im just like interesting. I do not have the biological expertise but I have my own experiences and I think it would be interesting if we truly compared the use of prescription pills and marijuana and prescription pills and stress etc. I think that most people using marijuana are on other medications and then marijuana gets blamed for brain changes. I could be wrong. But, I feel like this narrative that marijuana is harmful has been going on for decades and it will continue if we dont question it and push back. I know everything should be in moderation. I just wonder what the impacts are on just using marijuana and a healthy diet. Are there studies on that? Sorry for the rant hopefully it helps promotes more dialogue
Atkins died from a mysterious fall and hitting his head not from a heart attack.
Brillant Brilliant Brilliant
Life saving information!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much!!!!!!
What data indicates, and this is a really interesting aspect, that those types of "Mutants" (How the Dr. thermed it) were rare before the agricultural revolution. Bodies who could store energy as fat cells efficiently whould prevail among the challenges humans had to face back then. I think it has something to do with energy efficiency. People who are lean and seem to be able to eat everything without becoming obese have a low energy storage efficiency or energy usage efficiency if this makes sense. So their bodies seem to need more material to extract the same amount of energy for body functions than the other type of humans that get fat really quickly. It seems humans who can become very obese have the more efficient body in that regard. They can also build up muscle better because their body can store more energy faster with less food
Does Dr. Palmer have any reliable research about a whole food plant based Ketogenic diet having the same healing effects on brain/mental health issues?
1:55:13
Loved this – and would love to see an episode on PANS/PANDAS!
I realized that I have cognitive decline shortly after moving to Northern Vermont from Bay Area 2 years ago. Once I broke through my denial, I discovered the Ketogenic diet through Google. A week later I achieved Ketosis.
Immediately, I felt significantly better. I had a bit of trouble managing my electrolytes electrolytes and weight loss but figured out most of that through YouTube. I've searched for a doc to help with 0 success, so far.
One doc heaved the book Metabolical, which I had brought to the appointment in the hope of creating a basis of understanding. Others just stared at me with blank eyes. One NP appeared interested, but she either quit or was let go from the practice at which she was a new hire.
It's a challenge to do this entirely on my own. It's less difficult than rolling over into incompetence. I'm highly motivated as a pt. My father and grandfather both went down with it. I worked as a mental health practitioner for 40-years, before I retired and moved.
Might you have suggestion a on where/how to find a doc to help? I'm in a County with 2 physicians. One was the book finger. The other was just too stupid to risk discussing it with. I've tried a few in other Counties, including a new graduate gerentologist associated with UVM. She hadn't heard of it. I asked her how she managed it. She said longterm nursing home care was the only viable intervention. I fled without revealing why I was there. My biggest fear is becoming trapped by incompetent health care.
I'm grateful to you and other competent clinicians and researchers on YouTube. I spend most of my time watching you all and implementing what I've learned. Thank you!
I went to High School in the 70's and out of the whole school we had only 2 obese people. Yes we ate some junk food but for most people we still had home cooked meals. Twinkies, Dingdongs and TV dinners tasted very different from today's. I can actually taste the chemicals in them. I blame all these horrible chemicals for the deterioration of health. Toxic preservatives and the growth hormones in the meats we eat (maybe cause us to grow larger too).
When Palmer talks about levels of ketosis… he's saying 0.8/1.5 minimal or milliMole???
1:51:58
❤️ I could listen to you gentlemen, all day! Very informative, thank you!
How long into the fast does autophagy begin to occur?
Selling supplements is strange for an academic.
Benzo's RUIN lives.
Avoid if at all possible.
Thank you LORD for all the graces, aches & pains of life, everything that ive'd been through but came out victorious by GOD's mercy & love❤. It made me a stronger person to weather out whatever comes. You:ve been my SAVIOUR PROTECTOR & GUIDING LIGHT in my life. I offer my life to you. Thank you PRAISE YOU LORD🙏
All people who are on a ketogenic diet know that they can drink less alcohol. No study needed.
Do you have to eliminate sugar and gluten all the time to get full relief. Can I cheat every now and again.