How a low-carbohydrate or ketogenic diet helps improve your mental health and reduce anxiety

How does reducing carbohydrates actually make a difference to your mental health?

When you significantly reduce your carbohydrate intake, your body undergoes several important changes that can positively affect your brain function and mood. First, your body shifts from using glucose as its primary fuel source to using ketones, which are produced when your liver breaks down fat. Your brain actually functions very efficiently on ketones, and many people report feeling mentally clearer when in this state.

One of the main ways this dietary change helps with anxiety is through its effect on neurotransmitters - the chemical messengers in your brain. A key change involves GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), your brain's primary calming chemical – think of it as your natural tranquilliser. A ketogenic diet has been shown to increase GABA levels in the brain, which can help reduce anxiety-drive thoughts and worry and promote a sense of calm.

This diet also helps balance other important neurotransmitters. It improves how your brain handles glutamate, which is an excitatory chemical that can drive anxiety when there's too much of it. The diet helps convert excess glutamate into GABA, essentially turning down the volume and urgency of your negative thoughts. It also helps stabilise serotonin and dopamine levels, which are important for emotion regulation and motivation. Unlike high-carb diets that can cause spikes and crashes in these chemicals, a low-carb approach helps maintain more consistent levels, especially when you are insulin resistant.

Another important mechanism involves inflammation. High-carbohydrate diets, especially those rich in processed foods and sugars, can promote inflammation throughout your body, including your brain. This inflammation has been linked to anxiety and mood disorders. By following a low-carb diet, you're likely to reduce this inflammation, which can help improve your mental health.

The diet also helps stabilise your blood sugar levels. When you eat lots of carbohydrates, especially refined ones, your blood sugar tends to spike and crash. These fluctuations can trigger anxiety and mood swings. By maintaining steady blood sugar levels through a low-carb diet, you may experience more stable moods and less anxiety.

And if all of that wasn’t enough to encourage you to try a low-carb way of eating, know that this diet often improves your gut health. We now know there's a strong connection between your gut and your brain – often called the gut-brain axis. A low-carb diet can help reduce harmful bacteria in your gut while promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria. Reducing the amount of hard to digest grains, flours and fibre significantly improvs gut health, reduces bloating and can positively influence your brain chemistry and mood.

Finally, when your body adapts to using ketones for fuel, it often leads to more stable energy levels throughout the day. These ketones actually have a protective effect on your brain cells, helping them communicate more effectively and reducing oxidative stress, which can interfere with normal brain function. This stability can help prevent the energy crashes that sometimes trigger or worsen anxiety symptoms.

If you would like to know more about how to use nutrition to improve your mental health, please visit www.metabolicpsychology.com.au or www.metabolicmind.org or book an online consultation here.

Wishing you health and happiness,

Perri