Lead: In late February 2026, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. asserted on a promotional tour that a Harvard doctor had “cured schizophrenia” with ketogenic diets. Psychiatric researchers and the clinician cited by Kennedy say that claim overstates the evidence. They note the literature contains only small case reports and that larger, controlled trials are just beginning. Experts caution patients not to stop prescribed medications without clinical supervision.
Key takeaways
- RFK Jr. publicly promoted the idea that keto can cure schizophrenia during a Feb. 2026 tour; researchers say there is no robust evidence supporting a cure.
- Claims likely reference work by Harvard psychiatrist Dr. Christopher Palmer, who published two case reports in Schizophrenia Research in 2019 describing remission in two women (ages 39 and 82).
- One patient in those reports tapered medications with clinical supervision; the other abruptly stopped and became severely psychotic, requiring hospitalization for over two months.
- Ketogenic diets have an established history in neurology (first used for pediatric epilepsy in the 1920s; revived in the 1990s for treatment-resistant cases) and are now being studied in psychiatry.
- Palmer and colleagues report roughly 20 controlled trials underway testing keto for psychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
- Mechanistic hypotheses focus on mitochondrial function and changes in brain metabolites such as glutamate, but causal pathways remain unproven.
- Practical barriers include long-term adherence, dietary cost, and uncertainty about whether more relaxed versions of keto can maintain therapeutic ketosis.
Background
The ketogenic diet prioritizes high fat relative to protein and carbohydrates to induce ketosis, a metabolic state in which the body burns fat for fuel instead of glucose. Though not synonymous with a meat-only “carnivore” regimen, the diet has been politicized recently because some public figures endorse restrictive eating patterns. RFK Jr.’s comments came while promoting a new food pyramid that encourages more animal products; his own diet is closer to a carnivore pattern than a classic therapeutic ketogenic protocol.
Interest in keto for psychiatric conditions has grown over the past decade as clinicians and researchers revisit metabolic and mitochondrial hypotheses of mental illness. Dr. Christopher Palmer, a psychiatrist affiliated with Harvard, published two 2019 case reports that described unexpected symptom remission in two women on ketogenic diets. Palmer has repeatedly cautioned that case reports are hypothesis-generating, not definitive proof.
Main event
During his public appearances, the HHS secretary cited keto’s curative potential for schizophrenia. That prompted immediate responses from psychiatric researchers who said the available evidence does not support a claim of cure. Palmer, whose work was presumably the source of the claim, clarified that he has not used the word “cure” in his clinical reports or public statements and emphasized the preliminary nature of the observations.
The 2019 case reports describe two women, aged 39 and 82, who adopted ketogenic diets for gastrointestinal or weight-loss reasons and later reported substantial reductions in psychotic symptoms. Both eventually discontinued antipsychotic medications; one did so with medical supervision, while the other stopped abruptly and later required hospitalization for more than two months before stabilizing back on medication.
Palmer and other investigators stress that uncontrolled individual reports are highly vulnerable to bias and confounding. They urge that changes in medication should occur only under medical guidance, and they warn against interpreting isolated positive outcomes as proof that a dietary intervention will reliably produce remission in broader patient populations.
Analysis & implications
Scientifically, the renewed interest in ketogenic therapy for psychiatric disorders rests on plausible but unproven mechanisms. Researchers point to mitochondrial dysfunction and altered brain metabolism—including shifts in glutamate levels—as potential mediators of symptomatic change. If such mechanisms prove modifiable by diet, new metabolic adjuncts to pharmacotherapy could emerge, particularly for patients who do not respond well to current drugs.
Clinically, however, the evidence base is thin. Two case reports cannot establish efficacy, effect size, optimal patient selection, or safety. The presence of about 20 controlled trials is encouraging, but most are small or in early phases; positive outcomes in pilot studies must be replicated in larger randomized trials before practice guidelines can change.
There are also practical and ethical concerns. Maintaining strict carbohydrate restriction long term is difficult for many patients, and diets that demand high fat intake can be costly and socially isolating. The risk of patients discontinuing medications based on preliminary claims raises real safety issues—illustrated by the hospitalization in the case report where medication was stopped abruptly.
Comparison & data
| Item | Key figures |
|---|---|
| Published case reports (2019) | n = 2 patients (ages 39, 82) |
| Hospitalization after abrupt med cessation | over two months (one patient) |
| Controlled trials underway | ~20 studies covering schizophrenia, bipolar, other conditions |
| Historical clinical use | First active use in 1920s (pediatric epilepsy); resurgence in 1990s |
The table summarizes the small empirical base and the broader historical context. While mechanistic studies—imaging and metabolite assays—have produced suggestive signals (for example, correlations between glutamate changes and symptom improvement in a small bipolar feasibility trial), sample sizes remain small and effect estimates imprecise. Readers should interpret early findings as ground for further research, not as clinical justification for abrupt treatment changes.
Reactions & quotes
Official and expert responses combined correction, caution, and calls for more research. Below are brief excerpts and the context around them.
“I have never once used the word ‘cure’ in my work. I have never claimed to have cured any mental illness, including schizophrenia.”
Dr. Christopher Palmer, Harvard-affiliated psychiatrist (clarifying his published reports)
This statement was issued to correct misinterpretation of his 2019 case reports. Palmer reiterates that the reports were intended to generate hypotheses and that uncontrolled observations cannot establish causality.
“Ketosis shifts fuel use in mitochondria, which may help some people, but it is not a proven cure for serious psychiatric disorders.”
Dr. Deanna Kelly, University of Maryland School of Medicine (researcher on keto and mental health)
Kelly highlighted the plausible biological rationale—mitochondrial and metabolic changes—while warning that mechanism alone does not equate to clinical effectiveness. She also emphasized that supervised trials are needed to determine safety and generalizability.
“If dietary ideas become politicized, patients and research will suffer; we must avoid ideology-driven rejection or acceptance of treatments.”
Dr. Christopher Palmer (on politicization of research)
Palmer expressed frustration that dietary interventions have become framed in partisan terms, which he warned could impede objective scientific progress.
Unconfirmed
- That any specific patient outcome reported in case studies generalizes to typical people with schizophrenia; broader efficacy remains unproven.
- That ketogenic diets produce durable remission of psychosis across diverse patient populations; long-term effects are unknown.
- Whether relaxed or intermittent versions of keto can reliably maintain therapeutic ketosis and symptom benefit; this is still being studied.
Bottom line
Current evidence does not support the claim that ketogenic diets cure schizophrenia. The most directly cited clinical material consists of two 2019 case reports and preliminary mechanistic studies; those findings can inform hypotheses but do not establish treatment guidelines. Clinicians and researchers are pursuing roughly 20 controlled trials, which will be crucial to determine whether keto has a place as an adjunct or alternative treatment in psychiatry.
Until robust trial data are available, patients should not alter or stop prescribed psychiatric medications on the basis of public claims. Policymakers and public figures should avoid overstating early findings; accurate communication is essential to protect patients and preserve trust in scientific and clinical processes.
Sources
- The Guardian (news report summarizing statements and interviews)