HealthFebruary 8, 2026

Keto and Schizophrenia: What the Research Actually Shows

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② Start Lesson

Key Vocabulary

ketogenic/ˌkiːtəˈdʒɛnɪk/

a very low‑carbohydrate, high‑fat diet

"She followed a ketogenic plan to change her energy source."

remission/rɪˈmɪʃən/

a period when symptoms become much less or stop

"After treatment, his symptoms went into remission."

medication/ˌmɛdɪˈkeɪʃən/

a drug that doctors prescribe to treat illness

"The doctor said to take the medication every morning."

Listening

Keto and Schizophrenia: What the Research Actually Shows

In early February 2026, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said a ketogenic, or keto, diet could 'cure' schizophrenia. His comment talked about research by Harvard psychiatrist Christopher Palmer. Experts quickly said this claim was wrong.

Dr. Palmer has written about two case reports where people with schizophrenia went into remission after a strict ketogenic diet. Other small trials, like one at Stanford, showed some symptom improvement but were small and short. Doctors warn it is not a replacement for antipsychotic medication. The speech drew wide attention and many scientists spoke up.

93 words

Quiz

1. What diet did Robert F. Kennedy Jr. say could 'cure' schizophrenia?

2. Which Harvard psychiatrist did Kennedy mention?

3. What do doctors warn the keto diet is not a replacement for?

Reading Practice

Read the article from the Listening section aloud. Your AI teacher will give you pronunciation feedback.

Discussion

Do you think food and diet affect your mood? How?

Have you ever tried a strict diet like keto? What happened?

What do you think when you hear a new idea about health that sounds big?