Bipolar DisorderNCT07570875
Evaluating the Impact of Ketogenic Therapy on Symptom Severity and Metabolic Side Effect Profile Among Individuals Living With Bipolar Disorder in A Rural Southern Catchment Area
A study testing Ketogenic foodstuffs in people with Bipolar Disorder, run by University of Alabama at Birmingham at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
It is the purpose of this pilot study to evaluate a high-fat/low-carbohydrate "ketogenic" diet-based intervention as an adjunctive strategy for impacting symptoms of bipolar disorder. The study is designed to evaluate this impact in the rural southern catchment area around Montgomery, Alabama. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Bipolar Disorder
- What is being tested?
- Ketogenic foodstuffs
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine, Injection or infusion
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 100 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Nov 2026to Nov 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Age >18
- Verified Bipolar Diagnosis per NETSCID
Who cannot join
- Acute psychiatric instability (manic episode, active suicidality requiring hospitalization)
- Anorexia
- Pregnancy
- Severe renal insufficiency
- Hepatic insufficiency
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site
Baptist Medical Center South
Montgomery, Alabama, 36116-2496
Will Rutland, MD, 3347477550, wrutland@uab.edu
About this study
Official title: Evaluating the Impact of Ketogenic Therapy on Symptom Severity and Metabolic Side Effect Profile Among Individuals Living With Bipolar Disorder in A Rural Southern Catchment Area - A Four-Arm Pilot Study
It is the purpose of this pilot study to evaluate a high-fat/low-carbohydrate "ketogenic" diet-based intervention as an adjunctive strategy for impacting symptoms of bipolar disorder. The study is designed to evaluate this impact in the rural southern catchment area around Montgomery, Alabama.
While existing access and cost barriers can prevent effective treatment of bipolar disorder in the rural south, using food as medicine represents a possible alternative/adjunctive to traditional high-cost/low-access medications. Specifically, this study will evaluate the impact of combining a ketogenic diet with existing treatment options, under the conditions of the rural catchment area, to determine the impact and efficacy of this intervention at patient and systems levels.
If effective, the interventions examined in this pilot study may increase the efficacy, availability and access to care experienced by individuals living with bipolarity in the rural Deep South.
- Conditions
- Bipolar Disorder
- Being tested
- Ketogenic foodstuffs, Standard of Care Oral antipsychotics, Standard of care long acting injectable medication for bipolar disorder
- Keywords
- ketogenic, long-acting injectable, rural
- Medical subject headings
- Bipolar Disorder
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Ketogenic foodstuffsDietary supplement
Weekly food box, selected from rotating menu of three options, as designed by study dietician to include ketogenic foodstuffs.
Standard of Care Oral antipsychoticsOther
Oral mood stabilizing antipsychotics for the treatment of bipolar disorder. These medications may include second generation antipsychotic mood stabilizing medications aripiprazole, risperidone, quetiapine, and olanzapine.
Standard of care long acting injectable medication for bipolar disorderOther
Long-acting injectable antipsychotic mood stabilizing medication for bipolar disorder. The medication used may include aripiprazole monohydrate.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Oral bipolar medication only | Active comparator | Participants in this arm will receive oral medication treatment as usual for bipolar disorder. These medications may include second generation antipsychotic mood stabilizing medications aripiprazole, risperidone, quetiapine, and olanzapine. Receives: Other: Standard of Care Oral antipsychotics |
| Long-acting injectable medication only | Active comparator | Participants in this arm will receive long-acting injectable medication as treatment for bipolar disorder. This medication may include aripiprazole monohydrate. Receives: Other: Standard of care long acting injectable medication for bipolar disorder |
| Oral medication + ketogenic diet | Experimental | Participants in this arm will receive oral medication for bipolar disorder, plus foodstuffs necessary to support ketogenic diet. Oral medications may include second generation antipsychotic mood stabilizing medications aripiprazole, risperidone, quetiapine, and olanzapine. Receives: Dietary Supplement: Ketogenic foodstuffs; Other: Standard of Care Oral antipsychotics |
| Long-acting injectable medication + ketogenic diet | Experimental | Participants in this arm will receive long-acting injectable medication for bipolar disorder, plus foodstuffs necessary to support ketogenic diet. The medication used may include aripiprazole monohydrate. Receives: Dietary Supplement: Ketogenic foodstuffs; Other: Standard of care long acting injectable medication for bipolar disorder |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Impact on Symptom Severity as measured by Young Mania Ratings Scale
The Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) is a clinical assessment tool specifically designed to evaluate manic symptoms and their severity.
The YMRS comprises 11 items. Each item is rated on a scale that varies in range, typically from 0 to 4 or 0 to 8, allowing for a nuanced measurement of symptoms. The total score can range from 0 to 60, with higher scores indicating more severe manic symptoms.
Measured: T0 (time of intake); T0+1 week; T0+2 weeks; T0+3 weeks; T0+4 weeks; T0+6 weeks; T0+8 weeks; T0+10 weeks; T0+12 weeks; T0+16 weeks; T0+20 weeks; T0+24 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted6 May 2026
- Study startNov 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionMay 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionNov 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (3)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Bipolar DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of Alabama at BirminghamThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Baszucki Family Foundation, Baptist Health System Montgomery
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Will Rutland, University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Investigators
- Will Rutland, MD, Principal investigator, UAB Heersink School of Medicine - Montgomery Psychiatry
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07570875
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB-300016223
- Other IDs
- PF-2025-025
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 22 Apr 2026
- Last updated
- 7 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Yildiz A, Siafis S, Mavridis D, Vieta E, Leucht S. Comparative efficacy and tolerability of pharmacological interventions for acute bipolar depression in adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Lancet Psychiatry. 2023 Sep;10(9):693-705. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(23)00199-2.
PubMed 37595997Sethi S, Wakeham D, Ketter T, Hooshmand F, Bjornstad J, Richards B, Westman E, Krauss RM, Saslow L. Ketogenic Diet Intervention on Metabolic and Psychiatric Health in Bipolar and Schizophrenia: A Pilot Trial. Psychiatry Res. 2024 May;335:115866. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115866. Epub 2024 Mar 20.
PubMed 38547601Kishi T, Ikuta T, Matsuda Y, Sakuma K, Okuya M, Nomura I, Hatano M, Iwata N. Pharmacological treatment for bipolar mania: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of double-blind randomized controlled trials. Mol Psychiatry. 2022 Feb;27(2):1136-1144. doi: 10.1038/s41380-021-01334-4. Epub 2021 Oct 12.
PubMed 34642461