Q&A: Caffeine, Carnivore, Meds, and Ketones—What’s Helping or Hurting Your Mental Health?

Is caffeine sabotaging your mental health progress? Should you try a carnivore diet if keto isn't working? What if your meds lower ketones? In this new Metabolic Mailbag episode, Dr. Georgia Ede joins Dr. Bret Scher to answer your most pressing questions about metabolic therapies, mental health, and more. Together, they dive into nuanced, evidence-informed conversations about: The real impact of caffeine on mood, sleep, and ketosis Whether the carnivore diet is “too high” in protein Why some people see mental health improvements on carnivore when a ketogenic diet hasn’t worked What to do when medications interfere with ketone levels, and why deprescription must be done safely and strategically And more Metabolic psychiatry is a promising frontier, and we’re here to empower individuals navigating serious mental illness with tools and knowledge rooted in science, compassion, and real-world experience. 🔎Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at https://www.metabolicmind.org/questions/ to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode. 🔔 Subscribe to Metabolic Mind and join the growing community exploring metabolic therapies for mental health: @metabolicmind #MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #FoodAsMedicine #QuestionAndAnswer Expert Featured: Dr. Bret Scher https://x.com/bschermd/ LinkedIn: bret-scher-08baaa102 Dr. Georgia Ede https://www.diagnosisdiet.com/ LinkedIn: georgiaedemd Facebook: GeorgiaEdeMd https://www.instagram.com/georgiaedem... Resources Mentioned: Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind by Dr. Georgia Ede https://www.amazon.com/Change-Your-Di... Taper Down Slowly: A Beginners Guide to Psychiatric Drug Tapering (Part 1) Taper Down Slowly: A Beginners Guide to Ps... Go Slowly: A Beginners Guide to Psychiatric Drug Tapering (Part 2) Go Slowly: A Beginners Guide to Psychiatri... Keto and Psych Meds Topic Page https://www.metabolicmind.org/resourc... Free CME Clinician Trainings: Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon. Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits: https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-cli... Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry. Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/ About us: Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them. Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications. Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction to Metabolic Mailbag and how to submit your questions. 1:01 - Can you have caffeine on keto? 5:08 - Is a carnivore diet good for ketosis? Is carnivore too high in protein for high ketone numbers? 7:34 - Why does carnivore sometimes help when other ketogenic diets don’t? 13:10 - Can you have caffeine on a carnivore diet? What about salt, spices, etc? 15:09 - What to do about cravings on the carnivore diet. 17:27 - What to do if medications are lowering your ketones. Which medications are likely to lower ketones?