Case report: Ketogenic diet alleviated anxiety and depression associated with insulin-dependent diabetes management

Abstract

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Differentiating between an irrational versus a rational fear of hypoglycemia has treatment implications and presents significant challenge for clinicians facing patients with type 1 diabetes, illustrated in this case. A 39-year-old woman with autoimmune-positive insulin-dependent diabetes sought help to alleviate severe diabetes distress, and symptoms of depression and anxiety, associated with unpredictable drastic blood glucose drops. After exhausting conventional methods, she adopted a ketogenic diet (KD). Her glucose values decreased from around 20 mmol/L to 12 mmol/L (360 mg/dL to 216 mg/dL) in the first days. Then, by combining a KD with an insulin pump, her time in optimal glucose range increased from 8 to 51% after 2 months, reducing her HbA1c with 25 mmol/mol (2.2%). This reduced biological and psychological stress, immediately improving her mental health and renewing her hope for the future. The main concerns regarding KD in patients with comorbid type 1 diabetes is the assumed increased risk of ketoacidosis, theoretical depletion of glycogen stores, and a potential adverse effect of saturated fat on cardiovascular risk factors. These concerns are evaluated against existing empirical evidence, suggesting instead that a KD may protect against acidosis, hypoglycemia, and cardiovascular risk. The present case, together with available data, indicate that patients with type 1 diabetes experiencing high levels of biological and psychological stress should be informed of the expected benefits and possible risks associated with a KD, to ensure their right to take informed decisions regarding their diabetes management.

Keywords

• ketogenic diet
• type 1 diabetes mellitus
• diabetes distress
• anxiety
• depression
• glycogen depletion