EFEITOS TERAPÊUTICOS DA DIETA CETOGÊNICA NO TRATAMENTO DA ESQUIZOFRENIA: UMA REVISÃO DE LITERATURA

Nutritional interventions, such as the ketogenic diet (KD), have been used for centuries in the management of neurological conditions, including epilepsy. This study is a literature review that investigates the benefits of KD as an adjunct in the treatment of schizophrenia, focusing on its ability to enhance the effectiveness of medication and enable the reduction of antipsychotic dosages without compromising symptom control. The research was conducted using the PUBMED and MEDLINE databases, with DeCS and MeSH descriptors combined with Boolean operators, resulting in 35 studies published over the last 10 years. After applying inclusion criteria, articles addressing schizophrenia and ketogenic diet in their titles and abstracts were selected. The results indicate that KD can improve the response to medication in schizophrenic patients, reducing behavioral deficits and symptoms, with efficacy equivalent to or greater than that of antipsychotics, while also minimizing metabolic side effects. However, the variability in responses and the lack of extensive clinical trials limit definitive conclusions. Despite this, KD emerges as a promising strategy to optimize the pharmacological management of schizophrenia, requiring future studies to validate its safety, efficacy, and applicability in clinical practice.