Dr. Shawn Baker highlighted a newly published scientific study suggesting that ketogenic and carnivore diets may serve as powerful therapeutic tools for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The 2025 case report, published in Frontiers in Nutrition, documented full remission of OCD symptoms in three patients who adopted a ketogenic diet.

“Wow—new scientific paper shows ketonic and Carnivore diets can put OCD into full remission!!” said Dr. Baker in a post on X, sharing a screenshot of the peer-reviewed study authored by Aaron John MacDonald and Dr. Christopher Palmer of Harvard Medical School.

The study tracked three individuals diagnosed with OCD, all of whom reduced or eliminated symptoms after implementing a ketogenic diet. On average, participants’ Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) scores dropped by 21 points, a reduction of over 90%. In each case, the symptoms reappeared if the diet was stopped—further suggesting a strong link between metabolic function and mental health.

Researchers concluded that the ketogenic diet could target the root mechanisms of OCD, possibly through improvements in mitochondrial function and gut-brain communication. The authors called for additional controlled clinical trials to explore its therapeutic potential more broadly.

Dr. Shawn Baker is a physician and vocal advocate for the carnivore diet, which emphasizes high-protein, zero-carb eating. Since his viral 2017 appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, Baker has become a leading figure in the meat-based nutrition movement, challenging mainstream dietary advice and promoting animal-based diets for chronic disease reversal and optimal health.

The findings from the case report support a growing body of research exploring the metabolic roots of psychiatric conditions, including a 2023 review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences that highlighted microbial and mitochondrial factors in OCD pathogenesis. This study adds to the momentum behind dietary interventions as legitimate tools in mental health care.