Does the Ketogenic (Keto) Diet Help Misophonia?

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I have been on the ketogenic diet for several months, and I wish I could say that suddenly my misophonia had disappeared and that the cure I needed all along had been to simply change my diet, but that is simply not true. While the ketogenic diet has been shown to be helpful for epilepsy (D’Andrea, 2019), we do not know enough about the brain to know whether ketosis is something that can be helpful for misophonia. More importantly, misophonia itself is something that seems to be multi-faceted when it comes to the brain and body (Kumar, 2017).

At this point, I can tell you both from my anecdotal experience and the lack of scientific evidence that the ketogenic diet cannot be considered a treatment for misophonia. Yet, this does not mean that there are no benefits that can be had for persons with misophonia. Importantly, when the body is in distress, misophonia is worse. For those who are obese, have certain food allergies, or feel sluggish due to dietary concerns, finding a diet (any really) that changes their physiological state for the better can reduce the impact of distress after leaving a triggering situation. The better you feel over-all, the easier it is to calm down.

Over-all health is important for misophonia because we only have one nervous system and one body, and any positive change is beneficial for your long-term coping. That is not to say that the ketogenic diet is the “right” choice, merely it is the right choice if a person determines that they have a good experience on the diet. This should always be done with the consultation of a medical professional and dietician, because the diet is such an important tool for health and wellbeing.

For me, dietary choices were more about over-all health than misophonia. I haven’t noticed my triggers lessened by the diet, but I do have more energy than I did before—which is helpful for an overtaxed nervous system.