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Keto diet could help children overcome prenatal trauma

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A keto diet might help a small child overcome trauma it experienced in the womb.

The high-fat, low-carb diet seems to safeguard brain development and promote sociability, which can be affected by prenatal stress.

Studies have found that children can suffer ongoing psychological and development-related conditions if their mothers experienced stress during pregnancy, but preliminary research suggests that this can be countered by a keto diet.

Researchers from the University of Milan exposed laboratory rats to stress in the womb and were fed either a keto or a normal diet after they were born.  After 21 days on the diets, the rats were tested for their sociability and general curiosity.

Only 22 percent of those on the keto diet continued to show stress-related compared to 50 percent of those given a standard diet.

Dr. Alessia Marchesin of the University of Milan said: “The diet seems to have acted like a shield for their developing brains, so preventing social and motivational problems from ever taking root.”

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References
Proceedings of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, October 12, 2025
Article Topics: prenatal trauma
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