Ketamine for Eating Disorders

1 paper and 4 clinical trials exploring ketamine as a treatment for eating disorders.

CompoundArylcyclohexylamine

Ketamine

A dissociative anesthetic with rapid-acting antidepressant properties, widely used in clinical settings for mood and pain disorders.

Full Ketamine profile

Indication16 million people worldwide.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, affect approximately 16 million individuals globally. The exploration of psychedelics, such as psilocybin and MDMA, as potential treatments for these conditions is a burgeoning field of research, showing promise in alleviating symptoms and improving quality of life.

Full Eating Disorders profile

Academic Research

1 paper

Paywallindividual

Ketogenic diet and ketamine infusion treatment to target chronic persistent eating disorder psychopathology in anorexia nervosa: a pilot study

In an open‑label pilot of five weight‑restored adults with chronic anorexia nervosa psychopathology, a therapeutic ketogenic diet followed by six ketamine infusions was safe, maintained weight for most participants and produced significant improvements on multiple eating‑disorder measures. The findings suggest this combined TKD‑ketamine approach may ameliorate persistent shape/weight preoccupations by normalising underlying neurobiology, warranting further controlled trials.

Published: August 23, 2022
Journal: Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia Bulimia and Obesity
Authors: Beckwith, C., Calabrese, L., Costello, K., Frank, G. K. W., Scolnick, B., Zupec-Kania, B.

Clinical Trials

4 trials

RecruitingPhase II

Ketamine for the treatment of depression with anorexia nervosa

This randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase II trial (n=60) will study the feasibility, safety, and acceptability of oral ketamine (60–180 mg, administered twice weekly) as a treatment for adults with long-standing anorexia nervosa and comorbid treatment-resistant depression.

Started: June 12, 2025
Type: interventional
Blinding: quadruple
Randomized: Yes
Registry ID: ISRCTN26462355

Enrolling by invitationPhase II

Ketamine Effects on Learning in Eating Disorders (KETTLE)

This open-label, Phase II trial (n=20) will study the effects of a single intravenous (IV) dose of ketamine (35mg/70kg; 0.5 mg/kg over 40 minutes) on cognitive flexibility in adolescents and young adults (ages 16–26) medically hospitalised for anorexia nervosa or atypical anorexia nervosa.

Started: February 7, 2025
Type: interventional
Blinding: none
Randomized: No
Registry ID: NCT06736769

CompletedPhase I

Modified Ketogenic Diet and Ketamine for Anorexia Nervosa

This open-label pilot study (n=5) aims to investigate whether a two-part outpatient procedure, utilising a modified ketogenic diet followed by a series of titrated ketamine infusions, can lead to improvements or remission of chronic anorexia nervosa in adults who have experienced symptoms for at least three years despite undergoing treatment involving at least two different modalities.

Started: April 12, 2021
Type: interventional
Blinding: none
Randomized: No
Registry ID: NCT04714541

Not yet recruitingPhase II

Pilot study on the effects of ketamine on mood and eating disorder cognitions in enduring anorexia nervosa

This interventional trial (n=24) investigates the effects of ketamine (26–52 mg/70 kg) on mood and eating-disorder cognitions in enduring anorexia nervosa (AN).

Started: September 2, 2019
Type: interventional
Blinding: double
Randomized: Yes
Registry ID: ACTRN12618001393246p

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Search all Ketamine papers Search all Eating Disorders trials Full Ketamine profile Full Eating Disorders profile