26.2.2017 DiettoFightDepression?

NutritionStudies

Diet to Fight Depression?

November 13, 2015
ByThomasCampbell,MD(http://nutritionstudies.org/author/tcampbell/)

ThelongerIpracticemedicinethemoreIappreciatefirsthandhowmental,emotionalandphysicalhealthoverlapfarmorethan
wecommonlyacknowledgeinoursociety.Andunfortunately,ourmental/emotionalhealthisnotinagoodplacerightnow.My
impressionisthatinthiseraofeverincreasingdigitalconnectedness,bingeTVwatching,andaroundtheclocksmartphone
use,lonelinessanddepressionarelittlediscussedbutpervasiveepidemics.

Myimpressionreflectswhatmajorsurveyshavebeentellingusforyears:

11%ofallAmericansovertheageof12aretakingantidepressant
medications. [ 1]
23%ofallwomenaged4069yearsoldareonantidepressants. [ 1]
Antidepressantsarethemostcommonlyprescribedmedicationfor
Americansaged1844. [ 2]

Buttomyoriginalpoint:thisisntjustfeelings.Thisisphysical.

Thosethataredepressedaremorelikelytobeobese,andasthedepressionbecomesmoresevere,theprevalenceofobesity
increases. [ 3]

Howdoesthiswork?Weallcanintuitivelyunderstandthatifyoufeeldepressed,youmaynotmakethebestchoices.Youmay
eatyourfeelings,astheysay,essentiallytryingtomedicateyouranger,loneliness,stress,anddepression.Itsanefforttodull
thesefeelingswithoursocietysprimedrugsofaddiction:hyperpalatablefoods.Weknowthatthesefoods,primarilysugarand
fat,triggerpathwaysinvolvedinfeelingsofhappiness,includingourdopamineandserotoninpathways(somethingItalkabout
inmoredetailinTheCampbellPlan(http://nutritionstudies.org/thecampbellplan/)).Soifyourelowonserotonin,asweknowyoumay
beduringdepressiveepisodes,whynottrytofilltheserotonindeficitwithatastyjellydonut,ormaybethreeorfour?

Itmakessense,right?Ifwerehonestwithourselvesweallcanrelatetothisbehavior,right?

Butletsthinkaboutcausalityintheotherdirection.WhatImeanisthis:Whatifitisntjustthatdepressioncausesbadfoodand
lifestylechoices.Whatifbadfoodandlifestylechoicesareactuallyacauseofdepression?

Weknow,forexample,thatpeoplewhoareobesehavesuppresseddopaminepathways.Themoreobesetheyare,themore
limitedaretheirdopaminereceptors. [ 4] Thismeansthattheyneedmorestimulus(food,etc..)togetthedopaminesurgethat
playsaroleinwhatwemightcallsatisfaction.Andwenowknowfromanimalexperimentsthatsugardietscanactuallyalter
chemicalreceptoractivityinthebrain,aprocesssometimescalledneuroadaptation. [ 5] Itturnsoutthathyperpalatablefoods
maywellbealteringourchemicalpathwaysinvolvedinhappiness.

Inonestudyofolderadultswithoutdepressionfollowedforover7yearsinChicago,thosewhoadheredtoamoreplantbased,
Mediterraneandiet(morefruits,vegetables,wholegrains,legumes,fishandoliveoilandlessmeatsandhighfatdairy)had
lowerratesofnewdepressivesymptoms, [ 6] whichwasasimilarfindingtothatofastudyinSpain. [ 7]

Weknowthatmetabolicsyndromeandvariouspsychologicaldisordersoftenoccurtogether,andthattheysharecommon
featureslikeincreasedlevelsofchronicinflammationanddysregulatedhormonesystems. [ 8] Dietandlifestyleaffect
intermediatemechanismssuchasinflammationandourhormonebalance. [ 8]

Inoneoftheintriguingexperimentsfrommyfathersresearch,weknowthatsimplychangingthelevelofproteininthedietwill
affectphysicalactivityinrats.Anditsnotwhatyouwouldexpecttheratsconsumingloweramountsofproteinvoluntarily
exercisedmore. [ 9]

Onerecentstudyhasputallthisinformationtothetestinasmall2weekpilotstudy,findingthatomnivoreswhoavoidedfish
andothermeat(includingpoultry)for2weekshadimprovementsinsomemeasurementsofmood,includingstress. [ 10]

Principle8inTheChinaStudy(http://nutritionstudies.org/chinastudy/)isthatallthingsareconnected:Ourphysical,mentaland
emotionalhealthNutritionandphysicalactivitySpiritualityandsocialconnectionAnimalwelfare,theenvironment,andeven
issuesofwarandpeace.Theseareinterconnectedissues.

Soletspleasekeepinmindthatalthoughmentalillnessmaydriveunhealthylifestylechoices,itsalsolikelythatbadfood
choicesactuallydrivementalillness.Inadditiontoknowingthatweareeatingourfeelings,weshouldalsokeepinmindthat
wearefeelingwhatweeat.

http://nutritionstudies.org/diettofightdepression/ 1/2
26.2.2017 DiettoFightDepression?NutritionStudies

Thisisasubtlebutpowerfulshiftinhowmanypeoplethinkaboutmentalillness,andmeanstheremaybeamorepowerfulrole
fordietintreatingdepressionthanwecurrentlyacknowledge.Besides,Idontknowaboutyou,butIdontliketheideaoffeeling
likegroundupcow,deadbird,oraspongy,micronutrientdeficient,gasstationpastry.

References
1. Pratt L, Brody D, Gu Q. Antidepressant Use in Persons Aged 12 and Over: United States, 20052008. NCHS Data Brief, No 76. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health
Statistics. 2011.
2. National Center for Health Statistics. Health, United States, 2010: With special feature on death and dying. Table 95. Hyattsville, MD. 2011.
3. Pratt L, Brody D. Depression and Obesity in the U.S. Adult Household Population, 20052010. NCHS Data Brief, No. 167. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health
Statistics. 2014.
4. Wang GJ, Volkow ND, Thanos PK, Fowler JS. Similarity between obesity and drug addiction as assessed by neurofunctional imaging: a concept review. Journal of
addictive diseases 2004;23:39-53.
5. Avena NM, Rada P, Hoebel BG. Sugar and fat bingeing have notable dierences in addictive-like behavior. The Journal of nutrition 2009;139:623-8.
6. Skarupski KA, Tangney CC, Li H, Evans DA, Morris MC. Mediterranean diet and depressive symptoms among older adults over time. J Nutr Health Aging 2013;17:441-5.
7. Sanchez-Villegas A, Delgado-Rodriguez M, Alonso A, et al. Association of the Mediterranean dietary pattern with the incidence of depression: the Seguimiento
Universidad de Navarra/University of Navarra follow-up (SUN) cohort. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2009;66:1090-8.
8. Nousen EK, Franco JG, Sullivan EL. Unraveling the mechanisms responsible for the comorbidity between metabolic syndrome and mental health disorders.
Neuroendocrinology 2013;98:254-66.
9. Krieger E, Youngman LD, Campbell TC. The Modulation of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-Induced Preneoplastic Lesions by Dietary Protein and Voluntary Exercise in Fischer 344
Rats. FASEB Journal 1988;2:3304.
10. Beezhold BL, Johnston CS. Restriction of meat, fish, and poultry in omnivores improves mood: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Nutr J 2012;11:9.

http://nutritionstudies.org/diettofightdepression/ 2/2