Foods and moods: Is what you eat impacting how you feel?

One in eight people worldwide have a mental disorder, characterized by significant 

disturbances in emotional regulation, behavior, or thinking. Mood disorders are a type of mental disorder, with anxiety and depression being the most prominent. Both can be treated effectively via psychotherapy and medication. But can the foods we eat also impact on mood?

Numerous studies have attempted to answer this question. While in grad school, I chose to investigate the current data on mood and food. Deeply diving into no less than 25 studies on this issue, I discovered some interesting associations. Let's start with the positives: can food really help brighten your day?

The Mediterranean diet and its potential impact on mood

Two studies I analyzed investigated if the Mediterranean diet impacted depression symptoms and depression risk. While this dietary pattern encompasses many countries (and the varying cuisines of its residents) bordering the Mediterranean Sea, it's typically associated with consuming a mainly plant-based assortment of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats (most oils that are liquid at room temperature), whole grains, and beans. (That's not to say that the Mediterranean Diet isn't without its critics.)

A 2017 study explored treatment of major depressive episodes. Participants received one of two treatment types: one involving adherence to the Mediterranean diet with help from a registered dietitian and another receiving non-dietary support. The dietary group saw a significantly greater improvement of depressive symptoms when compared with the non-dietary group.

Similarly, a 2013 review of 22 studies by researchers examined if maintaining a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern impacted depression risk and other health conditions. The study concluded that both high and moderate adherence to this dietary pattern significantly reduced the risk of depression.

These studies did not dive deeply into why certain foods impacted depression in the way that it did. Theories abound, however, including one involving the "gut-brain connection," or the superhighway of nerves linking the brain to the digestive system. During a stressful situation, for instance, the brain can can send signals to the gut and disrupt it. (This may explain why I, like many others, experience an upset stomach during bouts of anxiety.) Conversely, a disruptive gut can send signals back to the brain. The gut-brain connection offers one explanation on why healthy dietary patterns can lead to a healthy gut, which in turn might positively impact a person's mood.

That being said, the research doesn't seem conclusive enough to say a healthy dietary pattern can (or should) replace therapy or medication for treatment of mood disorders. But these interesting associations point to yet another potential win for eating more foods already proven to reduce the risk of acquiring certain diseases.

In future posts, I'll explore other associations between food and mood, particularly what research has unveiled about the Western diet, or the foods most consumed by the average American. In the meantime, get more acquainted with the Mediterranean diet.

Sources:

Psaltopoulou T, Sergentanis TN, Panagiotakos DB, Sergentanis IN, Kosti R, Scarmeas N. Mediterranean diet, stroke, cognitive impairment, and depression: A meta-analysis. Ann Neurol. 2013;74(4):580-591.

Jacka FN, O’Neil A, Opie R, et al. A randomised controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression (the ‘SMILES’ trial). BMC Med. 2017;15(1):23.