Previous research has revealed the link between nutritional deficiencies and some mental disorders. The most common nutritional deficiencies seen in patients with mental disorders are of omega—3 fatty acids, B vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that are precursors to neurotransmitters. The significance of various nutrients in mental health, with special relevance to depression has been discussed below. Carbohydrates are naturally occurring polysaccharides and play an important role in structure and function of an organism.
In higher organisms human , they have been found to affect mood and behavior. Eating a meal which is rich in carbohydrates triggers the release of insulin in the body. Insulin helps let blood sugar into cells where it can be used for energy and simultaneously it triggers the entry of tryptophan to brain. Tryptophan in the brain affects the neurotransmitters levels.
Consumption of diets low in carbohydrate tends to precipitate depression, since the production of brain chemicals serotonin and tryptophan that promote the feeling of well being, is triggered by carbohydrate rich foods. It is suggested that low glycemic index GI foods such as some fruits and vegetables, whole grains, pasta, etc.
Proteins are made up of amino acids and are important building blocks of life. As many as 12 amino acids are manufactured in the body itself and remaining 8 essential amino acids have to be supplied through diet. A high quality protein diet contains all essential amino acids. Foods rich in high quality protein include meats, milk and other dairy products, and eggs. Plant proteins such as beans, peas, and grains may be low in one or two essential amino acids. Protein intake and in turn the individual amino acids can affect the brain functioning and mental health.
Many of the neurotransmitters in the brain are made from amino acids. The neurotransmitter dopamine is made from the amino acid tyrosine and the neurotransmitter serotonin is made from the tryptophan. The excessive buildup of amino acids may also lead to brain damage and mental retardation. For example, excessive buildup of phenylalanine in the individuals with disease called phenylketonuria can cause brain damage and mental retardation.
The brain is one of the organs with the highest level of lipids fats. Brain lipids, composed of fatty acids, are structural constituents of membranes. In one of the first experimental demonstrations of the effect of dietary substances nutrients on the structure and function of the brain, the omega-3 fatty acids specially alpha-linolenic acid, ALA were the member to take part. An important trend has been observed from the findings of some recent studies that lowering plasma cholesterol by diet and medications increases depression.
Among the significant factors involved are the quantity and ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids PUFA that affect serum lipids and alter the biochemical and biophysical properties of cell membranes. Experimental studies have revealed that diets lacking omega-3 PUFA lead to considerable disturbance in neural function. During late gestation and the early postnatal period, neurodevelopment occurs at significantly rapid rates which make the supply of adequate quantity of PUFAs, particularly DHA, imperative to ensure neurite outgrowth in addition to appropriate development of brain and retina.
These relationships may explain the inconsistency in the results of trials on cholesterol-lowering interventions and depression. On similar lines, dieting behaviors have been associated with alterations in moods.
Their deficiency can accelerate cerebral aging by preventing the renewal of membranes. However, the respective roles of the vascular component on one hand where the omega-3s are active and the cerebral parenchyma itself on the other, have not yet been clearly resolved. The role of omega—3 in certain diseases such as dyslexia and autism is suggested. It was omega—3 fatty acids that participated in the first coherent experimental demonstration of the effect of dietary substances nutrients on the structure and function of the brain.
Experiments were first of all carried out on x-vivo cultured brain cells 1 , then on in vivo brain cells 2 , finally on physicochemical, biochemical, physiological, neurosensory, and behavioral parameters 3.
These findings indicated that the nature of polyunsaturated fatty acids in particular omega—3 present in formula milks for infants both premature and term determines the visual, cerebral, and intellectual abilities.
Nutrition and depression are intricately and undeniably linked, as suggested by the mounting evidence by researchers in neuropsychiatry. According to a study reported in Neuropsychobiology,[ 42 ] supplementation of nine vitamins, 10 times in excess of normal recommended dietary allowance RDA for 1 year improved mood in both men and women. The interesting part was that these changes in mood after a year occurred even though the blood status of nine vitamins reached a plateau after 3 months.
This mood improvement was particularly associated with improved vitamin B2 and B6 status. In women, baseline vitamin B1 status was linked with poor mood and an improvement in the same after 3 months was associated with improved mood. Thiamine is known to modulate cognitive performance particularly in the geriatric population. Clinical trials have indicated that Vitamin B12 delays the onset of signs of dementia and blood abnormalities , if it is administered in a precise clinical timing window, before the onset of the first symptoms.
Supplementation with cobalamin enhances cerebral and cognitive functions in the elderly; it frequently promotes the functioning of factors related to the frontal lobe, in addition to the language function of people with cognitive disorders. Adolescents who have a borderline level of vitamin B12 deficiency develop signs of cognitive changes.
A controlled study has been reported to have shown that mcg of folic acid enhanced the effectiveness of antidepressant medication. A recent study showed that selective serotonin uptake inhibitors SSRIs inhibit absorption of calcium into bones. In addition to this, the SSRIs can also lower blood pressure in people, resulting in falls which may lead to broken bones.
Indiscriminate prescription of SSRIs by doctors and ingestion by patients at risk of depression or other mental health problems may put them at increased risk of fractures.
Compounded by the fact that they may be aging and already taking other medications, may also predispose them to osteoporosis. Many studies on the association of chromium in humans depression have been recorded[ 48 , 49 ] which indicate the significance of this micronutrient in mental health.
Iodine plays an important role in mental health. The iodine provided by the thyroid hormone ensures the energy metabolism of the cerebral cells.
During pregnancy, the dietary reduction of iodine induces severe cerebral dysfunction, eventually leading to cretinism. Iron is necessary for oxygenation and to produce energy in the cerebral parenchyma through cytochrome oxidase , and for the synthesis of neurotransmitters and myelin. Iron concentrations in the umbilical artery are critical during the development of the foetus, and in relation with the IQ in the child; Infantile anemia with its associated iron deficiency is associated with disturbance in the development of cognitive functions.
This gender difference starts in adolescence and becomes more pronounced among married women aged , with children. Furthermore, women of childbearing age experience more depression than during other times in their lives. These indicate the possible importance of iron in the etiology of depression since its deficiency is known to cause fatigue and depression. Iron deficiency anemia is associated, for instance, with apathy, depression, and rapid fatigue when exercising.
Lithium, a monovalent cation, was first discovered and defined by Johan August in while he did an analysis of the mineral petalite. The role of lithium has been well known in psychiatry. Half a century into its use, its choice for bipolar disorder with antimanic, antidepressant, and antisuicidal property. The therapeutic use of lithium also includes its usage as an augmenting agent in depression, scizoaffective disorder, aggression, impulse control disorder, eating disorders, ADDs, and in certain subsets of alcoholism.
Understanding of the etiology of depression has been hampered by the absence of direct measurements of monoamines in humans. However, the monoamine depletion paradigm, which reproduces the clinical syndrome, allows a more direct method for investigating the role of monoamines. Depression is a serious condition that negatively affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves.
According to a recent study Nature, more than million people are affected by depression, making it one of the most frequent causes of disability and common disorders that affect humans worldwide.
During the last decade, increased access to brain imaging technology has allowed neuroscientists and hospital clinicians to view the brain in detail, measure neural activity, and quantify neurotransmitter levels. Such studies have revealed many clues regarding the underlying contributing factors of depression and the pathophysiology of this disease.
Various animal models have demonstrated that chronic stress causes low serotonin levels in the brain. In patients, low brain serotonin activity correlates with a higher risk for more violent attempted and successful suicides. Serotonin levels have also been implicated in seasonal affective disorder SAD. According to a recent study, sunlight keeps serotonin levels high by decreasing serotonin transporter SERT activity.
Because serotonin-releasing neurons use SERT to recapture released serotonin, limiting SERT activity increases serotonin-dependent activity and downstream neuronal signaling. For this reason, patients afflicted with SAD experience increased SERT levels as nights lengthen, thereby diminishing active serotonin levels while increasing the risk of depression. Currently, the most widely prescribed antidepressants are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors SSRIs , which include brand names such as Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil and Celexa.
These drugs block the uptake of serotonin via SERT by the neurons that produced it, making this neurochemical more available to neighboring postsynaptic neurons. However, people may wish to consider speaking with a doctor or trained mental health professional if they experience emotional, cognitive, or physical symptoms every day for more than 2 weeks.
Although chemical imbalances in the brain may not directly cause mental health disorders, medications that influence the concentration of neurotransmitters can sometimes provide symptom relief. People who experience signs and symptoms of a mental health problem for more than 2 weeks may wish to speak to a doctor.
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