Nutrition and Mental Health
The connection of nutrition and mental health are becoming well known…
The brain controls and regulates most of the body’s vital functions, conscious or not. For this reason, it is essential that the brain receives a steady supply of fuel and oxygen. The fuel is obtained by metabolising nutrients made available in the bloodstream, originating in the digested food.
It is known that the brain consumes 20% of the daily intake of calories, that is, about 400 (out of 2000) calories a day. Structurally around 60% of the brain is fat, comprising of high cholesterol and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Thus, the food one eats is directly linked to brain structure and function, and thus affects the working of the mind. Many studies have found that diets that are too rich in refined sugars are toxic to brain functioning because the high content of simple sugars stresses the pancreas and induces insulin resistance. The high sugar levels with compensatory insulin responses stimulate the counter-reactive surge of autonomic neurotransmitters like cortisol and glucagon.
These are known to produce increased anxiety, hunger and irritability. Moreover, they induce inflammatory and oxidative stress. This has been linked to an exacerbation of symptoms of depression and other mood disorders. These findings have led to the emerging field of nutritional psychiatry that traces relationships between food, feelings, gut microbiota, and human behaviour.
Over recent years, there has been a considerable increase in research surrounding links between psychiatric disorders and diet. As such, there has been an increase in research surrounding nutritional-based treatments for these disorders. From these studies, there has been found evidence of a real link of the effects of Nutrition on Mental Health…different treatment targets have been identified, including the gut biome and nutrient deficiencies. Current research is promising and provides insight into alternative interventions for treating psychiatric disorders.
Diet might be associated with severe mental health disorders such as schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, psychosis, and dementia. There are several potential pathways research has found to be involved, such as the gut biome and nutrient deficiencies.
Nutrition and the Effects on Mental Health…
The Gut Biome
Research suggests that there is a link between the gut biome and the development of psychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia.
The gut biome consists of bacteria, fungi, and viruses found in the gastrointestinal tract. Studies have shown that individuals with schizophrenia and psychosis present with different gut microbial compositions compared to non-psychiatric individuals.
In a study comparing the gut microbial composition of individuals with first-episode psychosis (FEP) and non-FEP individuals, researchers found that the composition of the gut in: “Numbers of Lactobacillus group bacteria were elevated in FEP-patients and significantly correlated with severity along different symptom domains.” (Schwarz et al., 2018). https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Nutritional-Psychiatry
Nutrient Deficiencies
Nutrient deficiencies are caused by insufficient intake of said nutrients or poor absorption by the body. Research shows that nutrient deficiencies are one of the risk factors for developing mental disorders.
Example deficiencies include vitamin B9 (folate) B6 and B12 deficiencies. These B vitamins are essential for DNA and protein synthesis. Both of which play a key role in brain development and cognition. Several studies have shown that individuals with schizophrenia have lower serum vitamin B6 and B9 (folate) levels than non-psychiatric individuals.
A deficiency in vitamin D has also been shown to be highly prevalent in people with schizophrenia and dementia.
The International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research (ISNPR) was formed to give guidance to clinicians and healthcare workers on offering nutritional treatments to patients with mental health issues.
The ISNPR has issued many recommendations in recent years. These recommendations are heavily focused on promoting an optimal gut biome composition.
The ISNPR suggests that changes in the type of food eaten can improve the composition of the gut biome. Following traditional diets such as Mediterranean, Scandinavian, or Japanese diets is recommended. These diets consist of high volumes of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and a limited intake of processed foods.
The concentration of bacteria in the gut can also be altered with probiotics – live bacteria and yeasts. These can be found in fermented foods (e.g., kimchi and sauerkraut) and yogurt. Probiotics can also be taken as supplements.
Alongside improving the gut biome, the ISNPR also recommends the intake of nutrient supplements. These include vitamins B9, B6, B12, and vitamin D. Research has shown that administering these vitamins is effective in shortening the duration of illness in individuals with psychosis and schizophrenia.
Deficiency disorders and mood
The deficiency of nutrients like cobalamine, folate and zinc is known to be associated with symptoms of depression and dementia, cognitive decline and irritability. Both overeating and food insecurity are associated with mood and anxiety disorders.
Mental illness is ranked among the largest contributors to the global health burden, especially depression, which accounts for the major chunk of disability in the more developed countries, especially in the age group of 15-44 years. Therefore, it is crucial to explore nutrition strategies that support mental health.
Not only do people eat differently when anxious or depressed, but these changes may occur in either direction. Conversely, depression may be the result, at least partly, of poor eating habits, or may become worsened by the inability of the patient to stop eating comfort foods and choose a healthy diet. Such inability may be financial, psychological, or iatrogenic.
Serotonin and the gut
Serotonin is a monoamine neurotransmitter that helps to control sleep and appetite, inhibit pain, and to regulate mood. About 95% of the serotonin is produced in the gut, which is rich in neurons – the enteric plexus contains a hundred million nerve cells. Thus, the gut is intimately involved in emotional regulation, pain perception, and vital physiological functions. Suggesting again there is a real link from mental health to nutrition.
Interestingly, the function of these neurons and their secretion of serotonin, and other neurotransmitters, is closely regulated by the metabolic byproducts of the trillion or so bacteria that comprise the gut microbiome. These bacteria ensure epithelial barrier integrity for the intestine, preventing the entry of bacterial toxins and pathogens into the systemic circulation. They also prevent the spread of inflammation beyond the gut lumen, enhance nutrient absorption, and activate gut-brain neural pathways – the gut-brain axis.
Monoamine neurotransmitters are synthesised from amino acids in a process that is mediated by mineral-dependent cofactors. Both folate and vitamin B12 are essential for the methylation that occurs during these synthetic processes, also regulating the formation of homocysteine – a metabolite that is strongly linked to cardiovascular risk and depression.
Dietary fats and brain functioning
Anti-inflammatory fats such as omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) are known to be essential components of neuronal cell membranes, and also play a role in many vital neural processes such as neurotransmission, gene expression, neurogenesis and neuronal survival. They are also known to have antioxidant properties.
Omega-3 FAs are used to treat a number of psychological disorders, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, bipolar depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A high omega-6 proportion is linked to a higher incidence of these conditions, especially the first two.
The standard Western diet is rich in omega-6 but low in omega-3 FAs, primarily because of the consumption of refined flours and sugars, and highly processed foods, and low amounts of seafood (including fish) and grass-fed beef.
Some studies have confirmed that diets that are richer in healthier carbohydrates and fats, and lower in refined and highly processed foods, such as the Japanese and Mediterranean diets, are linked to a reduction in the incidence of depression by anywhere between a quarter to over a third, compared to the standard American diet.
Inflammation and the diet
Inflammation of the nervous system is also important in the pathogenesis of mental illness, and this is also linked to the diet. Many biomarkers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were associated with a dietary pattern that was linked to a higher risk of depression over the next decade or so. This pattern included high simple sugars (sweetened drinks and refined flours), red meat and margarine (saturated fats), and little green or yellow vegetables, coffee, wine, or olive oil, which are all features of the stereotypical Western diet.
The high content of vegetables, fruits, grains, and seafood, with less dairy and meat content, and no refined foods, of the Mediterranean and Japanese diets, compares very favourably with the Western diet. The former uses small amounts of red wine and cheese or yogurt in the daily diet. The mechanism is thought to be via the brain-derived neurotrophic factor or BDNF.
Many experts would recommend that people pay attention to the relationship between their diet and the foods they eat over a month or at least two weeks. If they could reduce or eliminate processed foods and sugars for this period of time, before bringing back these foods one by one, it would be instructive to notice how they feel.
Better eating strategies and positive nutrition are essential to promote mental health and recovery from mental illness. It was over 2,000 years ago that the famous Greek physician Hippocrates said, “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.”
Not only does the Mediterranean (and similar) diet affect the availability of the basic building blocks of the brain and neurotransmitters, including myelin, the neuronal membrane, and monoamine neurotransmitters, but it modulates key chemicals like BDNF to alter neuroplasticity, mutes system inflammation, and determines the health and state of the gut microbiome.
Many such traditional diets are known to include mostly nutritious whole foods without much processing. The role of a dietary specialist in helping patients with mentally ill-health to choose approaches that promote the ability to take care of oneself and enhance one’s health is very important and should be encouraged.
I would like to thank News Medical for this article and other information I used to spread the word.
I would personally like to conclude that mental health is a significant issue around the globe, and we are only tackling part of the problem with medication, drugs, using buying power, utilising therapy…we need to be thinking about the whole body as an organ. How treat our bodies really does have an impact on our mental health.
www.fjhypno.co.uk
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