Running head: NUTRITION, DEPRESSION !

Malnutrition and Depression: How Nutrition Impacts Mental Health in Adults in the United

States.

Andie Thompson

Salt Lake Community Collage

Habiba Nurr

August 5th 2017

Running head: NUTRITION, DEPRESSION !2

The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that 16 million adults in the United

states suffer from some forum of depression each year. This makes depression one of top most

common mental disorders prevalent in the U.S. Depression is defined as a prominent and persis-

tent disturbance of mood. Some of the many Symptoms of Depression include loss of pleasure,

fatigue, loss of hope and feelings of worthlessness according to the National Institute of Mental

Health.

A common misconception in the United States is that the only effective way to treat and

prevent symptoms of Depression is through prescribed medication or psychotherapy. As a

society we are condition to think of depressive disorders strictly as biochemical or emotionally

rooted and fail to see the connection between nutritional habits and depression.

Nutritional neuroscience is a blossoming discipline of science that focuses on exactly

how nutrition impacts cognition, behavior, and emotions (Asha, Ramesh, 2008, p.1). This

research paper will first focus on the poor eating habits that can encourage or worsen depressive

disorders. Secondly, the function of specific nutrients that can positively or negatively affect our

mood, behavior, and emotions.

Eating Habits and Depression

To be able to understand and prevent the onset of a depressive episode due to

malnutrition we have to understand the eating patterns associated with them. Although our

appetites do slightly change in the presences of a depressive episode an individuals eating pattern

generally stays the same before and during the episode(Beardsley, para. 2). This means that

because there is little variation between how an individual who suffers from depression eats
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preceding a depressive episode those habits may affect the onset period, duration, and intensity

of the same depressive episode. There are many eating habits that Americans with depression

engage in that will impact the course of an depressive episode well before it even occurs. We will

discuss in this section specifically the comfort food habit and various ways to break that cycle.

Its not to surprising that food can be a positive tool to express emotions and connect with

people. In American culture food is almost an essential aspect of almost any gathering. We use

food to help celebrate birthday parties, weddings, and even holidays to help us connect with one

another. Studies even suggest that families who have nightly dinners together often tend to have

closer emotional bonds (Duniforn, Cook, 2012). Although there are good aspects of emotional

connective dinning, most people tend to fall into the unhealthy habits and patterns of emotional

eating that can affect the course of a depressive episodes.

Food seemingly has the ability to offer comfort and security to individuals in a time of

emotional instability. But according to a recent study conducted by Traci Mann, a psychology

Professor at the university of Minnesota, the idea of comfort food is just an illusion. In the study

conducted two focus groups were asked to watch emotionally upsetting videos. The first group

was fed there favorite comfort snack after watching the upsetting videos and the second group

was not offered any comfort snacks. After some time had passed both groups were asked if they

felt better and both of the groups claimed to have felt completely better even after being upset

just minutes ago (Singh, 2014, para.3).

This suggests that the comfort food did not offer any healing properties but that it was the time

that had passed which comforted the individual. We can learn from this study that instead of

rushing to eat our favorite snack when we need emotional support we should try to calm
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ourselves down by using relaxing techniques. Eating as a way to cope with day to day stresses is

close to being one of the most common way Americans deal with stress and depression.

One of the best ways to avoid unhealthy eating habits is to meal plan. By doing this you

are giving yourself control of what and when you eat. People who don't meal plan and just wait

to eat until they feel like it are at a higher risk of stress eating because at the end of a long or

stressful day most people want something quick, cheap, and satisfying to eat and are more likely

to opt out for fast-food or an unhealthy alternative to cooking dinner. People who do meal plan

can feel confident and prepared knowing that no matter how stressful the day is they will have

something easy and heathy to prepare at home. By meal planning you put yourself in a position

to reap all the physical, emotional, and psychological benefits of a healthy diet.

Specific Nutrients that defend against Depression.

Holistic medicine is a non traditional approach to the health care system that aims to help

heal human sickness with natural supplements. Many Patients that participate in holistic

medicine are people who suffer from depression. Many people are prescribed supplements and

given knew meal plans to help treat the mental illness itself. When we look at the diet of

depressed individuals and a majority of the participants had far from adequate diets and often

opted for poor food choices, many of which are food that can actually lead or worsen depression

(Asha, Ramesh, 2008, p.2). Supplements with the ingredients tryptophan, tyrosine,

phenylalanine, and methionine are often prescribed to patients because they all help encourage

the production of serotonin and endorphins (Asha, Ramesh, 2008, p.2).

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Diets low in carbohydrates tend to encourage the development of a depressive episode. In

Humans Carbohydrates has been found to effect mood and behavior. Diets rich in carbohydrates

helps trigger the release of Tryptophan in the brain which affects neurotransmitter levels (Asha,

Ramesh, 2008, p.3).

Many of the Neuro transmitters found in the brain are made up of amino acids (Asha,

Ramesh, 2008, p.3). Proteins rich foods like meat, dairy, and eggs are all great sources of Amnio

acids. A low amount of Protein and amino acid intake is associated with depression and

aggravated moods (Asha, Ramesh, 2008, p.3).

Studies show that a deficiency omega-3 acids are responsible for more intense symptoms

during a depressive episode (Asha, Ramesh, 2008, p.3). Some foods rich in Omega 3 are

spinach, salmon, and walnuts which can all help fight depression.

Vitamins B2 and B6 are strongly associated with improved mood. The study shows that

an increase of these vitamins in your diet can improve you mood within three months (Asha,

Ramesh, 2008, p.4).

Patients with depression has been found to have low folate levels which has been show to

reduce the effectiveness of anti depressant treatments. Individuals who increase their folate

intake will have more positive experiences with anti depressant. Low folate intake is the most

common neuropsychiatric cause of depression (Asha, Ramesh, 2008, p.5).

Low levels of the minerals Iodine, Iron, lithium, and Selenium are also associated with

depression. Iodine provides the thyroid with energy metabolism which can help regulate mood

and energy levels. Iron is also necessary for the production of energy and most people with

depression experience low levels of energy. Lithium has been know for it odd stabilizing
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properties. Selenium is well known for diminishing anxiety and improving mood (Asha,

Ramesh, 2008, p.4).

By learning how unhealthy eating habits and low levels of specific nutrients contribute to

depression we can take control of our diets and work towards building a healthy society.
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References

Asha, M., Ramesh, B., Jagannatha Rao, k., (April, 2008) Understanding Nutrition, De-
pression, and Mental Illnesses. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 50, 77-82.

Beardsley, B. (n.d.). Depression and Nutrition. Retrieved August 01, 2017, from http://
www.healingwell.com/library/depression/beardsley1.asp

Depression. (2016, October). Retrieved August 01, 2017, from https://www.nimh.nih.-

gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml

Dunifon, R., Cook, E., (2012). Do Family Meals Really Make a Difference. Cornell Uni-
versity Department of Policy Analysis and Management.

Singh, M. (2014, October 07). Eating Comfort Foods May Not Be So Comforting After
All. Retrieved August 01, 2017, from http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/
2014/10/07/354142689/eating-comfort-foods-may-not-be-so-comforting-after-al