Nutrition and mental health

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By Adam Toffan, M.Sc, NSCA-CSCS, CSEP-CEP,
Assistant Fitness Training and Assessment Coordinator, UM Recreation Services   

In conjunction with Bell Let's Talk, we're emphasizing mental health with our content this month. Today I want to share some information regarding the relationship between nutrition and mental health. Nutritional psychiatry is a new and rapidly emerging field of nutrition and mental health. There's been a steady increase in epidemiological studies investigating the relationships between dietary patterns and mental states in the past decade. 

The first thing we can do to improve or maintain our mental health is make our diets balanced and more natural. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have shown that the more one eats a highly-processed diet, the more one is at risk for developing psychiatric symptoms, such as depression and anxiety. Many aspects of a balanced and natural diet can help our mental health.  

Carbohydrates

Low glycemic index (GI) foods such as some fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and pasta can provide moderate but longer-lasting effects on brain chemistry, mood and energy compared to high GI foods that provide more immediate but only temporary relief. Low carb diets can also precipitate depression because carbohydrate causes insulin release, which triggers the entry of tryptophan into the brain. 

Protein

High-quality proteins have various eight essential amino acids that are not manufactured in the body. Amino acids such as tyrosine and tryptophan are needed to make neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin, which have been proven to positively affect mood. A deficiency in these neurotransmitters results in low mood and increased aggression. 

Essential Fatty Acids (Omega-3 Fatty Acids)

The brain is one of the organs with the highest lipids composed of fatty acids. It's estimated that grey matter contains 50 percent fatty acids, and about 33 percent belong to the omega-3 family. Diets lacking in omega-3 show considerable disturbance in neural function. Diets low in omega-3 may be responsible for heightened depressive symptoms. 

Vitamins

Recent research has shown that B vitamins are related to mental health. Mood improvement is associated with improved B2 and B6 status found in B complex vitamins. Vitamin B12 has also been shown to delay the onset of signs of dementia if applied before the first symptoms. Therefore, B vitamins can improve mental health but also maintain brain function. 

Our diet can play a vital role in how we feel now and prevent some mental illnesses. With a well-rounded and clean diet, you can help improve your mood, energy and cognitive function.

Sources:

Choda et al. (2020). "Associations between diet and mental health using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire: cross-sectional and prospective analyses from the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study", Nutrition Journal, 19(2)

Owen, Lauren and Corfe, Bernard (2017). "The role of diet and nutrition on mental health
and wellbeing," The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, pp. 1-2. 

Sathyanarayana Rao, T.S., Asha, M.R., Ramesh, B.N., Jagannatha Rao, K.S. 2008, "Understanding Nutrition and Mental Illnesses," Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 50(2), pp. 77-82.

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