Eating well is key component of good mental health

Nutrition is key to looking and feeling well, but what about thinking well?

Researchers have found links between more nutritious diets and less severe mental illnesses. The findings propose the need for further studies into nutrient-based treatments for those suffering from psychological disorders.

Rapid industrialization has instigated diet changes that are often less wholesome. Today people can be both overfed and undernourished by eating foods with little nutritional value. Even in developed countries, many people still do not meet the minimum levels for brain-essential nutrients like zinc, magnesium and the B vitamins.

Simultaneously, the number of people diagnosed with mental disorders such as depression has increased. While pharmaceutical drugs have indeed reduced some burdens of psychological illnesses, scientists claim that they are not completely effective.

For decades some researchers have been calling for a more natural therapy that uses nutrients in the body. During the 1950s, Canadian doctor Abram Hoffer used vitamin B3 to treat patients with schizophrenia, a psychological illness characterized by abnormal behavior and an inability to distinguish hallucinations from reality. Hoffer claimed that 75 percent of his patients recovered — that is, they could work and socialize on their own without support. This type of alternative treatment hails from the realm of orthomolecular medicine; physicians use nutritional supplementation to cure diseases. They believe that diseases actually reflect deficiencies in the body.

In a paper published online in The Lancet Psychiatry, a team led by Jerome Sarris at the University of Melbourne in Australia reviewed previous studies on nutrition and mental disorders. They found links between nutrition, the immune system and psychological illnesses.

Former research showed that B vitamin deficiencies, specifically concerning B3 and B9, were present in those who were depressed as well as those who responded poorly to antidepressants. Meats like tuna, chicken and turkey contain high levels of B vitamins.

Consuming Omega-3 fatty acids also modulates the uptake, degradation, synthesis and receptor binding of neurotransmitters, which are chemicals that act as messengers to transmit signals from brain cells. They reduce the incidence of abnormal behaviors. Sources of Omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, sardines, anchovies, fish-oil supplements, walnuts, flaxseeds, fresh tuna and herring.

Those with severe mental disorders like schizophrenia often have high, toxic levels of metals in their brains. The protein that removes these metals has to work overtime, depleting the brain’s zinc supply.

Zinc helps create neurotransmitters, and the scientists found research suggesting that deficiencies in the element are associated with increased symptoms of depression. Zinc has also been shown to improve depressed moods as an extra supplement to antidepressants. According to the National Institutes of Health, oysters contain the highest levels of zinc, but other good food sources are red meat and poultry.

The group also found that highly nutritious diets early in life, especially during critical stages of development, impacted the mental health of children. Severe lack of certain nutrients during these growing periods facilitated the development of diseases like depression.

Some researchers believe that a diet consisting of more vegetables, fruits, seafood, whole grains, lean meats and nuts combined with avoiding processed junk foods would provide better immunity against mental disorders.

Better nutrition means a better immune system and, therefore, lesser severity of psychological illnesses early and later in life.

While the practice of nutrient-based supplements has been a less mainstream tactic used by psychiatrists, some researchers say there is a pressing need to address the increasing levels of mental disorders coinciding with decreasing levels of nutrition. They propose increased government action in promoting healthier diets and more education on the correlations between malnutrition and psychological disorders.

The scientists have not yet done any lab experiments to support their findings. However, they would like to discover how effective nutrient-based therapy would be on mental illnesses, what doses are needed and under what circumstances.

The group is currently in the process of organizing a randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of an improved diet on severe depression.