Treating Depression With Food

"Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects about 10.4 percent of adults in one year and 20.6 percent over a lifetime (Hasin, 2018). Unfortunately, by themselves, psychotherapy and antidepressants only achieve full relief from symptoms in about 38 percent of treated patients. Combining psychotherapy and antidepressants modestly improves the outcomes. Clearly, more must be done for patients with MDD who have only a partial improvement from psychotherapy and/or antidepressants. Fortunately, there are several options, including adding additional medications, transcranial magnetic stimulation, electroconvulsive therapy, intranasal esketamine, and lifestyle interventions."

"What we eat and drink is vitally important for brain health, but what is equally important is what not to eat. Limiting ultra-processed foods is one of the most important nutrition-related things we can do to enhance our health, including brain health. In fact, "...greater ultra-purified food intake, particularly artificial sweeteners and artificially sweetened beverages, is associated with increased risk of depression" (Samuthpongtorn, 2023)."

Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects about 10.4 percent of adults in one year and 20.6 percent over a lifetime. Psychotherapy and antidepressants alone produce full symptom relief in only about 38 percent of treated patients, with modest improvement when combined. Additional treatment options include adding medications, transcranial magnetic stimulation, electroconvulsive therapy, intranasal esketamine, and lifestyle interventions. Lifestyle interventions include behavioral activation, exercise, social relationship enhancement, sleep improvement, and dietary changes. Diet influences brain health through effects on inflammation and oxidative stress. Limiting ultra-processed foods and artificial sweeteners can reduce risk factors and serve as an effective adjunct to standard depression treatments.

Read at Psychology Today