A Mediterranean diet can help young men overcome depression.

 

Depression is a widespread mental health problem that affects about one million Australians every year. Suicide, the greatest cause of mortality in young adults, is a substantial risk factor.

The 12-week randomised control experiment was recently published in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Clinical Nutrition by experts from the University of Technology Sydney.

The study was the first randomised clinical trial to investigate the impact of a Mediterranean diet on the symptoms of depression in young males, according to lead researcher Jessica Bayes, a PhD candidate in the UTS Faculty of Health (aged 18-25).

We were somewhat aback by how eager the young men were to try a new diet. Under the supervision of a nutritionist, those assigned to the Mediterranean diet were able to dramatically alter their original diets in a short period of time."

Jessica Bayes, UTS Faculty of Health PhD candidate

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"It suggests that as part of treating clinical depression, medical practitioners and psychologists should consider referring depressed young men to a nutritionist or dietitian," she said.

The research adds to the growing discipline of nutritional psychiatry, which strives to investigate the impact of specific nutrients, foods, and dietary patterns on mental health. Colorful vegetables, legumes, and wholegrains were abundant in the study's diet, as were oily fish, olive oil, and raw, unsalted nuts.

"The main goal was to improve diet quality by incorporating fresh wholefoods while lowering intake of 'fast' foods, sweets, and processed red meat," Bayes explained.

"There are numerous scientific reasons why we believe food influences mood. For example, our gut microorganisms produce over 90% of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that makes us feel joyful. In what is known as the gut-brain axis, there is accumulating evidence that these microorganisms can communicate with the brain via the vagus nerve.

"We need to give beneficial microorganisms fibre, which is found in beans, fruits, and vegetables," she explained.

Approximately 30% of depressed patients may not react satisfactorily to traditional therapies for major depressive disorder, such as cognitive behavioural therapy and antidepressant drugs.

"Nearly all of our participants stuck with the programme, and several expressed an interest in continuing the diet after the trial finished, demonstrating how effective, tolerable, and useful the intervention was for them."