People with depression tend to prefer food -rich foods, suggest a new study

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 280 million people, that is, 3.8% of the world’s population, has depression. The impact of depression on people’s lives varies: some patients become unable to leave home, while others continue to lead their daily lives without changes, although with some disorders.

The effects of depression can also be observed in food behavior; Those patients who suffer from severe depression have significant changes in appetite. Recent research shows that depressed patients tend to prefer carbohydrate foodsregardless of the decrease in hunger. Among his favorites are the noodles, cakes and basic foods such as rice.

“Many depressed patients complain about the decrease in appetite, but some develop a strong whim to sweets,” explains Nils Kramer, co -author of the study and professor of medical psychology at the University of Bonn, Germany. He adds that, although until now little was known about the relationship between depression and food behavior, their findings could lead to the development of new treatments.

The brain longs for the “happiness hormone”

Kramer and his colleagues investigated the appetite and preferences of depressed patients. They showed images of the different foods to 54 depressed and 63 healthy subjects, then they were asked to qualify to what extent they felt that they “wanted” or “liked” food.

The results showed that depressed patients had less cravings of foods rich in fats and proteins than healthy subjects, and instead wished more carbohydrate dishes. In addition, depressed subjects showed great interest in energy foods containing chocolate or dairy. The specialists did not identify significant differences between the two groups in the evaluation of the preferences.

Carbohydrates, proteins and lipids are the three main essential nutrients for the maintenance of human body functions. Of these, carbohydrates are the only source of energy for the brain and the nervous system, and the intake of sugar compound hydrates, is essential for life. It is also believed that these influence the brain reward system and favor serotonin secretion, a neurotransmitter that stabilizes mood.

This leads to researchers to consider that strong carbohydrates of depressed patients are closely related to their severity and anxiety symptoms. In other words, it is possible that the brains of depressed patients crave the “happiness hormone.” According to Kramer, carbohydrate -rich foods provide the brain with a sensation of reward through transmission roads different from those of foods rich in fat and proteins: “This mechanism could be used to treat depression with greater efficacy.”

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Full belly, happy heart?

“Depressed patients also showed changes in their intestinal microbiome,” according to Lily Truong, who directed The study. Specifically, the diversity of beneficial bacteria in the intestine is reduced and tend to increase bacteria that cause inflammation. This change in the intestinal environment can affect the production of neurotransmitters, causing humor changes and food preferences.

The first investigations showed that taking probiotics, living microorganisms that have beneficial effects on the human body, such as lactobacilos and bifidobacteria, as well as temporarily fasting to improve the intestinal environment, can also help control depressive symptoms. “Focusing on the interaction between the intestine and the brain is especially promising,” Reitera Thrun.

According to the equipment, incorporating the diet into the treatment of depression could allow them to examine how food preferences change at the beginning of the disease throughout treatment. The team also hopes to investigate whether diet optimization leads to a continuous improvement of depressive symptoms.

Article published in Wired Japan. Adapted by Alondra Flores.