Are you really what you eat?

May 24, 2006 2:31 PM

What have been your experiences with the effect of changes in diet and nutrition on depression?

I was inspired to ask this question by some of the answers to this thread. Someone recently mentioned to me that Vitamin B-Complex vitamins are supposed to help with mild depression and with lack of energy, and I was wondering two things. (1) Have any of you found Vitamin B-complex to be helpful in treating mild depression; and (2) Have you found any other changes to your dietary habits to have been helpful?

I'd like to ignore exercise and drugs as options right now and concentrate solely on nutrition for this question. Thank you!

posted by echo0720 to Health & Fitness (31 answers total)

Based on my own experience and the experiences of friends, the effects of Vitamin B seem to vary from person to person. I didn't feel any different when taking Vitamin B. Cutting out refined sugar and starches and eating multiple small meals each day really improved my mood. Also, people might tell you to cut out caffeine, but I find that not only does it make me more alert, but it actually makes me more chipper and easy-going.
posted by lunalaguna at 2:38 PM on May 24, 2006

Going vegan helped me out immensely. In the three weeks since I started, I've found myself more focused, happier, and able to make it through not-so-fun stuff without nearly as much grumbling. I've also watched my refined sugar and HFCS intake as well as take a multivitamin and drink lots of water and tea.

(And the occasional cuppa coffee. I love coffee.)
posted by beaucoupkevin at 2:41 PM on May 24, 2006

I have been cycling the ketogenic diet on and off for years and I can say without hesitation that when I'm in a state of ketosis, I feel very "zen" and at peace and even euphoric. And yes, I suffer from depression.

Btw: the ketoplan I wrote is merely anecdotal. I am not a doctor or registered dietition.
posted by rinkjustice at 2:44 PM on May 24, 2006

I actually found that going vegetarian messed with my moods until I got the right vitamin loadout, which did include plenty of B12.

As a strange side effect, caffeine doesn't seem to make me jittery any more, just alert.
posted by selfnoise at 2:53 PM on May 24, 2006

I gave up dairy because I suspected I might have a milk allergy, and I feel a whole lot better. It could be other factors but I can breathe a lot better and I feel generally healthier, and I have more energy, so that's made me happier.
posted by jimmythefish at 2:55 PM on May 24, 2006 [1 favorite]

Best answer: B Complex has helped. It's not a tremendous difference, but it definitely gives you more energy. I also take a multi-vitamin that is iron-free. Eating small, frequent meals helps keep moods stable & I always feel much more clear-headed when eating a diet high in fresh fruits & vegetables. If I stop eating like that for a week or so, I really do notice a change.
posted by Alpenglow at 2:56 PM on May 24, 2006 [1 favorite]

B vitamin supplements definitely help me combat that morning "exhausted or just depressed, ah well, same difference" problem. And I say this as someone who had always believed that supplements just give you expensive pee.

(I haven't succeeded in finding any neat dietary way to load up on B-complex-rich foods on a daily basis that I've been able to stick with.)
posted by desuetude at 2:57 PM on May 24, 2006 [1 favorite]

i think sufficient omega-3s/omega-6 fatty acids (found in cold water fish) may have some impact on mild depression. check out udo erasmus for a vegetarian oil option and general excellent information on the subject. Many people do seem to be deficient in omega-3s, but a lot of the advertised ways of getting them (such as added to margarine or eggs, at least here in the UK) are basically bullshit.
posted by criticalbill at 3:01 PM on May 24, 2006

Going vegetarian affected my mental health positively.
posted by dead_ at 3:32 PM on May 24, 2006

I used to wake up MEAN! A friend suggested timed release B-Stress vitamins. Made a huge differance. Also, I find that when I eat wheat it makes the arthritis in my knees flare up. Go figure.
posted by haikuku at 4:20 PM on May 24, 2006

Going on a high protein/green veggies diet seemed to improve my mood (giving me optimism) and more energy while a B complex hasn't shown itself to be too terrible effective. I went off the diet and I feel more sluggish, so I'm trying to get back on it.
posted by lychee at 4:23 PM on May 24, 2006

desuetude: a easy way to eat B vitamins, including B12, is by eating the delicious... Vegemite...

(yes, I am an Australian)

But no... really... when eating Vegemite, you just have to eat it carefully, and it really is delicious.
posted by jonathanstrange at 4:42 PM on May 24, 2006

Well then, jonathanstrangetheAustralian, I very well may take you up on that. My understanding is that vegemite tastes strong, malty, and salty, and is consumed with large amounts of butter on toast. This actually sounds good to me. It's easier to get Marmite here, though...will that work just as well?
posted by desuetude at 5:18 PM on May 24, 2006

I can't say much about B vitamins specifically, but I'll rave all day about a good diet. What's important to me: three reasonably-sized meals and three small snacks to keep my blood sugars even (this was true even before I developed gestational diabetes); a good balance of complex carbs, fruits/veggies, and proteins; a general supplement of some sort. The better I eat, the better I feel, physically and emotionally.
posted by moira at 5:28 PM on May 24, 2006

Try phosphadyl serine. It's a brain nutrient that comes from fish. It also boosts mood and cognitive function. Another bonus is vivid dreams. When I take it my dreams are my overnight entertainment.
posted by Blingo at 5:56 PM on May 24, 2006

desuetude: Very salty, and an aquired taste, when I was 5 I could eat it with a spoon, but I'd probably throw up if I tried that now. A very thin layer is the key, you can work your way up from that. Marmite is good, but, "Vegemite is one of the worlds richest sources of Vitamin B".
posted by jonathanstrange at 5:57 PM on May 24, 2006

Also, if you're a male, try DHEA. It helps keep cortisol at bay. Cortisol is the stress hormone that can make you uptight and DHEA balances it and smooths out your day if you take it in the morning. Also helps trim belly fat and generally increases youthfulness.
posted by Blingo at 6:00 PM on May 24, 2006

I've tried various diet combinations at various points with emphasis on observation of effects and I am positive that for me, diet has no effect on depression. Change of seasons and daylight...yes.
posted by plinth at 6:54 PM on May 24, 2006

Best answer: I came at this from the reverse angle, and found that I was deficient in B12. Now I'm less depressed, more energetic. I didn't even realize how crappy I'd been feeling until I started taking sub-lingual B-12. (According to my MD sub-lingual is more effective because your stomach acids never get the opportunity to break the vitamin down.)
posted by chelseagirl at 7:10 PM on May 24, 2006

I have always taken it as a truism that good diet helps against depression - this is something you read over & over again in psych & general health literature. Unfortunately, even though I suffer from depression from time to time, I can't offer anecdotal evidence of the effect of diet because I take care to *always* eat well, so I have never tested the switch from Big Macs to tofu salads.

Something I can offer, though: eating well can help you feel better simply because you are doing it; a kind of placebo effect, or perhaps the satisfaction of sticking to goals & plans. Also, you may find yourself trimmer, which also usually boosts mood.

(I personally think that exercise is easily the #1 remedy, but you said this is out of scope)

In other matters, Marmite & Vegemite are roughly interchangeable, IMHO. Comparing the Marmite jar here on my desk with the Vegemite info on the website confirms this: identical RDI %ges for all listed nutrients.

Tip: try Vege/Marmite on buttered raisin toast. Sounds disgusting, but you will never look back!
posted by UbuRoivas at 8:52 PM on May 24, 2006

With the caveat that everyone's body is different and to truely find out the answer to this question for yourself you're going to have to try things and see how your body reacts ...

Cutting out refined sugar really helps me. Although I loves me some sugar, when I avoid it I'm a happier person, less moody, and have less mood swings. I am a person who has a tendency towards depression. However, I'm also from families on both sides with alcoholics and diabetics, leading me to believe that my genes inhibit me from metabolizing sugar very well in the first place.

I've also noticed that St. John's Wort or 5HTP helps me balance out the blahs in moderation.
posted by Kimberly at 12:06 AM on May 25, 2006

Response by poster: UbuRoivas - exercise is only out of scope because I already know the benefits (and believe me, I'm working on motivation, I mean, how does a depressed person motivate herself to go to the gym every day? that's a whole other AskMe question in itself...)

Chelseagirl - I just bought sub-lingual Vitamin B pills last night, glad to hear that it's supposed to be more effective.

Vegemite lovers - I've actually never tried it (or I did as a child and can't remember), if I'm ever around some, I'll try the very thin layer though!

Everyone else, thank you so much for your answers, I would love to hear more from you all!
posted by echo0720 at 5:18 AM on May 25, 2006

I have to second the Omega fatty acids -- Udo's blends are good, straight flax oil is a great place to start for most diets

that and cutting out (refined) sugars, alcohol and large amounts of caffeine are my top two strategies for lessening my mood swings.
posted by iurodivii at 6:28 AM on May 25, 2006

Check out a great book called "Prescriptions for Nutritional Healing"
There's a section in there on Depression. It lists supplements & diets that are supposed to help. It's good to have as a reference because it will give you the recommended dosage. Good luck to you!
posted by Alpenglow at 6:32 AM on May 25, 2006

When I eat fresh fruit and veg, I feel like I'm taking care of myself properly, which in itself is a real mood booster. It's good to know that you have healthy food inside you.

Also, I don't know if it's within the scope of the question or not, but water also picks up my mood and energy quite reliably.
posted by teleskiving at 9:35 AM on May 25, 2006

I mean, how does a depressed person motivate herself to go to the gym every day? that's a whole other AskMe question in itself...

The only time I was ever able to go to the gym everyday was when I was on Prozac. And I didn't actually make that connection until the Prozac stopped working. However, I did manage---with a friend's help---to get out of the house and walk around the neighborhood a bit, which helps, too.
posted by lunalaguna at 10:41 AM on May 25, 2006

Oh, yes, agreed on cutting sugars, and hydrating always helps with my general energy level. Hugely.
posted by moira at 12:24 PM on May 25, 2006

I cut out all caffeine, because it used to give me terrible mood swings. After a cup of joe, I'd be hyper-happy for about three hours, agitated for five and then really depressed for two days. I wish I had known in college that coffee affected me so dramatically, but I always attributed my depression to school stress and lack of sleep.

Now that I don't drink it, I never get depressed like I used to and I'm much more even keeled. (Then again, it may be also because I'm done with the angsty period of my life.)

It's sad, really, because I looooove coffee. But I know better now.
posted by hooray at 4:42 PM on May 25, 2006

Response by poster: When you say cutting sugars - do you mean refined sugars or including natural sugars in fruit?

I am thinking about trying the no caffeine thing, but unfortunately, that just made me crave a hot cocoa (sugar). Oops.
posted by echo0720 at 7:47 AM on May 26, 2006

Best answer: Personally, I just keep my refined sugars down to a minimum, and have any sugars that I do eat with something else. So, for example, I'll eat a small dessert with dinner on occasion (because seriously, there's no way I'm giving it all up). For snacks, I eat a fruit and a protein food, such as cashews or cheese. This is more geared towards avoiding loading my system all at once. There are probably people that go much further in cutting sugars, but this works for me. I think really, the key is to eat sensibly and avoid the junk. There's no need be an ascetic unless that's your thing.
posted by moira at 11:31 AM on May 26, 2006

This may be obvious, but I'd cut out alcohol entirely. I notice a mood difference with one beer. Luckily, I don't suffer from depression, but even still, I find my lethargy doubles.

Can't get to the gym? Can you sit on the porch in the sun a little bit? Maybe first thing in the morning?
posted by salvia at 12:02 AM on May 27, 2006