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Scrambled Eggs & Depression

Jul 26, 2011 | By Carol Sarao
Scrambled Eggs & Depression
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Depression -- a mood disorder in which persistent negative feelings prevent you from normal functioning for several weeks or longer -- may be caused by chemical changes in your brain; heredity and stress can play a role as well. Depression is treatable; Depression Help Spot reports that 80 to 90 percent of people seeking help for depression find relief. Your doctor may advise talk therapy or antidepressant medications. Natural healers sometimes recommend eating simple, nourishing foods that contain specific nutrients believed to have mood-lifting effects. Scientific research has supported beneficial effects of several constituents in eggs.

Basics

Two large scrambled eggs contain 182 calories and 12.19 g of high-quality protein, 13.40 g of total fat, 1.96 g of carbohydrates and 1.74 g of total sugars in the form of glucose and lactose. Eggs are high in the essential mineral calcium -- which may have a calming effect --
as well as vitamin D, antioxidant vitamin A, and thiamine, riboflavin and pantothenic acid. Eggs, a natural, non-processed food, are free of refined sugar and chemical additives -- believed by some to worsen depression -- and are naturally low in sodium. As a soft, bland food, scrambled eggs fall into the category of "comfort food," and may have pleasant childhood associations that will cheer you. Moreover, the simple act of cooking a wholesome food for yourself -- or having somebody cook it for you -- can have a mood-lifting effect.

Cystine/Cysteine

Eggs are particularly rich in the sulfur-containing amino acid cystine, with two scrambled eggs containing .250 g. Once in your body, cystine can be converted to cysteine, a powerful antioxidant that can help neutralize destructive free radicals; it may also be converted to glutathione, another potent antioxidant. Supplementary cysteine is available as N-acetyl-cysteine, or NAC. Scientific research supports cysteine's use for depression. In a placebo-controlled study published in 2008 in "Biological Psychiatry," researchers administered N-acetyl-cysteine for 24 weeks to patients with bipolar disorder. They found that patients who were given NAC as an adjunct to their usual medications experienced significant improvement on the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale, as well as in clinical status, quality of life and functioning. The team concluded that NAC was apparently a safe and effective augmentation in bipolar depression.

Methionine

Scrambled eggs also contain high levels of the amino acid methionine, with .362 g in two eggs. Methionine is a sulfur-containing antioxidant amino acid which helps to build muscle tissue and break down fats and proteins. Methionine -- in the form of S-adenosylmethionine, or SAMe -- is used to treat depression. In an animal study published in 2005 in "The Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience," researchers resolved to determine whether the methionine form was as effective as SAMe. They concluded that oral administration of methionine to rats caused biochemical and behavioral reactions that indicated an antidepressant effect. Researchers called for studies on humans to fully explore methionine's mood-lifting potential.

Selenium

With 28.7 mcg of selenium, a two-egg serving of scrambled eggs is an excellent source of this essential trace mineral, vital for thyroid and immune system function. Like cysteine and methionine, selenium is an antioxidant. Selenium may have the ability to affect emotional well-being. In a scientific review of clinical studies published in 2002 in "Nutrition and Neuroscience," David Benton, of the Department of Psychology at University of Wales in Swansea, Wales, concluded that mood is modified by selenium intake. Benton noted that five different studies correlated low consumption of selenium with poor mood.

References

Article reviewed by Jenna Marie Last updated on: Jul 26, 2011

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