High-protein Diet And Depression

Depression is a serious health issue that affects 6.7 percent of the adult population in the United States, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Women are 70 percent more likely to become clinically depressed. The exact cause of depression is not known but many theories seek to explain the condition. A high-protein diet has been suggested as a possible cause of depression.

Depression

Depression is a mental disorder that severely impairs a person's functioning for more than two weeks. Although most people will experience a depressed mood at some point over the course of their lifetimes, major depressive disorder involves a depressed mood daily or loss of interest in once pleasurable activities, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The cause of depression is not known, but heredity may play a role. Immediate family members of someone with depression are 1.5 to 3 times more likely to experience depression at some point. However, diet may also play a role.

Food and Moods

Neurotransmitters are chemical messenger molecules in your brain that regulate basic metabolic functions and mood. A deficiency in some neurotransmitters can contribute to feelings of sadness and loss of pleasure. Nutrients found in food are synthesized by the body to become neurotransmitters. Some amino acids, such as L-tyrosine, often found in high protein foods are metabolized into serotonin, dopamine and other important neurotransmitters. Many prescription anti-depressants are designed to increase certain neurotransmitters in order to improve mood.

High Protein Diet Reduces Depression

Some research has suggested that high protein diets can actually reduce depression. Amino acids found in protein can help to replace a neurotransmitter deficiency that could affect mood. One such study published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" found that a certain bovine protein helped to reduce depression and improve coping skills in participants. Fifty-eight participants were studied in the double-blind placebo controlled study. Other research on high protein diets and mood have produced inconclusive results.

High Protein Diet and Low-Carb

Judith Wurtman, director of the Women's Health Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Adara Weight Loss Center, has studied rats to investigate the effects of a low carbohydrate and high protein diet on mood. She stated that the rats that were fed a high protein diet have low levels of serotonin, which could contribute to feelings of depression.