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All you wanted to know about food-mood connection
Certain Foods, Nutrients Can Affect Mood
United Press International
January 22, 2002
MONTREAL, Jan 21, 2002 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- A new report from Canadian researchers, released Monday, suggests food and certain nutrients can influence mood and behavior and dispels some common myths about such interactions.
Simon Young, a scientist at McGill University in Montreal, examined the current scientific literature on food and mood. He reports his conclusions in the January issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal as part of a series on nutrition.
In his report, Young looks at what is food and what is a drug, suggesting some nutrients can have pharmacological effects.
For exasmple, tryptophan, an amino acid and the building block of protein, is found in foods such as turkey and milk. However, Young said only tryptophan in its pure form can increase levels of a brain chemical called serotonin.
Heightened levels of serotonin can have an anti-depressant effect on mood, Young said, and can help people struggling to fall asleep. The popular myths that a warm glass of milk can aid sleep or a turkey dinner will bring on drowsiness are not supported by science, he said.
"Foods containing tryptophan are not going to raise ... serotonin," Young told United Press International.
His review of the scientific data also did not support the common misperception that sugar leads to hyperactivity in children or that sugar will help adults get through a mid-afternoon slump.
"There's just no evidence of that," Young said, "In fact, all of the evidence is against that. I think some of these beliefs are due to misattribution."
What science does indicate, he said, is that carbohydrates, in their purest form, can have a mild sedative effect on people. Carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates, such as those in a baked potato or piece of bread, appear to "cause a modest enhancement in memory," Young said.
The report also finds patients with depression have higher folic acid deficiencies than those who are not depressed.
"Folate deficiencies are associated with lower levels of serotonin," Young explained.
An amino acid derivative called S-adenosylmethionine or SAMe, sold as a dietary supplement in the United States, can have an anti-depressant effect as well. Young said there even is a link suggesting insufficient folic acid depletes SAMe levels in the brain.
His review also found essential fatty acids, such as those found in fish oils, can alter the composition of nerve cell membranes. In fact, some American studies have suggested fish oil could reduce depressive symptoms.
And finally, high-calorie meals do have a "hypnotic effect," he said. "There's data a heavy meal will make you feel drowsy."
Liz Applegate, professor of nutrition at the University of California at Davis, said it is difficult to study how food affects mood because it is difficult to quantify and measure people's behavior and feelings in response to specific nutrients.
"There's actually no hard scientific definition for a (food) craving," Applegate told UPI. "(However) there's no doubt there's a food-mood connection."
Research shows people might feel drowsy after a high-calorie meal because the blood flow in the intestinal tract needs more oxygen to digest all the food, Applegate explained. "It has been shown people are less alert following a big meal," she said.
But the food and mood associations do not apply to everyone. Diet and behavior are unique to the individual.
"It's not universal for everyone," Applegate added. "The research there is not as substantive. It's not black and white."
(Reported by Katrina Woznicki in Washington)
Copyright 2002 by United Press International.
Certain Foods, Nutrients Can Affect Mood
United Press International
January 22, 2002
MONTREAL, Jan 21, 2002 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- A new report from Canadian researchers, released Monday, suggests food and certain nutrients can influence mood and behavior and dispels some common myths about such interactions.
Simon Young, a scientist at McGill University in Montreal, examined the current scientific literature on food and mood. He reports his conclusions in the January issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal as part of a series on nutrition.
In his report, Young looks at what is food and what is a drug, suggesting some nutrients can have pharmacological effects.
For exasmple, tryptophan, an amino acid and the building block of protein, is found in foods such as turkey and milk. However, Young said only tryptophan in its pure form can increase levels of a brain chemical called serotonin.
Heightened levels of serotonin can have an anti-depressant effect on mood, Young said, and can help people struggling to fall asleep. The popular myths that a warm glass of milk can aid sleep or a turkey dinner will bring on drowsiness are not supported by science, he said.
"Foods containing tryptophan are not going to raise ... serotonin," Young told United Press International.
His review of the scientific data also did not support the common misperception that sugar leads to hyperactivity in children or that sugar will help adults get through a mid-afternoon slump.
"There's just no evidence of that," Young said, "In fact, all of the evidence is against that. I think some of these beliefs are due to misattribution."
What science does indicate, he said, is that carbohydrates, in their purest form, can have a mild sedative effect on people. Carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates, such as those in a baked potato or piece of bread, appear to "cause a modest enhancement in memory," Young said.
The report also finds patients with depression have higher folic acid deficiencies than those who are not depressed.
"Folate deficiencies are associated with lower levels of serotonin," Young explained.
An amino acid derivative called S-adenosylmethionine or SAMe, sold as a dietary supplement in the United States, can have an anti-depressant effect as well. Young said there even is a link suggesting insufficient folic acid depletes SAMe levels in the brain.
His review also found essential fatty acids, such as those found in fish oils, can alter the composition of nerve cell membranes. In fact, some American studies have suggested fish oil could reduce depressive symptoms.
And finally, high-calorie meals do have a "hypnotic effect," he said. "There's data a heavy meal will make you feel drowsy."
Liz Applegate, professor of nutrition at the University of California at Davis, said it is difficult to study how food affects mood because it is difficult to quantify and measure people's behavior and feelings in response to specific nutrients.
"There's actually no hard scientific definition for a (food) craving," Applegate told UPI. "(However) there's no doubt there's a food-mood connection."
Research shows people might feel drowsy after a high-calorie meal because the blood flow in the intestinal tract needs more oxygen to digest all the food, Applegate explained. "It has been shown people are less alert following a big meal," she said.
But the food and mood associations do not apply to everyone. Diet and behavior are unique to the individual.
"It's not universal for everyone," Applegate added. "The research there is not as substantive. It's not black and white."
(Reported by Katrina Woznicki in Washington)
Copyright 2002 by United Press International.
