Comments on: Carbohydrate Intake and Depression – Q&A http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/carbohydrate-intake-and-depression-qa.html Training and Nutrition advice, straight from the monkey's mouth. Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:21:30 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Methuselah - Train Now Live Later http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/carbohydrate-intake-and-depression-qa.html/comment-page-1#comment-3548 Methuselah - Train Now Live Later Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:30:57 +0000 http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/?p=2209#comment-3548 Hi Again - sorry for the long delay - but I recently came across this paper: http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/abstract/175/3/259 "Association of low serum total cholesterol with major depression and suicide" I am not sure whether dieting alone can cause cholesterol to become low enough to impact on brain function in this way, but I have certainly read that cholesterol-lowering drugs have been associated with higher rates of suicide. Hi Again – sorry for the long delay – but I recently came across this paper:

http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/abstract/175/3/259

“Association of low serum total cholesterol with major depression and suicide”

I am not sure whether dieting alone can cause cholesterol to become low enough to impact on brain function in this way, but I have certainly read that cholesterol-lowering drugs have been associated with higher rates of suicide.

]]> By: water http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/carbohydrate-intake-and-depression-qa.html/comment-page-1#comment-2885 water Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:19:32 +0000 http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/?p=2209#comment-2885 FWIW, DH's mood issues cleared up when he ditched the gluten. I tried the diet along with him and in addition to fixing my migraine problem, my moods seem more stable, particularly pre-menstrual. We are eating, "very low carb" as it is defined here. FWIW, DH’s mood issues cleared up when he ditched the gluten. I tried the diet along with him and in addition to fixing my migraine problem, my moods seem more stable, particularly pre-menstrual. We are eating, “very low carb” as it is defined here.

]]> By: admin http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/carbohydrate-intake-and-depression-qa.html/comment-page-1#comment-2878 admin Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:08:49 +0000 http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/?p=2209#comment-2878 Dietary fat intake would have to be pretty absurdly low for nutrient absorption to be an issue and, for the record, neither saturated fat nor cholesterol are essential nutrients as humans can synthesize both. A search on medline for 'saturated fat and depression' turned up pretty much nothing in humans to support that claim. Certainly a low w-3 intake can be associated with depression with dozens of papers on that topic. Lyle Dietary fat intake would have to be pretty absurdly low for nutrient absorption to be an issue and, for the record, neither saturated fat nor cholesterol are essential nutrients as humans can synthesize both.

A search on medline for ’saturated fat and depression’ turned up pretty much nothing in humans to support that claim.

Certainly a low w-3 intake can be associated with depression with dozens of papers on that topic.

Lyle

]]> By: Methuselah - Pay Now Live Later http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/carbohydrate-intake-and-depression-qa.html/comment-page-1#comment-2877 Methuselah - Pay Now Live Later Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:03:38 +0000 http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/?p=2209#comment-2877 There's no mention of fat in the discussion and I recall from Tom Naughton's movie Fathead that not eating enough fat is linked to depression, which he repeats on his blog <a href='http://www.fathead-movie.com/index.php/2009/06/11/fried-food-is-tasteless-lets-thank-the-guy-from-cspi/' rel="nofollow">here</a>. This is the relevant quote: <em>Without saturated fat in the diet, your body has a difficult time absorbing the vitamins and other nutrients from your food. Your brain is made mostly of saturated fat and cholesterol, and without these essential fats, you are more likely to experience brain malfunctions, such as depression, or attention deficit disorder, or epilepsy. </em> Could there be any relevance? For example perhaps there happens to be a relationship between carbohydrate intake and fat intake for this person. There’s no mention of fat in the discussion and I recall from Tom Naughton’s movie Fathead that not eating enough fat is linked to depression, which he repeats on his blog here. This is the relevant quote:

Without saturated fat in the diet, your body has a difficult time absorbing the vitamins and other nutrients from your food. Your brain is made mostly of saturated fat and cholesterol, and without these essential fats, you are more likely to experience brain malfunctions, such as depression, or attention deficit disorder, or epilepsy.

Could there be any relevance? For example perhaps there happens to be a relationship between carbohydrate intake and fat intake for this person.

]]> By: Mike - Fat Loss Tips http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/carbohydrate-intake-and-depression-qa.html/comment-page-1#comment-2876 Mike - Fat Loss Tips Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:48:30 +0000 http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/?p=2209#comment-2876 Lyle, awesome explanation of the chemical reactions when reducing carbs and increasing protein. I always knew this was a possible side-effect when dieting but was lucky not to experience it to higher degrees as some others have. Lyle, awesome explanation of the chemical reactions when reducing carbs and increasing protein. I always knew this was a possible side-effect when dieting but was lucky not to experience it to higher degrees as some others have.

]]> By: admin http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/carbohydrate-intake-and-depression-qa.html/comment-page-1#comment-2860 admin Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:59:34 +0000 http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/?p=2209#comment-2860 This is a very good question. I do not currently have a very good answer much beyond a hunch that it certainly doesn't hurt and probably helps. It seems like the issues that occur (and keep in mind that the effect of serotonin on overall signalling and such has both long and short term effects as the system modulates itself) are longer term and I do wonder if bumping up serotonin with the weekend periods of normal eating doesn't prevent problems in the long-term. Lyle This is a very good question.

I do not currently have a very good answer much beyond a hunch that it certainly doesn’t hurt and probably helps. It seems like the issues that occur (and keep in mind that the effect of serotonin on overall signalling and such has both long and short term effects as the system modulates itself) are longer term and I do wonder if bumping up serotonin with the weekend periods of normal eating doesn’t prevent problems in the long-term.

Lyle

]]> By: dcguy http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/carbohydrate-intake-and-depression-qa.html/comment-page-1#comment-2859 dcguy Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:54:06 +0000 http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/?p=2209#comment-2859 How does this discussion relate to someone on your Ultimate Diet 2.0 (where there are low carbs half of the week and then a massive carb load on Day 4)? Does the carb load day replenish the chemicals/neurotransmitters related to depression, or is the carb load only sufficient to replenish the glycogen-depleted muscles? How does this discussion relate to someone on your Ultimate Diet 2.0 (where there are low carbs half of the week and then a massive carb load on Day 4)? Does the carb load day replenish the chemicals/neurotransmitters related to depression, or is the carb load only sufficient to replenish the glycogen-depleted muscles?

]]> By: admin http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/carbohydrate-intake-and-depression-qa.html/comment-page-1#comment-2823 admin Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:33:40 +0000 http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/?p=2209#comment-2823 You can get alpha-lactalbumin at trueprotein.com And while tryptophan can be used, it has to be taken far away from protein containing meals to have an impact which can be a problem at bedtime (you have to eat dinner very early). 5-htp avoids those problems so far as I know. You can get alpha-lactalbumin at trueprotein.com

And while tryptophan can be used, it has to be taken far away from protein containing meals to have an impact which can be a problem at bedtime (you have to eat dinner very early). 5-htp avoids those problems so far as I know.

]]> By: CloveApple http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/carbohydrate-intake-and-depression-qa.html/comment-page-1#comment-2820 CloveApple Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:58:04 +0000 http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/?p=2209#comment-2820 I should clarify that I meant L-Tryptophan in supplement form. I should clarify that I meant L-Tryptophan in supplement form.

]]> By: CloveApple http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/carbohydrate-intake-and-depression-qa.html/comment-page-1#comment-2814 CloveApple Mon, 22 Jun 2009 22:15:33 +0000 http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/?p=2209#comment-2814 I'm someone with a history of depression who's been chipping away at fat loss for a little under a year and a half. For about half a year I've been attempting to eat higher protein/lower carb than my usual eating pattern. Thanks very much for this article. It pulled together some things that I had been trying to make sense of in my own dieting experiences. It especially helped me get a perspective on why I sometimes feel driven to eat carby fatty foods when I'm down or stressed. Can you recommend any sources of alpha-lactalbumin? Also is there a reason L-Tryptophan didn't come into the discussion? I’m someone with a history of depression who’s been chipping away at fat loss for a little under a year and a half. For about half a year I’ve been attempting to eat higher protein/lower carb than my usual eating pattern.

Thanks very much for this article. It pulled together some things that I had been trying to make sense of in my own dieting experiences. It especially helped me get a perspective on why I sometimes feel driven to eat carby fatty foods when I’m down or stressed.

Can you recommend any sources of alpha-lactalbumin? Also is there a reason L-Tryptophan didn’t come into the discussion?

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