A neurologist spoke about the impact of foods on mood

Scientists have proven that emotional well-being depends largely on dietary habits, said Ekaterina Demyanovskaya, a neurologist, candidate of medical sciences, and expert at Gemotest Laboratory. She told Izvestia on January 21 how certain foods affect mood and what kind of diet will help you keep your spirits up.

"Food not only determines the overall nutritional status, but also affects the state of the intestine and its microflora. It consists of beneficial and potentially harmful bacteria - it is important that a healthy neutrality is maintained in the gut. If for some reason the beneficial bacteria give up their positions, opportunistic microorganisms begin to actively develop and eventually harm the body. Including this can affect mood and behavior," - explained the doctor.

She specified that the intestine has its own autonomous nervous system, which produces neurotransmitters - serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. Through the visceral nerves, vagus nerve signals reach the brain - so works the axis "brain - intestine".

"Thanks to neurotransmitters, neurons interact with each other. All neurotransmitters have different actions. For example, serotonin is known as the hormone of joy. If its levels are reduced, irritability and anxiety increase. Deficiency of dopamine makes a person passive, lethargic, uninitiative. Lack of norepinephrine prevents the body to respond normally to stress - to adapt to the emergency situation and quickly make decisions, "- said Demyanovskaya.

At the same time spoil the microflora can passion for products that at the moment bring the most pleasure. First of all, these are sweets and drinks with a high sugar content.

"Refined sugar and fructose are a treat for pathogenic bacteria that inhabit the intestines. On such a diet, they actively multiply, displacing beneficial microflora. Studies also show that excessive consumption of sugar can suppress the activity of a special protein - neurotrophic factor of the brain. Low concentration of this substance is associated with a high risk of depression," emphasized the neurologist.

According to her, a number of studies also show that the artificial sweetener aspartame provokes an increase in the level of cortisol - the stress hormone, which makes a person irritable and anxious, affecting the quality of sleep.

Improve the state of intestinal microflora will help fermented foods.

"For example, scientists recently found out that the risk of depression is significantly lower in people who regularly drink yogurt and kefir. It's probably all about lactobacilli, beneficial lactic acid bacteria. It turned out that they help to increase the level of interferon gamma - a protein that is important for the normal functioning of the immune system, reduces inflammation and helps to cope with stress," - said Demyanovskaya.

At the same time, the neurologist emphasized that food is far from the only and not the most important of the possible causes of depression. Cure from this ailment will not help even the most useful dishes.

"It must be understood that depression is a mental disorder. And it is still unknown exactly what causes this disease. Play a role hereditary, hormonal status of a person, lifestyle, social status, use of alcohol and psychotropic substances," she explained.

The doctor added that depression can be provoked by disorders in the brain due to its pathologies or traumas, diseases of other organs and systems. The expert reminded that at signs of depression it is important to seek medical help.

"It makes sense to go to a psychiatrist if a person constantly feels tired from the morning, has lost interest in life, he is not happy with the activity that previously brought pleasure, limited communication with friends and family, sees his future exclusively in black, expresses suicidal thoughts. The doctor will select antidepressants that will help to correct the condition," - concluded Demyanovskaya.

Earlier, December 1, 2024 , doctor-neurologist medical company "SberZdorovye" Polina Lepilova told "Izvestia" about five non-obvious reasons to consult a neurologist. Thus, the reason for consultation with a specialist of this profile may be a feeling of anxiety and internal tension, difficulties in falling asleep and waking up, visual disturbances, numbness and tingling in the extremities, as well as discomfort in the legs.