How Fats Could Benefit Your Mental Health
Many experts agree that what we eat has a lot to do with our mental health. Whilst they have multi-factorial causes, we can’t overthrow the role of health and nutrition in preventing and managing mental health illnesses. But in the modern world, achieving a balanced diet has become a major challenge. These days, many people tend to indulge in high-carbohydrate, low fat diets, which have been linked to the rise not just in obesity, but also in mental health problems like anxiety and depression.
The opposite of low fat diets that many of us follow today is probably the diet that was followed by our ancestors back in the ancient times. These people had extended periods without food, either because it isn’t available or they were busy doing something else. These ‘fast’ periods were then followed with a heavy meal of plant and animal products, focusing on fats. During the day, they prefer to eat a piece of fruit or some greens because high-calorie meals had to be prepared for a longer period of time. This kind of eating pattern allowed the brain to build compounds known as ‘ketones’ that the body needs to be able to break down fats and fatty acids to use as fuel or source of energy.
People who have healthy metabolism undergo ketosis every day, particularly during sleep. If in the morning you wake up and your urine smells a bit strong, that means you are under ketosis, unless of course you have poorly controlled diabetes. Being in ketosis in the morning is a good sign of healthy metabolism.
But what does ketosis have to do with the brain?
The word ‘fats’ often gives us a chill. Many people still think that when it comes to fats, less is better. But a growing body of research is highlighting the importance of good fats, particularly on brain health. Lower fat isn’t necessarily better. Consuming less than 20 per cent of your daily calorie needs from fat can significantly put your health at risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and (you won’t believe this) weight gain.
A diet low in fat may also put you at risk of depression – the most common form of mental illness. Several studies have shown that low-fat diet, which is linked to low cholesterol, could promote depressed mood and impulsivity. For example, a study published in The British Journal of Nutrition found that people who reduced their fat intake by up to 25 per cent experienced increased hostility and depression. Another study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders has also linked low and abnormal essential fatty acid intake to depression. Why is this so?
Low-fat diets could cause hormonal swings in the brain, disrupting the balance of serotonin, which is linked to a higher risk of depression and mood problems like anxiety and suicidal behaviour. Carbohydrates and sugar could only provide temporary highs in serotonin levels. Without adequate fat and protein, the serotonin levels will come crushing down quickly. Furthermore, research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids are essential to mental health. A deficiency in this type of fat could lead to schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, ADHD and eating disorder.
Ketogenic Diet and Your Mental Health
The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, adequate-protein and low-carbohydrate diet. In hospitals, it is used to treat hard-to-control epilepsy in children, as well as seizures. The purpose of this diet is to let the body burn fats instead of carbohydrates. Normally, carbohydrates contained in food are converted into glucose – which is then used as fuel to support different bodily functions, especially brain functions. However, if there’s not enough carbohydrate, the liver has to do something to generate fuel. The only way is to convert fats into fatty acids and ketone bodies. The ketone bodies pass into the brain, replacing glucose as the primary energy source. In medicine, the elevated level of ketone bodies in the blood, known as ketosis, leads to a reduction in the frequency of seizures. These water-soluble biochemicals do it by preventing neurotoxicity that is caused by too much glutamate.
Does this mean ketone bodies are a better fuel source than glucose? It seems yes. Let us look at the effects of the two energy sources at the cellular level. Deep within the centre of the cell is the mitochondrion where all the energy is produced, called ATP. Whilst glucose is the primary source of fuel in the body, if you look at the garbage leftover in the mitochondria, it is actually less efficient to produce ATP from glucose than from ketone bodies as the latter produce fewer free radicals.
This doesn’t mean however that we should all forgo our existing diets for the ketogenic one. If you have health problems, it is always advisable to seek help from a professional doctor.
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