A diet high in cooked eggs and leafy vegetables might help some people to stave off melancholy moods, researchers say.
Eggs, meat and fish contain vitamin B12 while green leafy vegetables are rich in folates.
A new study says diets low in vitamin B12 and in folate increase the risk of symptoms developing of melancholic depression.
Researchers in Finland say their studies of diet suggest key differences between melancholic depression and depression without melancholy – which is characterised by feelings of worry and anxiety.
Pyschiatrist Dr Jussi Seppälä, of the Hospital District of Southern Savo, studied nearly 3,000 people for the research published in Journal of Affective Disorders.
He says non-melancholic depression is linked to development of the metabolic condition, which can lead to diabetes and is often caused by obesity and lack of fitness.
However eating large quantities of folate halved the risk of developing melancholic depression – and B12 cut the risk by two thirds.
Dr Seppälä said: "The findings have practical implications in the care of patients with depressive symptoms.
"For example, it may be wise to avoid medication causing weight gain among patients with non-melancholic depression, whereas melancholic depressive symptoms may call for a closer look at the quality of the patient’s diet."
Leave a Reply