“Depression is a serious illness which affects approximately 300 million people worldwide. Sadly, it is one of the leading causes of disability and premature death in the world. Depression can affect nearly anyone at any time, but the condition often strikes during the prime of life.
Depression runs in families and is often triggered by difficult life events such as the loss of a loved one or the end of a relationship. Depression can also have a physical cause, such as brain tumors, stroke, or multiple sclerosis, which can impair brain function and lead to depression.
It doesn’t seem fair. A study recently published in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that people who eat a low carbohydrate diet have a much higher chance of developing depression.
This is because they don’t get enough good fats—like omega 3s—and end up eating too much processed carbs and sugar. But if you’re on a low carb diet, you’re not getting enough good fats. And I don’t recommend eating processed carbs at all.
Low carb diets may be the latest fad diet craze, but are they really the way to go? That’s a question we get a lot, and while there is no simple answer, we can tell you what we do know. The low carb trend can be traced back to the Atkins Diet, a low-carb diet that was popularized in 1972. The Atkins Diet is not considered low carb because it does not prescribe specific low carb foods. Instead, it encourages the consumption of a wide variety of high-protein foods, like meat, fish, eggs, cheese, and nuts.
Can a low-carb diet make you depressed? Is it possible that it may exacerbate symptoms, or do symptoms of depression typically improve while eating a low-carb diet?
We enlisted the help of some of the world’s best low-carb physicians to provide fast and spontaneous responses, and the movie above was created as a result (transcript).
The following are the physicians shown in the video:
0:16 Jason Fung, M.D. 0:37 Dr. Peter Brukner is a neurologist who specializes in the treatment Dr. Sarah Hallberg, 1:13 Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, 2:15
More
Would you want to watch one more of these videos? There are many more, with physicians responding to some of the most often asked and essential low-carb questions:
It’s no secret that carb heavy diets are associated with depression and weight gain. Low carb diets are often blamed for causing or worsening depression—but are these claims true? Or may low carb diets actually help your mental health?. Read more about low-carb diet effect on mood and let us know what you think.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a low-carb diet affect your mood?
Yes, it can affect your mood.
Can keto make you feel depressed?
Yes, keto can make you feel depressed.
How do carbs affect depression?
Carbs are not a good source of energy for the brain and can cause depression.
