While going vegan or vegetarian has been known to reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease. New research proposes that opting for a plant-based diet may negatively impact one’s mental health.
Sure, recent documentaries like “What The Health” and “Cowspiracy,” may have you thinking that it’s time for a total life change. But, per a recent Bristol University study, scientists claim that vegetarians and vegans are more likely to be depressed than meat eaters. In the study, authors suggest that a lack of vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids abundant in fatty fish like salmon and tuna as well as red meats is missing from their diet. Deficiencies of both nutrients have been associated with depression.
“Vitamin B12 is directly linked to mood, so much so that depression manifests with diets deficient in the essential micronutrient,” dietitian/nutritionist Jennifer Bowers, PhD, RD, tells BlackDoctor.org. “To complicate matters, the only natural sources of vitamin B12 are animal foods such as beef, fish, milk and cheese. Vegetarians and vegans can still eat enough B12 through fortified cereals.”
Per the findings, authors reviewed self-reported data from “9668 adult male partners of pregnant women in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) included identification as vegetarian or vegan, dietary frequency data and the Edinburgh Post Natal Depression Scale (EPDS),” a reports states. Male participants filled out questionnaires about their daily diets, mood, financial hardships, and marital status, among other things. Even after considering factors that could impact happiness, vegetarians and vegans were almost twice as likely to suffer from depression than meat-eaters.
Here were the results:
“Vegetarian men have more depressive symptoms after adjustment for socio-demographic factors. Nutritional deficiencies (e.g. in cobalamin or iron) are a possible explanation for these findings, however reverse causation cannot be ruled out.”
Though the trial only tested a correlation between depression and a meat-free diet in the male population, women should still take note, as past studies have indicated that female vegetarians are more likely than their meat-eating counterparts to suffer from depression and anxiety. In fact, according to health researchers from Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, eating less than the recommended amount of red meat is linked to anxiety and depression in women.
For the study, authors examined the relationship between beef and lamb consumption and the presence of depressive and anxiety disorders in more than 1,000 women. “We had originally thought that red meat might not be good for mental health, as studies from other countries had found red meat consumption to be associated with physical health risks, but it turns out that it actually may be quite important,” said Felice Jacka, Ph.D., associate professor from Deakin’s Barwon Psychiatric Research Unit.
“When we looked at women consuming less than the recommended amount of red meat in our study, we found that they were twice as likely to have a diagnosed depressive or anxiety disorder as those consuming the recommended amount,” she said.
“As a physician of internal medicine, I would say that vegetarian diets can cause symptoms that resemble depression but are largely due to vitamin deficiencies. Iron deficiency is a common result of not eating red meat,” added Arielle Levitan M.D., co-founder of Vous Vitamin LLC.
“Likewise, people without a lot of meat in their diets are often low on certain key vitamins such as B12. These deficiencies can lead to fatigue, lack of energy and sluggishness that might resemble depression,” she added.
Get a healthy dose of omega-3s and vitamin B12 by chowing down on the following foods:
By subscribing, you consent to receive emails from BlackDoctor.com. You may unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy & Terms of Service.
