The Close Connection Between Mental Illness and Fast Food Addiction...
It’s a proven fact that fast food consumption impacts emotional well-being or lack of well-being. But what does the science have to say about mental health and fast food addiction? For starters, research consistently links mood, food, and obesity as three things that have an impact on one another.
The field of nutritional psychology is relatively new. It was developed by Dr. Bonnie J. Kaplan in the 1990s in response to research showing that ADHD could be treated using vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Since that time nutritional psychology has been able to solve some serious mental health issues with nutrients including emotional and behavior problems in children, emotional control issues in adults with traumatic brain injury, trauma treatment after natural disaster to minimize distress, and more.
Fast Food and Depression
Depression has been correlated with a diet high in fast food and junk foods. In fact, in one study, 67 depressed adults were either assigned to a dietician or a social support group for 12 weeks of treatment. The dietician helped participants make adjustments to their diets so that they consumed less junk food and fast food and more nutrient-dense foods including fruits, vegetables, and legumes. While only 8% of the participants in the social support group achieved remission from depression, 33% of the participants in the diet-change group achieved remission.Omega-3 fatty acids, which are present in cod liver oil supplements, have been studied in terms of their impact on depression. Omega-3 fatty acids play a vital role in the nervous system, especially for dopamine and serotonin transmission. But omega-3 fatty acids are practically non-existent in fast food and junk food.
In one study, depressed participants were assigned to either 12 weeks of omega-3 supplementation, 12 weeks of psychotherapy with omega-3 supplementation,12 weeks of just psychotherapy, or no treatment. In the study, 77% of participants who received omega-3 supplements and psychotherapy achieved remission from depression.
Fast Food and ADHD
Studies in children and adolescents who regularly consume fast food, soft drinks, and refined sugars have a much higher prevalence of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Broad-spectrum micronutrients have been scientifically shown to improve ADHD symptoms as well as general functioning.In one study in New Zealand, 80 adults with ADHD were assigned to receive either a micronutrient supplement or a placebo for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, participants in the micronutrient group and their spouses rated their ADHD symptoms. The participants in the micronutrient group saw a decrease in ADHD symptoms, but they also saw a surprising boost in their global functioning as well. About 50% of the group taking micronutrients improved in terms of their global functioning. And those in the micronutrient group who were moderately to severely depressed at the beginning of the study experienced a dramatic change in mood compared to the placebo group.
In another study, scientists administered omega-3 supplements with psychotherapy for hyperactivity and impulsivity. There was significant improvements in impulsive and hyperactive behaviors in those who received omega-3 supplements either with or without psychotherapy.
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Fast Food vs. Healthy Food: The Difference in the Brain
What food we eat, how much we eat, when we eat, and even how we eat it (according to some systems, such as Ayurvedic medicine) all play a role in mental health and wellbeing. Indeed, the link between food and emotion is so intimate that while emotions can affect our eating behaviors, our eating behaviors can also affect our emotions. As such, it’s helpful to maintain some awareness around this close connection between food and feelings since it makes it easier to understand your body, your mind, and your individual needs.Research has found that increased levels of stress, for example, can lead to either increased or decreased food intake; in cases of increased food intake, it’s more likely that the person experiencing the stress (especially if it’s chronic) will choose more flavorful or “rewarding” foods. These foods include fast food and junk food. High levels of stress coupled with increased consumption of “rewarding” foods high in addictive ingredients, like sugar, can of course eventually lead to obesity and other major health problems.
Existing moods, like anxiety and depression, also heavily affect food choice. In this case, overeating, especially of “rewarding” foods is significantly more likely since these foods are more likely to release feel-good neurotransmitters in the brain, thus leading to temporary alleviation of negative moods. This particular link is so major that a lot of people are even consciously aware that their unhealthy food choices are driven by a need for emotional comfort or relief. However, unhealthy foods do indeed also cause negative mood states; studies have found that diets high in unhealthy fats and refined sugar directly lead to worsened emotional states, increased sensitivity to stress, and altered corticosterone levels at rest.
Can you have withdrawals from fast food?
While you’re unlikely to have classic withdrawal symptoms from quitting fast food, it’s wise to expect some “withdrawal” symptoms and plan ahead to manage them to avoid relapse. One study done on a group of rats found that, in fact, after being fed a high-sugar, high-fat (NOTE: fats are not inherently bad, here I’m referring to unhealthy, “dead” fats) diet over the long term, the rats who were then switched to a normal, healthier diet exhibited high levels of anxiety during a “withdrawal” period. Research done in humans has had similar results, with various studies having found that switching to a healthier diet without sugar or unhealthy fats leads to a temporary period of increased anxiety and depression.In addition, other studies using fMRI and PET imaging have found significant differences between the brains of healthy people who eat a reasonably healthy diet and obese people who overeat unhealthy foods. In healthy people, all different kinds of foods activate the appropriate areas of the brain, including in the anterior cingulate cortex, the orbitofrontal cortex, and the insula. In contrast, the obese people who were prone to overeating exhibited complex neurobiological differences in reward pathways that resembled those of drug addicts.
This, of course, leads to a bit of an apparent conundrum since eating the fast food and not eating the fast food both lead to feelings of depression and anxiety for a lot of people. However, once you stop eating fast food and other junk foods for good (no cheat days!), these withdrawal symptoms will go away, as will the other negative emotions associated with eating unhealthy foods. In any case, it’s important to realize that fast food is addictive enough that it does cause withdrawal symptoms, and to be prepared with natural medicines like the ones we discuss here in order to support your brain and body during the detoxification and healing process.
The Role of Serotonin in Mood and Fast Food Addiction
Serotonin is responsible for a wide range of mechanisms in the body, including for sleep/wakefulness, impulse control, and appetite, in addition to playing a significant role in mood. While serotonin is usually thought of as a neurotransmitter, what few people know is that up to 90% of the serotonin in the body is concentrated in the digestive system (this includes everything from the mouth down through the intestines and beyond). This one fact illuminates just how important the gut and food really are when it comes to one’s emotional state.Serotonin release in the brain is determined by food intake, and the types of foods consumed can often determine whether or not serotonin is released in the brain. When higher quantities of carbohydrates are consumed, for example, this increases the ratio of tryptophan to other amino acids in the plasma, leading to serotonin production (from tryptophan) and subsequent serotonin release in the brain. This is part of the reason why people who are depressed are more likely to turn to foods high in carbohydrates, since ultimately, high carb consumption can lead to the release of serotonin in the brain and a temporary improvement in mood.
While it’s perhaps possible to use healthy food medicinally for bad moods over time (for example, one could choose to eat something rich in healthy carbs, like brown rice or high-sugar fresh fruits), this is also a key part of why fast food is so addictive. Therefore, while working to treat fast food addiction, it’s essential to work with other medicinal herbs, nutrients, and other natural substances to encourage serotonin release without as much input from food choice. This will ultimately help the gut and brain learn to regulate themselves more effectively, leading to overall more balanced moods over time.
Resources:
• Singh, Minati (2014). Mood, food, and obesity. Retrieved September 6, 2024 from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25225489/
• Clay, R. A. (2017). The link between food and mental health. Retrieved September 5, 2024 from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2017/09/food-mental-health
• Selhub, E. (2022). Nutritional psychiatry: Your brain on food. Retrieved September 5, 2024 from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626
