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Specific Foods Associated with Depressive Symptoms among Young Adults and Their Bioactive Effects

Summary

This research examined how specific everyday foods like milk, eggs, bananas, oranges, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, and kimchi may help reduce depression symptoms in young adults. The study found that people eating more of these foods had significantly lower rates of depression. These foods contain natural compounds like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support brain health and mood regulation. While more research is needed, the findings suggest that dietary choices could be an important part of managing depression.

Background

Depression is a prevalent mental disorder affecting millions globally, with particularly high rates among young adults in South Korea. While antidepressant medications are commonly prescribed, they often produce significant side effects. Certain foods may have medicinal properties that could alleviate depressive symptoms through their bioactive compounds.

Objective

This study aimed to examine the association between specific foods and depressive symptoms among young Korean adults, exploring their bioactive effects and potential mechanisms. The research sought to identify individual foods with effective bioactive components that could serve as candidate components for safe antidepressant agents.

Results

Several foods showed significant inverse associations with depressive symptoms: milk (OR=0.58), eggs (OR=0.55), bananas (OR=0.58), oranges (OR=0.62), and sweet potatoes (OR=0.60). Mushrooms (OR=0.53) showed benefit in females, and kimchi (OR=0.40) in males. Molecular docking identified hesperidin from oranges as having the highest docking score (5.86) for MAO inhibition.

Conclusion

Multiple specific foods contain bioactive compounds with potential antidepressant effects including calcium, tryptophan, B vitamins, magnesium, flavonoids, carotenoids, ergothioneine, and probiotics. Further clinical intervention studies are necessary to verify efficacy and establish causal relationships between these foods and depression management in young adults.
  • Published in:Nutrients,
  • Study Type:Cross-sectional Study,
  • Source: PMID: 38931173, DOI: 10.3390/nu16121818
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