Vegan depression is real. Here’s what we know
Veganism, once considered a “fringe” concept, has slowly gained traction in the American consciousness. The reasons for making this choice, from reducing animal cruelty to improving physical health to lessening the environmental impact, are much better understood and considered valid by the population as a whole today. The concerning question for many in the mental health field, however, is does veganism cause depression?
In 2018, French researchers embarked on a large-scale study to discern the impact of giving up various food groups on depressive symptoms. The results indicated that, not only was there a connection between the two, but depressive symptoms increased with each food group that was given up. “People who had given up at least three of four animal-related food groups (red meat, poultry, fish and dairy) were at nearly two-and-a-half times greater risk to suffer from depression.”1
In this particular study, the link between veganism and depression was undeniable. It’s important to remember, however, that there are many reasons for depression and while it does appear to play a role, diet is only one aspect.
There is still a lot we don’t know
While researchers in the above-mentioned study concluded that there was a correlation between giving up meat and dairy and an increase in depressive symptoms, they did not go as far as to explain the reason why vegans tend to be more depressed. The conclusion was that more research needs to be conducted to discern what is actually occurring to tie staying away from meat and depression together.
In other words, if you’re currently eating a vegan diet and are experiencing depressive symptoms, there isn’t any evidence at this time to support the theory that simply resuming a carnivorous diet will get rid of the issue.
Keeping your mental health strong
In terms of your physical health, the benefits of eating a plant based diet are tremendous. But your mental health is just as important to quality of life, and depression is a problem that can affect anyone. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in 2017 an estimated 17.3 million adults had at least one major depressive episode in the past year.2 Being vegan does not mean you will become part of these statistics, but like anyone, you need to stay tuned to your mental health and take action if you feel yourself getting too low.
Some other ways to foster good mental health include, maintaining a healthy gut biome and warding off vitamin deficiencies. Depression can occur as a result of the flora in your gut becoming out of balance as well as when you’re lacking certain nutrients, like vitamin D3. Supplementing with probiotics and vitamins like D3 can help improve your mood naturally.
References
1 Herzog, Hal Ph.D, 2018, The Baffling Connection Between Vegetarianism and Depression, Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers LLC.
2 Major Depression, The National Institute of Mental Health Information Resource Center.
NOTE: The Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers LLC, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and National Institute of Health, have not reviewed or approved the above article.
