Vegetarians have double the anxiety and depression

(Nimitta) #1

I suspected this and was surprised to find studies that actually demonstrated it. Of course, it’s not an experimental study, so we can’t tell whether depressed anxious people are more likely to become vegetarians, or eating vegetarian makes them that way, or a little of both.

However, I ate vegetarian years ago. When I started eating meat again, I noticed an large but unexpected boost in my mood. So the idea that a vegetarian diet could be causal is plausible, at least in some people.

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Full text article: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0088278

(Nimitta) #2

A more recent study with the same results:

This study controlled for many other possible contributing factors (religion, marital status, employment status, alcohol and tobacco consumption, family history of depression, etc.) Vegetarians still had more depression.

(Nimitta) #3

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#4

Very interesting! I have suspected this for some time as every vegetarian I know is depressed and anxious. Also, the major natural foods store in my area is full of vegans & vegetarians and they are all so crabby & irritable :angry:! Then I go to Trader Joe’s and most people there are happy and friendly. :grin:

#5

My anxiety cleared up when I went low carb even though I was still vegetarian. I’ve noticed little change to my moods since adding meat. More energy on meat but that’s the major change so far.

(Bunny) #6

Any diet that constantly spikes only insulin is bound to cause problems eventually!

#7

True. To be fair, anorexia also cleared up my anxiety.

(Banting & Yudkin & Atkins & Eadeses & Cordain & Taubes & Volek & Naiman & Bikman ) #8

I pity the vegetarians if they have twice my anxiety and depression. :joy:

(Running from stupidity) #9

LOL, same :slight_smile:

(Todd Allen) #10

I’d get depressed too being served soy bacon for breakfast.

(Nimitta) #11

Yeah, if there are causal mechanisms then it makes me wonder what they are. These are some of the possibilities I can think of:

  • Glucose metabolism (insulin spikes, inflammation from processed sugars?)

  • Lowered steroid hormones from low saturated fat

  • Low B12 if not supplementing

  • Low omega 3 (ALA is an inefficient source)

  • Proteins from plant sources (incomplete proteins, differences in absorption/metabolism)

Probably many others that I can’t think of.

(Bunny) #12

If the diet consists primarily of carbohydrates then it will eventually go down hill!

For example, I personally can eat bread (turns directly into glucose and can cause metabolic dysregulation) on a ketogenic diet and remain in ketosis but how can I do that?

Because my diet does not mainly consist of carbohydrates and has more meat and fat!

It is your primary source of subsistence that matters?

I created a metabolic deficit (set point) or health reserve by being on a ketogenic diet that allows me to eat bread without consequence!

Sorry vegans but your dead wrong!

(Running from stupidity) #13

Literally :slight_smile:

(Troy) #14

Interesting!!
I experienced this first hand on Monday
Walked in to a Family Owned Health Food Store
Got this vibe, made me SO depressed just watching the people browse and shop. To me, its was like they were buying there last meal – literally
And the workers? Oh boy. Zombie on life alert
Crazy!
Wanted to say ”Can I offer you ration of bacon? Or some bacon bits, or zipfizz, or b12 shots ?”

I started to get anxiety!!
My stomach started to churn like vegan butter🤢
Almost SOYld my shorts😂

I left

Went to Walmart for pork rinds n Kerrygold
And a pack of pepperoni

(Bunny) #16

Too many carbs do that depression thing really well; whole grain bread = sugar (galactose)

High sugar turns me into beyond sloth mode; feel like I want to barely get out of bed! And makes me sleep all day long (adrenaline is too low)!

#17

Just wanted to chime in that as a Vegetarian Keto peep, my depression cleared up by eating high fat low carb. So from a subjective perspective, the issue was a high carb diet, not a meat or veg issue.

(Marius the butter craving dude) #18

I can absolutely attest this finding. Before going keto I did the religious fasting period by going vegan. I did not have any plan or knowledge on vegan diets; i constantly felt hungry and I eat a lot of breads and vegan pies from the supermarket. My mood become very bad, despite the fact that you must pray and meditate during the fast and abstain from doing and thinking bad. I will get into fights with my mother because she did not season the cabbage as I wanted… I becomed obsessed with my food…And I felt horrible… I just felt like I am more negative… despite being in a time of prayer…
Now I do prolonged fasting (eat nothing)… Once the food factor went away my mind becomed clear and I feel now I can actually meditate and pray.

(Hyperbole- best thing in the universe!) #19

That is interesting, thanks for sharing your perspective.