Five Mechanisms That May Link Nutrition and Mental Health

Multiple biological pathways are implicated in the relationship between food intake and mental well-being.

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Our eating patterns impact our health and the risk of serious medical conditions. However, our mental well-being may also be affected by the way we eat.

The relationship between nutrition and mental well-being is complex and goes both ways. For example, when feeling down, we may not be motivated to eat healthily.

Some of the mechanisms implicated in nutritional effects on mental health include:

1. The gut microbiome, which encompasses all microorganisms in the digestive tract and interacts directly with consumed food.
2. Epigenetic mechanisms, which mediate environmental and behavioral effects on gene function.
3. Inflammation, which participates in the body’s response to infections and injuries but is also elevated in approximately a quarter of patients with neuropsychiatric disorders.
4. Oxidative stress, caused by elevated unstable molecules (free radicals) in the body, which can lead to cell damage.
5. Dysfunction of mitochondria, which are also referred to as “cellular powerhouses”.