Atkins can cause depression

By Mark Prigg, Evening Standard Science Correspondent

1 March 2004

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/...ning%20Standard

The Atkins diet is at the centre of fresh controversy after scientists said it could cause depression and mood swings. Medical experts have found that the diet blocks the brain's ability to produce chemicals that keep us happy.

Nutritionists have called for people to abandon the diet, claiming they could be risking their mental health as well as physical well-being.

The key to the research is serotonin. This is the chemical released in the brain that keeps us relaxed and positive.

The team, led by Dr Judith Wurtman at MIT - one of America's top research universities - discovered that high levels of carbohydrates and low levels of proteins are the key to producing enough serotonin to regulate mood. But this is the opposite of the Atkins diet ideal.

According to Dr Wurtman, lowcarb diets can lead to grumpiness, irritability and even depression. She added that the problem was magnified in women, who have naturally lower levels of serotonin in the brain.

Dr Wurtman said: "Serotonin is involved in keeping our moods stable, making us calm and serene and allowing us to focus and concentrate. When you take away the carbohydrates, it's like taking away water from someone trekking through the desert."

The MIT team studied the levels of serotonin in the brain of 100 volunteers during a 12-week study. Some were given a high carbohydrate diet and others ate more protein-rich foods.

Those on high carbohydrates produced higher levels of serotonin and were more relaxed. Dr Wurtman said: "If you eat a potato when you are feeling grumpy or angry, you'll be feeling better in 30 to 40 minutes." The study also revealed carbohydrates played a key role in controlling appetite. Dr Wurtman added: "When serotonin is made and becomes active in your brain, its effect on your appetite is to make you feel full before your stomach is stuffed and stretched."

Her research showed how the brain satisfied its need for carbohydrates in some people when serotonin levels were low. "These are the people we call ' carbohydrate cravers', who need a certain amount to keep their moods steady," said Dr Wurtman.

Nutritionist Natalie Savona was not surprised by the research. She said: "The Atkins diet just isn't good. It is far too extreme. In terms of day-to-day moods, diet and carbohydrate levels make a big difference."


related article...

2:17pm (UK)

Atkins Diet 'Causes Mood Swings and Depression'

By Lyndsay Moss, Health Correspondent, PA News

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2594996

Low carbohydrate regimes like the Atkins diet could lead to mood swings and depression and leave slimmers feeling like “an emotional zombie”, researchers have claimed.

The controversial high-protein, low-carb Atkins diet has prompted criticism from many doctors who fear it could increase the risk of long-term health problems such as kidney damage, high cholesterol and diabetes.

More research in America has now suggested it could also affect mental health, leaving dieters feeling grumpy, tired, apathetic and restless.

Dr Judith Wurtman and her colleagues, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) clinical research centre, found that when you stop eating carbohydrates, your brain stops regulating serotonin.

This chemical elevates mood and suppresses appetite, and eating carbohydrates naturally stimulates its production.

Antidepressant drugs make serotonin more active in the brain and help regulate mood.

But carbohydrates raise serotonin levels naturally, acting as a natural tranquilliser.

The MIT research looked at serotonin levels in the brains of 100 volunteers who ate different diets, either with a lot of meat and other high-protein foods, or with more carbohydrates, found in breads and cereals.

They found that the brain only made serotonin after a person ate sweet or starchy carbohydrates.

But they said the “kicker” was that the carbohydrates needed to be eaten in combination with very little or no protein.

This could explain why some people eating a large steak could still feel hungry because their brains may not be making enough serotonin to shut down their appetites.

Because women have less serotonin in their brains than men, a diet low in foods which promote its production could leave them feeling particularly irritable.

Dr Wurtman said: “There are people we call carbohydrate cravers who need to eat a certain amount of carbohydrates to keep their moods steady.

“Carbohydrate cravers experience a change in their mood, usually in the late afternoon or mid-evening, and with this mood change comes a yearning to eat something sweet or starchy.”

Dr Wurtman said if someone ate protein when they craved carbohydrates they would become grumpy, irritable or restless.

On top of this, filling up on fatty foods like meat and cheese added to feelings of tiredness, lethargy and apathy.

Dr Wurtman said eating a lot of fat would make you “an emotional zombie”.

“When you take away the carbohydrates, it’s like taking away water from someone hiking in the desert.

“If fat is the only alternative for a no– or low-carb dieter to consume to satiate the cravings, it’s like giving a beer to the parched hiker to relieve the thirst – temporary relief, but ultimately not effective,” she said.

Dr Wurtman added: “Serotonin is crucial not only to control your appetite and stop you from overeating, it’s essential to keep your moods regulated.”

hmmmm, what to make of this? it flies directly in the face of my own experience, I've never had such level moods and a general sense of well-being until I started low-carbing, and it seems to be a fairly universal response when anyone does the diet properly, based on the postings I've read on this board.

so, what gives? without seeing the fine print on this study, I would guess poor submects on the low carb diet were tested in the first few days, and were not given time to adjust.

What a load of absolute crap. Substitute "vodka" for "carbohydrates" and "being sober" for "Atkins", and the ridiculousness is a little more obvious. 12 weeks is *barely* long enough for your brain chemistry to sort itself out from its life-long carb addiction. Come back when you've studied people for at least six months. Think about it: even antidepressant medications take WEEKS to have an effect.

>>"Some were given a high carbohydrate diet and others ate more protein-rich foods."

More protein rich foods? That's it? That's how they sum up the Atkins plan?

I've suffered from depression since I was a teenager and spent YEARS self medicating with (alternatingly) junk food and low fat dieting. I've been virtually CURED by low carbing. I know I'm not alone in this one. There are too many people like me to across-the-board imply that LCing causes depression.

So is the conclusion that a cupful of sugar will cure depression? My girl friends depression was severe when we were on a low-fat (high carb) diet. She is immensely improved since we switched to low-carb diets. We also both noticed that we are much more energetic and no longer feel that we want to take naps in the afternoon.

There have been many studies that show eating excessive carbohydrates can increase serotonin, but they usually don't mention the side effects, such as rapid weight gain.

Whadda ya know? Dr Wurtman authored her own diet books.



So (*cough*) when and where was this study published?

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...hlight=liberals

If we look at that thread here it says

LOL!!! Timely advice from this unbiased researcher. Perhaps her diet clinic is losing business...

ABOUT ADARA

Adara, a name meaning beauty in Greek, inspires traditions of the classical era: science and logic, art and design, and timeless functionality. To bring these qualities to you at Adara, we draw on decades of scientific research on brain chemistry at MIT, the ongoing success of Harvard University affiliated TRIAD Weight Management Center founded by Dr Wurtman, and years of diverse clinical experience including life coaching and time management expertise. In today’s busy world, losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be challenging, so we created Adara to make it easier. Our approach, using a synergistic combination of science, art, and practical tools, offers you everything you need to lose weight, get fit, and reduce stress in your life.

Unlike other weight loss programs, our approach is comprehensive and conveniently carried out in the privacy and convenience of your home or office. Our eating plan works with your tastes and lifestyle. Our food combinations along with our patented beverage called Serotrim™ raises brain serotonin levels which reduces appetite and stress. Our one-on-one fitness training and yoga, gourmet meal delivery service, and frequent individual support ensure ultimate personal attention and optimal time management. You will have the tools to maintain weight loss and health of body and mind for the rest of your life.


THE ADARA STAFF
Judith Wurtman PhD is a Research Scientist at MIT, the founder and director of Harvard University's TRIAD Weight Management Center and a co-founder of Back Bay Scientific. Dr. Wurtman received her Ph.D. in cell biology from MIT, took additional training as an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow in nutrition/obesity, and then established a research career on these topics becoming a recognized authority on the causes and treatments of various types of obesity.
Dr. Wurtman has written 5 books, including "The Serotonin Solution" and "Managing Your Mind and Mood Through Food". She has written over 40 peer- reviewed publications, and has had extensive media experience (television, radio, magazines) describing her related work. Her discoveries include the phenomenon of "Carbohydrate-Craving" in which people attempt to relieve their depression or anxiety by eating carbohydrate-rich snacks (to raise brain serotonin). Dr. Wurtman also showed, with her husband, Dr. Richard Wurtman, that this phenomenon is a cause of the weight gain seen in such conditions as PMS, smoking withdrawal, seasonal depression, and stress-related obesity, and that it can usually be treated by giving nutrient mixtures (like Serotrim™) or drugs that affect the brain serotonin.

Dr. Wurtman is available for individual consultations in our Boston offices and by telephone.

I was just doing a google search to get some more info on this and found this.


http://www.psychologytoday.com/htdo...1006-000001.asp

Tryptophan: What Does It Do?
By Erik Strand -- Publication Date: Oct 6, 2003

Summary: An amino acid that brings feelings of calm, relaxation, and sleepiness.





You've picked the bones of the Thanksgiving bird; you're in an easy-chair nearly napping: "It's the tryptophan!" you say. But it isn't: you've fallen victim to a common myth about an uncommon molecule, tryptophan. Thought to have effects on mood, memory, and sociability, tryptophan is an amino acid with a checkered past, an obscure present and a promising future. Misconceptions and confusion abound, especially in the popular press.

Tryptophan achieves its effects by way of serotonin, one of the key brain chemicals involved in regulating mood. Among other functions, serotonin promotes feelings of calm, relaxation, and sleepiness. Lack of serotonin is associated with depression. Many of today's powerful antidepressant drugs work to increase the level of available serotonin in the brain. Tryptophan is the key ingredient in making serotonin; without it, serotonin won't be produced. Because the body can't make it's own tryptophan, it must be taken in as part of the diet; for this reason tryptophan is known as an "essential" amino acid.

Many folks believe that turkey will put you to sleep because of its high tryptophan content. Tryptophan can indeed make you sleepy, but turkey doesn't contain substantially more tryptophan than other protein sources. "It's a complete myth," says Simon Young, Ph.D., research psychologist at McGill University.

If anything eating turkey lowers tryptophan. That's because tryptophan uses the same means of transport into the brain as other amino acids, and has to compete against them to cross the blood-brain barrier. As it happens, tryptophan is the least abundant amino acid. Forced to fight for access against the more common amino acids, it's left waiting at the gate: the amount of tryptophan entering the brain decreases.

Why, then, the post-turkey torpor? "Eating a large meal will have a sedative effect," says Young. You've simply stuffed yourself.

For similar reasons, a glass of warm milk at bedtime will not raise the level of tryptophan entering your brain. Neither will walnuts, strawberries or salmon, though many nutrition columns say so. If a glass of warm milk at bedtime helps you fall asleep, it's not because of its tryptophan content.

There is a body of evidence suggesting that eating carbohydrates along with protein can increase the tryptophan available to the brain. When carbohydrates are consumed, the body produces insulin, which diverts other amino acids to body muscles but leaves tryptophan untouched. With fewer competitor amino acids in the bloodstream, tryptophan more freely enters the brain, promoting calm and well-being.

Dr. Young begs to differ. "When you eat a mixture of protein and carbohydrate, you don't need very much protein in there to counteract the carbohydrate effect," he points out. "In any real meal that you'll take in, the effects of protein will predominate, and you'll get a decrease in the ratio of tryptophan to other amino acids."

The only surefire way to increase tryptophan to the brain is with dietary supplements. Taken in pure form, tryptophan works in a qualitatively different way than when obtained from a food source. The concentration of tryptophan becomes high enough to compete on a level playing field against other amino acids; plenty of it gets into the brain.

Tragically, in the late 1980s, over 5,000 people became gravely ill after taking tryptophan supplements made by Japanese manufacturer Showa Denko. Investigation revealed that the preparation contained impurities, one of which was strongly implicated in the illness. It was not clear, however, that tryptophan itself was completely blameless.

As a result, the FDA banned all imports of tryptophan supplements into the U.S. Both consumers and scientists steered clear of tryptophan, and research on the amino acid fell out of fashion. American manufacturers shied away from putting tryptophan on the market for fear of lawsuits.

Still, a handful of recent studies suggest that tryptophan has unexpected benefits. Dr. Young has found that taking tryptophan can affect human social behavior, decreasing aggression, irritability and quarrelsomeness. In animals, increased serotonin has been shown to reduce hostility, increase social affiliativeness and also promote dominance in social hierarchies. Evidence is starting to trickle in that the same applies to humans.

Stay tuned. Interest in tryptophan may be reviving.

Oh for Godssakes. They can't make an anti-low-carb case based on high cholesterol. They tried and failed to make one based on kidney damage. They tried (and failed again) to make the case that you lose muscle on low carb. They tried to make the case that it will make you impotent. Now, they're saying that it will make you depressed.

I have not seen this in my experience. Nor has my wife. Nor has any of our 3-4 friends on it, nor has my mother, who went on it after Christmas. It flies in the face of all experience I've had.

And, as our ace posters have said, the good doctor has an agenda. Too bad the lazy-assed reporters who wrote this tripe weren't inclined to Google a bit and find that agenda. Clearly the research was both flawed and biased.

When will papers stop publishing crap by people with an agenda? You can get anything in the paper if you try, these days, and you can get it there unchallenged, apparently.

Yup. A neutral observer (like, oh say a reporter and journalist) might see a conflict of interest here...

Well its true that atkins can cause depression, look how the market for slimfast has depressed.

The majority of these "studies" focus on the very short term, the first few days of induction. They essentially describe the withdrawl symptoms.

So the question is, is sugar withdrawl bad and unhealthy? Should we stop asking people to quit smoking, because of the withdrawl symptoms?

Every low-carber here on our forum can confirm that these symptoms vanish after the first week at most, and not only return to normal, but experience more energy.

Wa'il

I had to laugh when I saw this. I even voted on the poll, Is Atkins safe? I was surprised to see that the majority voted NO that it's not safe.

I feel better than ever these people of full of it.

Lily

First off, I would be very wary of a doc that would push ANY weight-loss drug, after the Phen Fen fiasco. And secondly......Redux has been removed from the US market. (Yes, I know, this is an English paper, but still, the FDA doesn't pull meds often, so when they do, it's usually pretty serious)

Most docs I know and have talked to are very wary of any new meds, given our history with failed diet drugs. In addition to Phen Fen (or whatever it is), there's also our little experience with speed.....so far, we're batting zero.

Personally, I was on Atkins for several months and had no trouble....I've never had a disgnosis of depression....until I started on Lipitor.....once I got on that!?!?!?!? Let the tears flow! My total cholesterol went down to below 150, and I started having sympoms.

does anyone else notice how the days seem to fly by when your in a good mood? I cant believe I am starting my third week on the Atkins diet already it just seems to have flown by