Many of you may remember some persistent requests to complete a short survey regarding fermented food intake and depression. This was my capstone research project as I wrap up my masters in counseling psychology. For those who are curious about my research project, the powerhouse that is fermented food, or mental health, please read on to learn outcomes and more helpful guidance on these topics.
Most of all, THANK YOU to all of you and I’m honored to be part of your community!
Your participation in the research survey was key to helping me finish my masters and graduate this spring.
As for what you're going to read, here's a TL;DR!
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Why would fermented food intake help with physical and mental health?
Fermented food intake has been shown to positively affect physical and mental health outcomes through the gut-brain axis. In other words, by improving gut health with fermented food, your gut microbiome is more effective in its many jobs resulting in improved physical outcomes including reduced body fat, reduced inflammation, improved fasting blood glucose, improved blood pressure, and improved cholesterol. In addition mental health improvements are seen through more effective production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine,and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), all of which have been implicated in regulating mood with improvements in depression and anxiety among the most studied.
The results of the depression and fermented food survey:
149 survey responses were collected, my minimum goal was 100, I was delighted to receive even more. The survey asked questions regarding levels of depression, times fermented food was consumed, frequency of exercise, age and gender. A statistically significant correlation was found between age and depression, younger populations were more likely to experience symptoms of depression. This is consistent with existing research on the matter.
Click HERE for more information and action steps on how to improve your mental health through diet and lifestyle.
There was no statistically significant correlation between fermented food intake and depression, however there was something else interesting. The most common response regarding how often fermented food was consumed in a two week period, was zero. This demonstrates a significant difference in dietary patterns in those who participated in this study (people within the United States) and the participants in other research that had statistically significant outcomes from fermented food intake, much of this research was from outside the United States. Keep reading for more information on how fermented food can improve your physical and mental health.
HERE is your guide to good gut health with a printable handout for easy reference. .
A few more interesting points from the fermented food and depression survey, 24% of participants identified as male, 74% identified as female, 2% identified as non-binary or other.
Notably, 49% of participants indicated “feeling tired or having little energy” and 50% indicated having “trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much.” The causes of these energy and sleep challenges were not explored in this research, however, sleep is vital for many functions. For example, all forms of recovery, including tough workouts, healing acute and chronic conditions, weight loss, health, and longevity.
If you’re having trouble with your sleep, check out this SLEEP GUIDE with helpful information and strategies. Hint: regularity is more important than duration.
FREE Fix Your Mood with Food Guide
I’d like to, once again, extend a big thanks to the whole Pittsburgh FIT community and everyone who completed the survey. This was such a fun learning experience for me and a key step in my educational journey.
Thank you Anthony and Jodi for your encouragement and support. I’m deeply thankful to be part of this gym where I can come to you with an idea and be met with “Yes, what do you need from us?”
Disclaimer: Our content is meant to be informative and to spark curiosity. Blogs from the internet should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
Want the full details and some more context? This is for you!
Still interested and want more details about the reasons behind my research? (Aka, more health talk and tips.)
Why food?
Food plays a crucial role in health and the body’s ability to function optimally. This research explored the possible correlation between fermented food intake and levels of depression through the interplay of the gut-brain axis. Research suggests that diet impacts not only physical but also mental health, including depression. Fermented food consumption supports an increase in beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiome, which positively impacts the gut microbiota. This leads to improved mental and physical health outcomes.
Why does gut bacteria matter?
When the microbiome has an increased percentage of unhelpful bacteria and a reduced percentage of helpful bacteria, the immune system, digestive tract, and the production of neurotransmitters all suffer; this is called microbial dysbiosis. Fortunately, there are many ways to support a healthy gut microbiome. The most broadly accessible method is through dietary intervention. Junk food, refined sugar, fake sugar, food additives, and antibiotics are some of the biggest offenders to a healthy gut microbiome. Antibiotics are so valuable and good at their job, killing bacteria. The unfortunate part is that they kill off the good bacteria as well, so intentionally replenishing your microbiome with beneficial bacteria (by having probiotics, kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt etc.) after a round of antibiotics is very important for your optimal functioning.
Why study depression?
Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders that people face today. Over 320 million people worldwide are diagnosed with depressive disorder.
Antidepressants are the most common treatment plan for depression; however, antidepressants are not effective for one out of three people. Currently, depression is the second-leading cause of disability worldwide. By 2030, depression is projected to be the leading cause of disability, as reported by the World Health Organization.
Why Fermented food?
Fermented food consumption significantly reduced the severity and prevalence of depression in various research studies. Notably, the highest intake of fermented food was correlated with significantly lower level of clinical depression. You might be wondering how much fermented food to consume to see benefits, this study showed that consuming 1-1.5 cups of kimchi per day for four weeks resulted in reduced body fat, reduced inflammation, improved fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol. The only research participants changed was adding a cup of kimchi to their daily diet! Similarly, 100 grams of yogurt daily influenced gut microbiota and resulted in health improvements, that’s about half a cup of yogurt daily! By increasing kimchi consumption to roughly one and one-half cups to two cups daily various health improvements were seen and all participants lost a minimum of three pounds of body fat in four weeks, again their only dietary change was adding kimchi daily.
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