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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by janejj on January 1, 2002, at 16:14:50
Hey,
Happy New Year everyone ! I was reading a post above and it got me thinking about my diet. I'm a vegetarian and have been since I was 13. Although I do eat some Tuna and Salmon occaisionally. Is there a possible link between being a vegetarian and being depressed ?
I try to eat pretty healthily, but I'm worried that I might be missing out on vital nutrients that could help in the battle against this stupid disease depression.
Does anyone know anything about being vegetarianism and depression ? Or know where i could look for some info ?
Thankyou
jane
Posted by gregg on January 1, 2002, at 18:30:02
In reply to vegetarianism and depression, posted by janejj on January 1, 2002, at 16:14:50
Jane,
As I recall, meat is the only significant natural source of B12, a deficiency of which can cause depression or even psychosis in rare cases. (You should verify this elsewhere, as I'm going on memory here!) I know I feel depressed if I go for long periods without meat, even if I take supplements. I don't know why, but I need some low-fat meat in my diet to keep my mood up.
greg
> Hey,
>
> Happy New Year everyone ! I was reading a post above and it got me thinking about my diet. I'm a vegetarian and have been since I was 13. Although I do eat some Tuna and Salmon occaisionally. Is there a possible link between being a vegetarian and being depressed ?
>
> I try to eat pretty healthily, but I'm worried that I might be missing out on vital nutrients that could help in the battle against this stupid disease depression.
>
> Does anyone know anything about being vegetarianism and depression ? Or know where i could look for some info ?
>
> Thankyou
>
> jane
Posted by audrey on January 1, 2002, at 22:00:14
In reply to Re: vegetarianism and depression, posted by gregg on January 1, 2002, at 18:30:02
Jane,
I was severely depressed from the age of about 13 until I was 22, at which time I made a lot of healthy lifestyle changes, one of which was becoming vegetarian, and my depression seemed to lift. I know that it was the combination of the changes that I made, but I've been vegetarian for 6 years now, and my depression hasn't returned. I know a lot of people who eat a lot of meat who are depressed (i.e., practically my entire family, who are all on Zoloft), and I know a lot of strict vegetarians who are perfectly normal.
Getting an adequate amount of B12 is a concern for strict vegetarians, but there are a lot of B12 fortified cereals and soy milks, as well as nutritional yeast, on the market these days that can be digested normally. Also, B12 can be stored in the body for up to 20 or 30 years. However, since you've been vegetarian since you were so young, perhaps you are lacking in B12. Perhaps consuming some of the above mentioned products would be helpful to you, if you don't want to start eating meat again.
Posted by CalvaryHill on January 6, 2002, at 2:35:57
In reply to vegetarianism and depression, posted by janejj on January 1, 2002, at 16:14:50
Get some l-tryptophan in your diet: http://www.dr-bob.org/tips/split/Dietary-tryptophan-and-dep.html
This is the end of the thread.
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