Depression and anxiety related to diet? My conversation with Ken Berry, MD

PS

Paul Saladino59m · 2019-07-25

Claims Made

100

Claims Supported

58

Support Rate

58%

Support rate

58 of 100 claims supported

58 supported42 partial / not

Claims from this content

73

Not SupportedRefined, bleached, and deodorized seed oils represent an evolutionarily inappropriate and inconsistent introduction to the human diet.Well SupportedPlants contain toxins like oxalates, lectins, and tannins that can be harmful to some people.Well SupportedMental health conditions like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and eating disorders can be characterized as autoimmune diseases of the brain.Well SupportedAnimals provide nutrients not found in plants, and humans can obtain all necessary nutrients from animals.Not Supported

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A. Volkovreader

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Bookmarking — the dossier-vs-overview split is the right call. Most of the time I want overview; sometimes I want receipts.

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Would love a "what would change this verdict" RSS feed. Sign me up if it exists.

The serotonin hypothesis of depression is not supported by evidence.

Not SupportedWestern physicians may be conditioned to focus on treating symptoms with medications rather than identifying root causes.

Well SupportedBeta-hydroxybutyrate acts as a signaling molecule that can activate genes involved in stress response and longevity, such as FOXO3.

Well SupportedA nose-to-tail carnivore diet is hypothesized to be the basic or optimal diet for the vast majority of humans.

Partially SupportedOpening of gut tight junctions allows water and immune cells to enter the gut, potentially triggering an immune response.

Partially SupportedA diagnosis of depression by a primary care physician should involve extensive lab work to rule out underlying medical conditions.

Partially SupportedThe understanding of depression and anxiety is shifting from a neurotransmitter imbalance to a model involving brain inflammation.

Partially SupportedActivated microglial cells in the brain are observed in individuals with depression, anxiety, and OCD.

Well SupportedThe gut is a primary driver of inflammation due to its high concentration of immune cells and bacteria, leading to cytokine release.

Partially SupportedSSRIs, SNRIs, and DNRIs increase neurotransmitter concentration in the synapse by inhibiting transporter reuptake.

Partially SupportedDietary changes may help address inflammation related to depression, anxiety, PTSD, and OCD.

Partially SupportedMeasuring cytokines like TNF-alpha and interleukin-6 in cerebrospinal fluid would be valuable for diagnosing psychiatric illness.

Partially SupportedImmune cells attacking glial cells in multiple sclerosis and beta cells in type 1 diabetes may originate in the gut.

Not SupportedAntidepressant efficacy is not significantly greater than placebo for most patients.

Not SupportedMainstream Western medicine often treats health issues in a fragmented manner, failing to recognize the interconnectedness of the body's systems.

Partially SupportedThere is no consistent research demonstrating that individuals with depression have lower serotonin levels in their cerebrospinal fluid or synapses.

Not SupportedThe efficacy of SSRIs and the serotonin hypothesis for depression are being questioned.

Partially SupportedA nose-to-tail carnivore diet may be beneficial for individuals triggered by plants.

Not SupportedNightshade vegetables can cause inflammation in the gut, joints, and brain for some individuals.

Partially SupportedMainstream psychiatric training does not teach that psychiatric illness is inflammatory or involves immune system activation in the brain.

Partially SupportedAutoimmune paleo diet further restricts potential triggers like nightshade vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

Partially SupportedNSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen can create leaky guts and damage the gut lining.

Partially SupportedPsychiatric conditions are often inflammatory processes, not chemical imbalances.

Partially SupportedInadequate salt intake on ketogenic/carnivore diets can spike cortisol, disrupt hormone balance, and increase stress.

Partially SupportedInflammation and a majority of the immune system originate in the gut.

Not SupportedNormal grief or mourning can be mislabeled as clinical depression or anxiety requiring medication.

Partially SupportedSSRI effects may work through brain plasticity mechanisms like upregulating BDNF.

Not SupportedThe first step in dietary change is to eliminate processed foods, defined as anything with a label or that comes in a can.

Partially SupportedEliminating all grains (wheat, rice, oats, corn, rye, millet, quinoa, amaranth) is recommended for optimizing health.

Partially SupportedKetogenic diets offer advantages including improved immune system function and gene transcription, and can be run on carbohydrate or fat.

Partially SupportedThe paleo diet, which eliminates grains, rice, oats, beans, and dairy, is considered a dietary step towards better health.

Partially SupportedInflammation in the brain rarely originates from the brain itself.

Not SupportedTreating psychiatric conditions solely by increasing neurotransmitters may be ineffective if underlying brain inflammation is not addressed.

Partially SupportedReducing carbohydrate intake to near zero, leading to a carnivore diet, may be the optimal approach for some individuals.

Partially SupportedBeans and peas contain toxins in their seeds that can cause inflammation in the gut, joints, and brain.

Partially SupportedSerotonin depletion studies in humans yield variable results.

Partially SupportedBiological markers like inflammatory markers may aid in depression diagnosis.

Partially SupportedPsychiatry lacks biological markers for depression, relying on qualitative rather than quantitative data for diagnosis.

Partially SupportedClinical effects of SSRIs, SNRIs, and DNRIs typically take four to six weeks to manifest, despite pharmacological effects occurring within an hour.

Partially SupportedAutoimmune thyroiditis can be an inflammatory cause of thyroid dysfunction.

Partially SupportedCytokines act as signals within the immune system, indicating the body's immune status.

Partially SupportedA carnivore diet can serve as a cleanse to assess how one feels without plant foods and potentially resolve symptoms.

Partially SupportedMeasuring Interleukin-6 and TNF-alpha in cerebrospinal fluid is challenging.

Not SupportedGrains such as wheat, rice, oats, corn, rye, millet, quinoa, and amaranth should be removed from the diet for optimal health and mental well-being.

Partially SupportedSleep, community, exercise, and avoiding toxic relationships are important health levers besides diet.

Not SupportedGrief should be processed naturally rather than suppressed with SSRIs, MRIs, or benzodiazepines to avoid being stuck in the grieving process.

Partially SupportedTransitioning to a ketogenic or low-carbohydrate diet is a step after autoimmune paleo.

Not SupportedSSRIs may alter emotional states and neuronal connections negatively.

Partially SupportedKetones mimic caloric restriction and provide all its benefits.

Partially SupportedReducing psychiatric medications and focusing on diet, thyroid labs, adrenal labs, and inflammation markers can significantly improve patients' mental health.

Partially SupportedElevated levels of cytokines are found in the cerebrospinal fluid of individuals with depression.

Partially SupportedMental health issues can be caused by high carbohydrate intake, chronically high insulin levels, or inflammation.

Partially SupportedHypothyroidism can present with depression as a primary symptom.

Partially SupportedAdrenal problems can manifest with depression as a key symptom.

Partially SupportedGluten and alcohol can trigger the release of zonulin, leading to increased intestinal permeability.

Partially SupportedA doctor's main risk of error is prescribing the wrong medication.

Partially SupportedGrief, divorce, or job loss require emotional processing and do not have a pharmacological solution.

Partially SupportedEliminating non-paleo foods like grains, beans, and dairy is the second step in dietary change due to lectins.

Partially SupportedEliminating all sugars, including honey and agave nectar, is the first step towards an ancestrally appropriate diet because there are no essential sugars.

Partially SupportedIn mild to moderate depression, antidepressants show no statistically significant difference in response compared to placebo.

Partially SupportedNot all psychiatric disease is inflammatory; some is a direct response to severe life stressors with no pharmacological solution.

Partially SupportedPhysicians diagnosing depression should investigate inflammation sources outside the brain, such as thyroid issues.

Partially SupportedMedical conditions that can mimic depression include hypothyroidism, adrenal maladies, fibromyalgia, and hormonal imbalances.

Partially SupportedDepression in older adults can be a symptom of declining sex hormones like testosterone.

Partially SupportedInflammation is considered the predominant factor contributing to mental unhealthiness, particularly depression and anxiety.

Partially SupportedIf diagnosed with depression without a comprehensive blood work panel, a patient was likely misdiagnosed.

Partially SupportedEndogenous depression can be viewed as an autoimmune brain condition.

Partially SupportedThe source of brain inflammation triggering psychiatric symptoms is often outside the brain.

Partially SupportedFuture psychiatric diagnosis may rely on cytokine assays.