Carnivore Diet and Mental Health
The Brain-Meat Connection
Mental health has emerged as a pressing concern both in the United States and all over the world. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), in 2021, more than one in five U.S. adults lived with a mental illness. That’s about 57.8 million people.
Mental health issues come in various forms and magnitudes, ranging from mild to severe. Compounding the problem is the fact that the challenges created by mental illnesses ripple out to the individual’s family, the community, and even the world. Mental health troubles can also impact a person’s physical health.
Medication and therapy are widely recognized as the standard and often complementary approaches for addressing mental health issues. While these are crucial for managing mental conditions, adopting impactful lifestyle changes can help support psychological well-being.
The carnivore diet is one powerful tool for supporting emotional balance. Adopting a carnivore lifestyle could affect the brain and help bring about significant improvements in mood, energy, and overall mental fitness.
What is the Carnivore Diet?
The carnivore diet also called the meat-based diet, involves the exclusive consumption of animal-based foods, completely excluding plants and grains. Unlike other low-carb eating plans, such as the ketogenic diet, the carnivore diet is genuinely zero-carb or almost zero-carb, centering around animal proteins and fats.
The Carnivore Diet and Mental Health
There is an intimate connection between the gastrointestinal system and the brain. This intricate link, called the gut-brain axis connection, means that the food you put in your body doesn’t just impact your physical health, but it affects your mental well-being, too.
That’s why it comes as no surprise that going on a meat-based eating regimen may indeed have notable effects on mental health through the complex pathways of the gut-brain axis.
How Does the Carnivore Diet Promote Mental Health?
In what manner does a dietary approach revolving entirely around meat consumption impact mental vitality? Let’s explore this intriguing relationship.
The Carnivore Diet Helps Boost Neurotransmitter Production
Chemicals called neurotransmitters link your brain and gut. These neurotransmitters, which are produced in the brain, regulate your feelings and emotions.
Scientific studies suggest a connection between adopting a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet, particularly one rich in meat, and an elevation in dopamine and norepinephrine levels in the brain. This dietary shift could contribute to stress reduction and an improved overall mood.
In simple terms, this means that adding more meat to your diet might boost the production of those feel-good neurotransmitters, making you happier. Thus, the carnivore diet is a practical way to lift your mood and support your overall well-being.
It Can Enhance the Body’s Ability to Regular Blood Sugar and Control
Erratic sugar levels can disrupt neurotransmitter activity, influencing mood, cognition, and overall well-being. Rapid changes in blood sugar levels may lead to irritability, attention lapses, and mood swings. Additionally, prolonged imbalances can contribute to anxiety and depression, affecting the overall mental stability of an individual.
Consuming protein (which is abundant in meat) prompts the release of hormones that tell your brain you’re full. This aids in stabilizing blood sugar levels by preventing sudden spikes and drops in glucose.
Also, the amino acids found in meat, particularly tryptophan, can help lift your mood. The amino acids serve as precursors to serotonin, a neurotransmitter that plays a crucial role in mood regulation and the reduction of anxiety.
According to a randomized controlled trial featured in the September 2023 issue of PLoS One, subjects who increased their meat intake showed lower levels of anxiety.
It Aids in Promoting a Healthy Balance of Hormones and Reducing Stress
Insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and inflammation are known to play a role in hormonal imbalances and chronic stress.
The carnivore diet, which centers around animal-based foods while excluding grains, fruits, and vegetables, induces a state of ketosis. That’s when the body burns fat instead of carbs for energy. This metabolic shift is believed to help ease hormonal fluctuations and stress.
Moreover, sticking to a carnivore diet with its substantial protein and fat content can aid in generating neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. These neurotransmitters play a key role in regulating mood and pleasure.
The Eating Regimen Could Be the Answer to Diet Fails
A lot of people kick off their diet journeys with a simple goal – to lose weight. But the frustrating reality is that they end up gaining back the weight they worked so hard to lose. Multiple failed attempts at shedding pounds can feel like a never-ending cycle of disappointment, which can exacerbate depressive symptoms.
The carnivore diet addresses many diet fails, increasing the chances of maintaining the weight at a healthy range. By helping people keep their weight stable, it contributes to improved mental health.
Mood-elevating Nutrients the Carnivore Diet Provides
The carnivore diet’s broad range of nutrients offers health benefits that go beyond the physical. It positively influences mental well-being, too. These nutritional components are primarily derived from animals, with minimal bioavailability from plants.
You can get the following food essentials from the carnivore diet
B-complex Vitamins
Red meat abounds in vitamins B12 and B6. Research points to a positive connection between a higher intake of vitamins B12 and B6 and a reduction in depression symptoms. Notably, a study demonstrated that supplementing with vitamin B12 delayed the onset of depression and enhanced the effectiveness of antidepressants.
The great thing is that the carnivore diet lets your body obtain these mood-boosting nutrients naturally without having to rely on specific vitamin or mineral supplements.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is renowned for its immune system-boosting properties, but its significance extends beyond that. Research indicates a connection between vitamin D levels and depression, though the specific mechanism remains uncertain.
Some say it’s because of vitamin D’s balancing, immune-boosting, and brain-protecting effects. Studies even linked low vitamin D levels and heightened symptoms of anxiety and depression.
You can get the sunshine vitamin, not just from the sun but from red meat and salmon, staples of the carnivore diet. As such, embracing a carnivore lifestyle could contribute to supporting your mental health.
Iron
Having sufficient iron is crucial for good mental health as the mineral plays a pivotal role in the synthesis of neurotransmitters, including dopamine and serotonin. These neurotransmitters are vital players in regulating mood and cognitive function.
Iron plays a significant role in making blood, and if you’re running low, cells don’t get enough oxygen, impeding their proper functioning. Insufficient iron levels can potentially contribute to conditions like anxiety and depression, underscoring the significance of maintaining adequate iron intake for overall mental well-being.
Zinc
An essential micronutrient, zinc is indispensable when it comes to maintaining mind health as it plays a crucial role in regulating neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. It also plays a key role in the body’s response to stress by influencing neurotransmitters, regulating cortisol levels, and providing antioxidant support for the immune system.
Deficiency in zinc has been associated with mood disorders, anxiety, and cognitive impairments.
Zinc deficiency and depression are connected through zinc’s impact on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a crucial player in brain cell growth and specialization. When zinc is in short supply, BDNF activity decreases, disrupting the development of new brain cells and potentially causing depressive symptoms.
Additionally, low zinc levels also correlate with heightened anxiety.
Selenium
The significance of selenium in maintaining mental well-being cannot be overstated. This essential mineral acts as an antioxidant, shielding the brain from oxidative stress and inflammation, which are implicated in mental health disorders. It also contributes to the synthesis of certain neurotransmitters, positively influencing cognitive function and mood. Thus, having sufficient selenium levels is crucial for maintaining good mental health.
L-arginine
L-arginine is an amino acid that plays an important role in helping blood flow, healing wounds, and regulating hormones. Its role in enhancing mental health is primarily associated with its involvement in the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO).
Nitric oxide has vasodilatory effects, meaning it helps to relax and widen blood vessels. This improved blood flow is beneficial for overall circulatory health, including the blood supply to the brain. Better blood flow might be good for the brain’s health.
Meat, seafood (particularly salmon and tuna), and eggs are rich in L-arginine. These foods top carnivore diet food list.
Creatine
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound crucial for quick energy production during short bursts of intense physical activity. While it’s primarily known for its benefits in physical performance, research results indicate that it may also have positive effects on mental health.
Some studies suggest that creatine may have neuroprotective properties, promote brain energy metabolism, and play a role in neurotransmitter function.
The carnivore diet and its link to the brain have sparked a lot of talk, with advocates highlighting potential cognitive benefits from nutrient-dense animal products. Thousands of people all over the globe have reported reversals of a variety of mental conditions after embracing the carnivore lifestyle.
Of course, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution since many factors can affect a person’s mental fitness or state. Still, it might be worth a try if you’re looking for a holistic solution to your symptoms.
We recommend consulting your mental health professional, especially if it involves tapering or going off your medications to prevent withdrawal symptoms or the aggravation of mental health issues.