Optimizing Mental & Emotional Health: Exploring Food-Mood Connections

1. Optimizing Mental & Emotional Health: Exploring Food-Mood Connections SCAFCS Annual Meeting 2019 Columbia, SC Dr. Deborah A. Hutcheon, DCN, RD, CSOWM, LD

2. Disclosures/Funding: None. Disclosures & Acknowledgements

3. Define the role of neurotransmitters in mental and emotional health. • Outline dietary sources of amino acids needed for the body to synthesize select neurotransmitters that modulate mental and emotional health. • Discuss the role of key nutrients and their dietary sources in supporting mental and emotional health. Presentation Objectives

4. Why Do We Eat? Sadness Socialization Appetite Health Stress Celebration Happiness Nourishment Hunger

5. Source: Wikimedia.org

6. Norepinephrine • Functions: attention (alertness), concentration, formation & retrieval memory • Released in response to stress – “Fight or Flight” Source: Wikimedia.org

7. Norepinephrine Dairy Products, Meat, Fish, Chicken, Eggs, Legumes, Nuts L-Phenylalanine Amino Acid L-Tyrosine Amino Acid L-DOPA Dopamine Norepinephrine Cheese, Soybeans, Meat Fish, Chicken, Eggs Nuts, Seeds, Legumes Whole Grains

8. Dopamine • Functions: movement, attention, learning, arousal, pleasure, motivation, reinforcement • Part of reward-motivation system (role in addiction) • ↓ dopamine → Parkinson’s disease (treatment: L-dopa) • Schizophrenia, ADHD, risk-taking, substance abuse Source: Wikimedia.org

9. Dopamine L-Phenylalanine → L-Tyrosine → L-DOPA → Dopamine Amino Acid Amino Acid Dairy Products Meat Fish Chicken Eggs Legumes Nuts Cheese Soybeans Meat Fish Chicken Eggs Nuts & Seeds Legumes Whole Grains

10. Dopamine L-Phenylalanine → L-Tyrosine → Tyramine → Dopamine Amino Acid Amino Acid Amino Acid Dairy Products Meat Fish Chicken Eggs Legumes Nuts Cheese Soybeans Meat Fish Chicken Eggs Nuts & Seeds Legumes Whole Grains Meat Cheese Soy Sauce Sauerkraut Kimchi Fava Beans Chocolate Beer

11. Serotonin • Functions: happiness, well-being, appetite, sleep, learning, memory, GI motility • “Rest and Relax” • Released in response to stress, anxiety, depression • Anti-depressant activity Source: Wikimedia.org

12. Serotonin L-Tryptophan → 5-HTP → Serotonin (5-HT) Amino Acid Spirulina Pork Turkey & Chicken Cheese Eggs Salmon Oats Soybeans

13. Serotonin in Food

14. L-Theanine and Mood Lardner AL. Nutr Neurosci. 2014;17(4):145-155.

15. Caffeine and Mood McLellan TM et al. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2016;71:294-312.

16. Caffeine and Mood McLellan TM et al. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2016;71:294-312.

17. Dietary Fat and Mood ↑ Saturated Fat→↑ Depression ↑ Monounsaturated Fat → ↓ Depression ↑ Polyunsaturated Fat (omega-3s) → ↓ Depression ↑ Polyunsaturated Fat (omega-6s) →↑ Depression

18. Dietary Fat and Mood Anti-Inflammatory Anti-Inflammatory Pro-Inflammatory Wathes DC et al. BiolReprod. 2007;77:190-201.

19. Saturated Fatty Acids & Mood • Food Sources: red meat, dairy, eggs • Recommendation: 7-10% total kcal intake (16 to 22 g/d) • Palmitic acid (16:0) and stearic acid (18:0) • Richly found in cerebral white matter • Synthesized de novo in brain • Contributes to neuroinflammation → cell impairment/death • Stimulates orexigenic (feeding) activity

20. Monounsaturated Fatty Acids & Mood • Food Sources: olives/olive oil, canola oil, avocado, almonds • Recommendation: 10-14% total kcal intake (22 to 31 g/d) • Oleic acid (18:1n-9) • Richly found in cerebral white matter • Synthesized de novo in brain • Contributes to improved insulin & neurotransmitter signals

21. Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids & Mood • Omega- 3 Food Sources • ALA: flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts, green leafy veg • DHA/EPA: salmon, tuna • Omega-6 Food Sources • LA: corn oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil • GLA: borage oil, evening primrose oil, hemp seed oil • CLA: dairy

22. Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids & Mood • Recommendation: 6-10% total kcal intake (13 to 22 g/d) • Predominant fatty acids in brain (AA and DHA) • Richly found in cerebral gray matter (n-3 PUFAs) • Presence in brain primarily dependent on diet • DHA: ↓ neuroinflammation, ↑ neurotransmitter signaling • AA: neuroinflammation

23. Vitamin D and Mood • Ergocalciferol, vitamin D2: plants • Cholecalciferol, vitamin D3: animals

24. Berridge MJ. Pharmacol Rev. 2017;69(2):80-92.

26. Vitamin D Deficiency

27. Vitamin D Deficiency Therapy *Obesity, Malabsorption Syndromes, Select Medications Holick MF et al. J ClinEndocrinolMetab. 2011;96:1911-1930.

28. Vitamin D Deficiency LeFevre M. Ann Intern Med. 2015;162:133-140.

29. Summary • Norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin are major neurotransmitters that appear to be modulated via diet to impact mental & emotional health. • Intake of L-theanine, caffeine, fatty acids, and vitamin D is associated with improved emotional and mental health. • Intake of these nutrients through a varied, nutrient-rich diet is the best way to support emotional and mental health. • Future research is needed to solidify dose-dependent responses between specific nutrient intake and mental/emotional health outcomes.

30. Questions?