Almond based low carbohydrate diet may improve depression in Diabetics
A low carbohydrate diet (LCD) is more beneficial for the glycometabolism in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and may be effective in reducing depression.
A recent study found that almond based low carbohydrate diet exerts a beneficial effect on depression and glycometabolism in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. The study was published in the journal "Nutrients" in 2020.
Type 2 Diabetes is a multifactorial disease, causing a huge burden on the health of individuals. It is characterized by glycometabolism abnormalities. Diabetes is also associated with mental health-related disorders like depression. Previous research has established the association of Type 2 Diabetes and depression. Nutrition plays an important role in controlling diabetes and improving glycometabolism. A low carbohydrate diet is important for glycometabolism. A very commonly available and edible nut Almond is found to improve hyperglycemia and depression symptoms.
Researchers
from China, USA, and the UK conducted a study to determine the effect of an almond-based
Low carbohydrate diet (a-LCD) on depression and glycometabolism, as well as gut
microbiota and fasting glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) in patients with T2DM.
The study was a randomized controlled trial that compared an a-LCD with a
low-fat diet (LFD). Forty-five participants with T2DM at a diabetes club and
the Endocrine Division of the First and Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow
University between December 2018 to December 2019 completed each dietary
intervention for 3 months. Participants were randomly divided into two groups
with 22 in the a-LCD group and 23 in the LFD group. The indicators for
depression and biochemical indicators including glycosylated hemoglobin
(HbA1c), gut microbiota, and GLP-1 concentration were assessed at the baseline
and third month and compared between the two groups.
The principal findings of the study were:
• A-LCD significantly improved depression and HbA1c (p <0.01).
• Meanwhile, a-LCD significantly increased the short-chain fatty acid (SCFAs)-producing bacteria Roseburia, Ruminococcus, and Eubacterium.
• The Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) concentration in the a-LCD group was higher than that in the LFD group (p <0.05).
Thus, the
researchers concluded that Almond rich Low carbohydrate diet could exert a
beneficial effect on depression and glycometabolism in patients with T2DM. They
also speculated that the role of a-LCD in improving depression in patients with
T2DM may be associated with it stimulating the growth of Short-chain fatty acid
(SCFA)-producing bacteria, increasing SCFAs production and G-protein coupled
receptor 43 activation, and further maintaining Glucagon-like peptide-1
secretion. The authors also suggested future studies, where SCFAs and GPR43
activation should be further examined.
The study
"An Almond-Based Low Carbohydrate Diet Improves Depression and
Glycometabolism in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes through Modulating Gut
Microbiota and GLP-1: A Randomized Controlled Trial" was published in the
journal "Nutrients" in 2020.