Are depression and anxiety eating away at you?
Around 51 million Americans say they're currently depressed or are being treated for the condition and another 42.5 million are affected by anxiety disorders every year. Unfortunately, up to half of folks with depression and as many with generalized anxiety disorder don't respond to treatment with medication and/or therapy.
Here's an interesting theory (with some preliminary research behind it) as to why that might happen: Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) change the gut biome with their additives and sugar, unhealthy fats, and nutrient-poor content. Those changes in the bacterial mixture produce different proteins, which alter the gut-brain axis and make it difficult to repair disrupted brain circuitry and functions.
That's what a new study in JAMA Psychiatry indicates. For a year, researchers tracked 19 people ages 18 to 80 with depression (14 also had anxiety) who ate a lot of ultra-processed foods and had high body weight, dyslipidemia, insulin insensitivity, and/or high blood pressure. Those who reduced their consumption of UPF by 85% or more reported major improvements in mood -- especially depression.
True, this needs more rigorous study -- but come on, we know UPFs are a major contributor to heart woes, liver disease, dementia, obesity, certain cancers and Type 2 diabetes. It seems logical that they might also add to or even cause depression and anxiety.
To achieve a happy, younger, longer life, ditch the UPFs and opt for a healthy plant-based diet (salmon and skinless poultry are OK) that's explained in my books, "What to Eat When" and "The What to Eat When Cookbook."
Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.4YOUngevity.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at drmikerealage@gmail.com.
(c)2026 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2026 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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