The health benefits of mushrooms have been making headlines. The superfood is packed full of numerous health-boosting vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. In addition to lowering one’s risk of cancer and premature death, new research now reveals mushroom consumption may also benefit one’s mental health.
According to the Penn State College of Medicine, Penn State researchers analyzed diet and mental health data collected between 2005 and 2016 from more than 24,000 U.S. adults. with an average age of 45. Non-Hispanic white people comprised 66% of those surveyed.
They found that “people who ate mushrooms had lower odds of having depression.”
What might this health benefit be attributed to?
The researchers said mushrooms contain an antioxidant known as ergothioneine, which may protect against cell and tissue damage in the body. Antioxidants help prevent several mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression, according to previous studies.
“Mushrooms are the highest dietary source of the amino acid ergothioneine — an anti-inflammatory which cannot be synthesized by humans,” said lead researcher Djibril Ba, who recently graduated from the epidemiology doctoral program at the College of Medicine.
Ba added, “Having high levels of this may lower the risk of oxidative stress, which could also reduce the symptoms of depression.”
Most everyone is familiar with white button mushrooms, the most commonly consumed mushroom variety in the U.S. They contain potassium, which is believed to lower anxiety, while certain other species of edible mushrooms, “especially Hericium erinaceus,” commonly known as Lion’s Mane, which researchers explained, “may stimulate the expression of neurotrophic factors such as nerve growth factor synthesis, which could have an impact on preventing neuropsychiatric disorders including depression.”
After accounting for “socio-demographics, major risk factors, self-reported diseases, medications, and other dietary factors,” researchers observed a significant association between mushroom consumption and lower odds of depression, the news release said.
The researchers said this study highlights the “potential clinical and public health importance of mushroom consumption,” both as a means of reducing depression and in the prevention of other diseases.
There are limitations to the study.
In future studies, the researchers noted some limitations that could be addressed, including details on the types of mushrooms, which were not provided in the data. Therefore, researchers weren’t able to determine the effects of specific types of mushrooms on depression, Penn State College of Medicine stated.
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Eat more ‘shrooms’ to lower your risk of depression, study finds - pennlive.com
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