It is generally accepted that psycho-emotional and social factors lead to the occurrence of depressive disorders, and each case is individual. Researchers from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Brigham Hospital decided to find out what else could lead to the development of depression – they experimentally found that artificial sweeteners can cause this condition, writes the Mail Online portal.
Scientists spent several years assessing the diets of more than 32,000 middle-aged women using questionnaires every four years from 2003 to 2017, dividing them into five groups depending on the amount of processed food they consumed.
Ultimately, 2,122 cases of depression were reported in women who ate processed foods (including sweetened beverages) daily and frequently (nine or more medium meals), with one fifth of them having an approximately 50% higher risk of depression compared with those who consumed four servings or less.
After studying the data set and conducting several analyses, experts came to the conclusion that there is a direct connection between artificially sweetened drinks and food with a high likelihood of depression. According to scientists, this occurs due to the activation of certain compounds in the brain when these elements enter the body.
Note that sweeteners are combined sweeteners that reduce the calorie content of a drink, and processed foods are any food that has been prepared, canned, frozen, packaged, or altered by adding nutrients in various ways.
Source: Rosbalt
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
