Abstract

Depression among the elderly is a health concern all around the world as it is a major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Depression has been associated with emotional and physical well-being, decreases quality of life, and increases mortality rate. The prevalence of depression is reported to be higher among the elderly who reside in long term care facilities as compared to community-dwelling elderly. Studies have shown that one of the factors that influence mood and depression is food. Macronutrients and micronutrients have an effect on mood and cognitive function. It is hypothesized that higher intake of carbohydrates is associated with less depressed feelings and more energy. Carbohydrate intake enhances serotonin synthesis by increasing the release of insulin, which facilitates muscle reuptake of amino acids, but not tryptophan, and further increases the ratio between tryptophan and large neutral amino acids (tyrosine, phenylalanine, leucine, isoleucine, and valine) in plasma. This results in an increase of tryptophan availability to the brain which is metabolized to serotonin. In addition to nutrients, specific food items, such as chocolate, tea, sucrose, and cod liver oil have been studied based on their potential effects to relieve depression. However, clinical trials to prove the association are scarce. Thus, the evidence linking specific foods with mental health is limited.