Khaberni - A team of researchers in Spain discovered that a type of amino acid in certain foods such as beef and fish causes symptoms of depression in humans, mice, and flies.
The researchers from the Institute of Biomedical Research in Girona, and Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona confirmed that consuming diets rich in "proline" acid, like gelatin, beef, and some fish, increases the likelihood of experiencing symptoms of depression.
As part of the study published in the scientific journal "Metabolism", the researchers measured the amount and quality of amino acids consumed by volunteers in the trial while subjecting them to a questionnaire to assess their feelings of depression.
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Dr. Fernandez Real, an endocrinologist and head of the Medical Science Department at Girona Hospital, said: "We were surprised by the connection between proline acid and symptoms of depression in the volunteers who participated in the questionnaire." According to statements conveyed by the "SciTech Daily" research site, blood analyses of the volunteers confirmed a link between depression and increased levels of plasma and proline in the blood.
Dr. Real says that these findings "demonstrated the effect of proline acid on the mood of those who consume it, which is a relationship that had not been considered in previous studies on depression," adding that this research paves the way for further studies to develop depression treatments derived from the dietary nature of each patient.
