# Could my diet change (for the better!) be making me depressed? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 6, 2006, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-my-diet-change-for-the-better-be-making-me-depressed/355645 "2006-05-06T03:40:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2006, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-my-diet-change-for-the-better-be-making-me-depressed/355645/1 "2006-05-06T03:40:36Z")
I’ve been incredibly depressed all day, and it’s completely unrelated to anything circumstantial in my life. The only difference I can think of is that for the past week, I’ve been eating completely differently. I’ve dropped all fast food and most pre-prepared stuff and have been eating almost nothing but fresh produce - fruits and vegetables - and fresh meat that I’ve cooked. I started thinking that the change to my system, no matter how beneficial, may have produced the depression. Has anyone else experienced this with a diet change, even one for the better? ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2006, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-my-diet-change-for-the-better-be-making-me-depressed/355645/2 "2006-05-06T04:37:09Z")
Yeah, it sounds like a standard blood sugar crash–your body is adjusting to different levels of sugar, insulin, and so forth. Hang in there and you should feel way better in a little while. (Insert appropriate disclaimers about YMMV, see your doctor, etc., etc.) ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2006, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-my-diet-change-for-the-better-be-making-me-depressed/355645/3 "2006-05-06T04:50:35Z")
When I’ve cut way back on carbs during zealous diet and exercise periods, I am usually cranky, irritable, and depressed. This usually happens during Passover week as well, when you can’t eat any bread, pasta, or rice, and try to avoid any products with corn syrup on top of all that. ---
**Author:** ![dre2xl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@dre2xl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dre2xl)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2006, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-my-diet-change-for-the-better-be-making-me-depressed/355645/4 "2006-05-06T04:54:32Z")
I went through a very similar change recently, cutting out nearly all processed foods in favor of fruits, vegetables, and the like. I was very depressed for about 3 weeks, yes. But it was quite worth it. ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2006, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-my-diet-change-for-the-better-be-making-me-depressed/355645/5 "2006-05-06T05:05:50Z")
Fascinating! Thanks for the feedback. I definitely feel better (in a physical and intellectual sense) eating better, so it’s worth it. I guess it’s just my body adjusting from a life of junk food and crap. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2006, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-my-diet-change-for-the-better-be-making-me-depressed/355645/6 "2006-05-06T05:59:20Z")
If you are drastically cutting down on salt or fat, that could be a factor. Your body does need some of these things. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2006, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-my-diet-change-for-the-better-be-making-me-depressed/355645/7 "2006-05-06T14:45:33Z")
Depression can also be a symptom of aerobic overtraining. If you’re running a lot and you significantly reduced your caloric intake, that could be a factor.