Chris Shugart
How to Diet Without Being Sad
A new study shows that dieters suffer from more depression, but what's really going on here? Let's find out.
Have you ever known someone who tries to squash your goals? They poop on your ideas, discourage you from improving, and try to keep you in your place. Usually, they're very stealthy about it. Sometimes, all it takes is a discouraging word or a passive-aggressive comment.
Pop psychology calls them toxic people. They usually aren't evil. They just feel bad about themselves. Watching you do something awesome makes them feel worse. It's easier for them to shake the ladder you're climbing than to climb up themselves.
The mainstream media and academia are full of these toxic types, especially when it comes to fitness. Do you eat in a way that helps you build muscle? Well, well, you must have MODE: Muscularity Oriented Disordered Eating. (Really, that's a thing.)
Recently, a new study came out about diet and depression. Here's how the toxic tarts in the media interpreted it:
- "Think Twice Before Trying to Lose Fat!
- "Diets Cause Depression!"
- "Losing Weight Destroys Mental Health!"
- "The Dark Side of Diet Culture!"
The message was clear: Stay fat!
The subtext was even clearer: Stay fat because I'm fat, and it'll make me feel bad if you lose fat.
Let's see what the study actually found.
The Study
In this observational study, researchers analyzed six years of national health data involving over 28,000 Americans. Basically, they looked at their dieting styles and their scores on depression tests. Most weren't dieting, but here's what researchers found in the dieting groups:
- Dieters are more depressed than non-dieters.
- The more overweight the dieter, the worse their depression scores.
- Men had it worse than women.
Some of the dieters were restricting calories, naturally, and some were restricting nutrients (low carb, low fat, etc.). Regardless, they were sadder. The researchers think the cause is twofold: They get depressed when their diets fail, or their restrictive diets lead to nutrient deficiencies that trigger depressive symptoms.
So, it wasn't really a bad study; it was just badly interpreted by some journalists and academics. The message wasn't "don't diet!" The message was not to diet in a way that causes or exacerbates crappy moods. How do you do that? It's pretty easy.
Diet Without Depression
The researchers wisely noted that dieting can lead to nutritional deficiencies that, in turn, affect our moods. Diets aren't the problem; low-nutrient diets are. Let's fix that.
1. B-12
Some folks are under the impression that a vegetarian or vegan diet is best for fat loss. (It's not, but that's another topic.) Vegans always score higher on depression tests than meat-eaters, but there's some debate about whether veganism causes depression or whether already-depressed people are more drawn to vegan diets.
Here's what we do know: vegans have a hard time getting enough B-12, which is essential for neurotransmitter synthesis (serotonin and dopamine). A deficiency leads to mood disturbances, including depression. B12 is found almost exclusively in animal products, so supplementation (50-100 mcg daily) or eating a lot of fortified foods is necessary. If you eat meat (especially liver), you probably don't need to worry about B-12.
Vegans should probably look into creatine supplementation, too. Here's why.
2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
EPA and especially DHA are strongly linked to mood scores. Depression is partly caused by neuroinflammation, and these omega-3s put out the flames.
An omega-3 deficiency contributes to or worsens depression through several biological and neurological mechanisms. Omega-3s are essential for brain health and emotional regulation. These fats are critical components of neuronal cell membranes, influencing fluidity, receptor function, and neurotransmitter signaling, including that of serotonin and dopamine.
Several studies show that people with major depressive disorders have lower levels of omega-3s in their blood or brain tissue. Taking a concentrated, self-emulsifying fish oil supplement daily, like Flameout (Buy at Amazon), quickly corrects this deficiency. This is especially important for low-calorie dieters.
3. Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency contributes to depression through a combination of biological, neurological, and immune system mechanisms. Vitamin D functions like a hormone, with receptors throughout the brain, including in areas involved in mood regulation.
Numerous studies show that people with depression have lower serum levels of vitamin D, and supplementation in deficient individuals is associated with mood improvements.
Standard vitamin D supplements often won't bring up blood levels, especially for those over 40. Use the microencapsulated form, as found in D Fix (Buy at Amazon), to ensure complete absorption.
4. Magnesium
Study after study tells us that people with depression are very likely magnesium deficient. And when you diet, you eat fewer foods or a smaller variety, making it easier to miss out on magnesium.
Magnesium influences the nervous system by modulating neurotransmitters like serotonin, impacting stress response, and stabilizing neuronal membranes. Studies confirm that magnesium relieves mild to moderate depression. Deficiencies are wildly common, even if you're not restricting calories, but are easily corrected by taking 400 mg of chelated magnesium daily, as found in Elitepro Mineral Support (Buy at Amazon).
Reference
- "Mental health consequences of dietary restriction: increased depressive symptoms in biological men and populations with elevated BMI." BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, June 2025
