{"id":84222,"date":"2025-08-22T04:43:11","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T04:43:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/84222\/"},"modified":"2025-08-22T04:43:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T04:43:11","slug":"eating-potassium-rich-foods-may-help-keep-depression-at-bay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/84222\/","title":{"rendered":"Eating potassium-rich foods may help keep depression at bay"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"chopsticksShare on Pinterest<\/a>Diets rich in minerals, especially potassium, were linked to a lower depression risk in a new study. Image credit: Vera Lair\/StocksyAbout 5% of the world\u2019s adult population lives with depression. Past research shows that people can help lower their risk for depression by following healthy lifestyle guidelines, such as eating a nutritious diet. A new study has identified specific minerals \u2014 including potassium and zinc \u2014 that may also help in reducing a person\u2019s depression risk. <\/p>\n

Past research shows that people can help lower their risk for depression by following healthy lifestyle guidelines, such as getting enough sleep<\/a>, exercising<\/a> regularly, and following a healthy diet<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u201cMental health disorders, including depression, impose a major global burden, and current treatments \u2014 such as pharmacotherapy \u2014 often have limitations and side effects,\u201d Minkook Son<\/a>, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Physiology in the College of Medicine at Dong-A University in the Republic of Korea, told Medical News Today<\/p>\n

\u201cDiet is a modifiable factor that can be targeted for prevention and adjunctive treatment. Understanding how specific dietary components influence mental health could provide low-risk, widely accessible strategies to reduce disease burden and improve overall well-being,\u201d explained Son.<\/p>\n

He is the corresponding author of a new study recently published in the journal Nutrients<\/a> that has identified specific minerals \u2014 including potassium<\/a> and zinc<\/a> \u2014 that may also help in reducing a person\u2019s depression risk. <\/p>\n

Scientists focused specifically on seven minerals \u2014 sodium<\/a>, potassium, phosphorus<\/a>, magnesium<\/a>, iron<\/a>, zinc, and calcium \u2014 to examine their impact on depression risk. <\/p>\n

\u201cThese seven minerals are consistently measured in both the KNHANES and the NHANES, enabling a standardized cross-national analysis,\u201d Son explained. \u201cThey are also biologically relevant to brain function, neurotransmission, and neuroinflammation, processes implicated in the pathophysiology of depression.\u201d<\/p>\n

Upon analysis, researchers found that both participants from South Korea and the U.S. who had higher levels of potassium had the lowest risk for depression. <\/p>\n

\u201cPotassium emerged as a common protective factor against depression in both populations, despite differences in dietary habits,\u201d Son said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis consistent association suggests potassium intake may play a fundamental role in mental health, supporting public health strategies to encourage potassium-rich diets as part of depression prevention efforts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2013 Minkook Son, MD, PhD<\/p>\n

In addition to potassium, when examining just Korean participants, researchers discovered that higher sodium levels were correlated to a reduced depression risk. Among U.S. participants, higher levels of zinc was another mineral linked to lower odds of developing depression. <\/p>\n

\u201cCultural dietary patterns, primary food sources of each mineral, and differences in bioavailability likely contribute to these discrepancies,\u201d Son explained. \u201cFor instance, in Korea, sodium intake is high due to fermented<\/a> and broth-based dishes, potentially interacting with other nutrients to influence mood.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cIn the U.S., zinc intake from animal protein sources may play a more prominent role in neurochemical pathways relevant to depression,\u201d he continued. \u201cThese variations underscore the importance of considering population-specific nutritional contexts when evaluating mental health risk factors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause our study is cross-sectional, it cannot establish causality,\u201d Son added. \u201cFuture work will include longitudinal cohort studies and intervention trials to clarify causal relationships, as well as mechanistic research to understand how mineral intake influences depression risk at the biological level.\u201d<\/p>\n

MNT had the opportunity to speak with Monique Richard<\/a>, MS, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Nutrition-In-Sight, about this study, in which she was not involved.<\/p>\n

Richard commented she was not surprised by the results. \u201cPotassium balances cellular fluid levels, assists in muscle contraction, and transmits nerve signals in the brain,\u201d she told us.<\/p>\n

\u201cMinerals such as potassium, magnesium, and selenium<\/a> work with vitamins like D<\/a>, C<\/a>, and E<\/a> to support functions throughout the body, as well as numerous enzymatic reactions, and act as electrolytes<\/a> to support fluid balance. We thrive when we have sufficient levels of all these working together in the highly complex factory of the human body,\u201d Richard detailed.<\/p>\n

The dietitian also pointed out that potassium is often an underconsumed nutrient<\/a> in the American diet, correlating with deficient intake of daily fruit and vegetable servings. <\/p>\n

\u201cRecommendations range from 2,600\u20133,400 mg [milligrams] or more a day, depending on gender, health conditions, activity level, and hydration<\/a>. Keep in mind it is not about one nutrient, but a combination of how they all work together to support physical and mental health. If a variety of potassium and nutrient-rich foods are incorporated throughout the day it can be fairly simple to meet daily recommended needs.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u2013 Monique Richard, MS, RDN, LDN<\/p>\n

Richard gave this example as a high potassium daily menu: <\/p>\n

breakfast: oatmeal<\/a> with almonds<\/a> and half a banana, as well as 4 ounces calcium-fortified orange juicesnack: 1\/2 cup dried apricots<\/a>lunch: spinach salad, boiled eggs, walnuts<\/a>, and kidney beans afternoon snack: 1 cup edamame<\/a>dinner: 4 ounces of salmon with sweet potato<\/a> and sauteed beet greens evening snack: plain Greek yogurt<\/a> and fresh berries.<\/p>\n

Richard also suggested focusing on what fruits and vegetables are currently in season and trying to incorporate varied produce and items throughout the day of these additional foods naturally rich in potassium:<\/p>\n

Even though diet is not the only important factor when it comes to mental health, the recent study adds to the evidence that opting for healthy foods can help regulate mood.<\/p>\n

\u201cAcross continents and age groups, mineral depleted diets raise red flags for depression \u2014 and a bevy of other health concerns \u2014 so hydrating and mineral-rich foods aren\u2019t just healthy, they might be healing,\u201d said Richard. <\/p>\n

Accoeding to her: \u201cPotassium helps keep your heart happy and brain healthy. Together, that\u2019s a recipe for mood stabilization.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Share on PinterestDiets rich in minerals, especially potassium, were linked to a lower depression risk in a new…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":84223,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[3275,616,59,102,42450,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-84222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-depression","tag-diet","tag-gb","tag-health","tag-potassium","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84222","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=84222"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84222\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/84223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=84222"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=84222"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=84222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}