Summary: Nut consumption was associated with increased improvements in self-reported mental health and stress. It was also linked to improved sleep quality and metabolic biomarkers. Walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids, melatonin, and other vitamins and nutrients associated with mental health and good health.
Source: University of South Australia
Stressed college students might want to add nuts to their daily diet in the weeks leading up to their next exam.
A new clinical trial of undergraduate students while in college has shown positive effects of nut consumption on self-reported measures of mental health and biomarkers of general health.
The University of South Australia study, published in the journal Nutrientsalso suggests that nuts may counteract the effects of school stress on the gut microbiota during times of stress, especially in women.
Lead researchers, Ph.D. student Mauritz Herselman and associate professor Larisa Bobrovskaya say the findings add to the growing body of evidence linking walnuts to improved brain and gut health.
“Students experience academic stress throughout their studies, which has a negative effect on their mental health, and they are particularly vulnerable during exam times,” says Herselman.
Eighty undergraduate students divided into treatment and control groups were clinically assessed at three intervals, at the start of a 13-week college semester, during the exam period, and two weeks after the exam period. Those in the treatment group were given nuts to consume daily for 16 weeks during these three intervals.
We found that those who consumed about half a cup of nuts each day showed improvements in self-reported mental health indicators. Walnut eaters also showed improved metabolic biomarkers and overall longer-term sleep quality.
Students in the control group reported increased levels of stress and depression before exams, but those in the treatment group did not. Nut eaters also reported a significant drop in feelings associated with depression between the first and last visit, compared to controls.
Previous research has shown that walnuts are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, as well as the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, polyphenols, folate, and vitamin E, all of which support brain health and of the intestine.
“The World Health Organization recently stated that at least 75% of mental health disorders affect people under the age of 24, making undergraduate students particularly vulnerable to mental health issues,” Herselman says. .
Assoc Professor Larisa Bobrovskaya says mental health disorders are common among university students and can negatively affect students’ academic performance and long-term physical health.
“We have shown that consuming nuts during times of stress can improve the mental health and general well-being of university students, in addition to being a healthy and delicious snack and a versatile ingredient in many recipes, to combat against certain negative effects of school stress”, Assoc Prof. said Bobrovskaya.
Due to the small number of men in the study, more research is needed to establish the gender-dependent effects of walnuts and academic stress in college students. It is also possible that a placebo effect came into play as this was not a blinded study.
About this diet and current stress research
Author: Press office
Source: University of South Australia
Contact: Press Office – University of South Australia
Image: Image is in public domain
See also
Original research: free access.
“The effects of nuts and academic stress on mental health, general well-being and gut microbiota in a sample of university students: a randomized clinical trialby Mauritz F. Herselman et al. Nutrients
Summary
The effects of nuts and academic stress on mental health, general well-being and gut microbiota in a sample of university students: a randomized clinical trial
Poor mental health is common among undergraduates due to academic stress. There is an interaction between stress and food, with stress influencing food choices. Nutritional interventions may be effective in preventing mental health decline due to complex bi-directional interactions between the brain, gut, and gut microbiota.
Previous studies have shown that nut consumption has a positive effect on mental health. Here, using a randomized clinical trial (Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, #ACTRN12619000972123), we sought to investigate the effects of school stress and daily nut consumption among university students on mental health, biochemical markers of general health and gut microbiota.
We found that school stress negatively impacted self-reported mood and mental health status, while daily nut consumption improved mental health indicators and protected against some of the negative effects of school stress on biomarkers. metabolism and stress.
School stress was associated with lower gut microbial diversity in females, which was enhanced by nut consumption. The effects of school stress or nut consumption in male participants could not be established due to the small number of participants.
Thus, nut consumption may be protective against some of the negative impacts of school stress, but gender-dependent mechanisms require further study.
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