A High Polyphenol Diet Improves Psychological Well-Being: The Polyphenol Intervention Trial (PPhIT)

Abstract

Mental ill health is currently one of the leading causes of disease burden worldwide. A growing body of data has emerged supporting the role of diet, especially polyphenols, which have anxiolytic and antidepressant-like properties. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of a high polyphenol diet (HPD) compared to a low polyphenol diet (LPD) on aspects of psychological well-being in the Polyphenol Intervention Trial (PPhIT). Ninety-nine mildly hypertensive participants aged 40–65 years were enrolled in a four-week LPD washout period and then randomised to either an LPD or an HPD for eight weeks. Both at baseline and the end of intervention, participants’ lifestyle and psychological well-being were assessed. The participants in the HPD group reported a decrease in depressive symptoms, as assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory-II, and an improvement in physical component and mental health component scores as assessed with 36-Item Short Form Survey. No differences in anxiety, stress, self-esteem or body image perception were observed. In summary, the study findings suggest that the adoption of a polyphenol-rich diet could potentially lead to beneficial effects including a reduction in depressive symptoms and improvements in general mental health status and physical health in hypertensive participants.

Psychological distress resulting from the COVID-19 confinement is associated with unhealthy dietary changes in two Italian population-based cohorts

“…During the lockdown, Italian residents were required to stay at home and only essential needs/services were permitted, with huge limitations in terms of working activities that were converted into home working as far as possible. As a consequence, daily routine was dramatically disrupted with potential negative effects on mental health and dietary habits: the latter are highly susceptible to psychological well-being [ 3 , 4 ] and vice versa [ 5 , 6 ].…”

Effects of Montmorency Tart Cherry and Blueberry Juice on Cardiometabolic Outcomes in Healthy Individuals: Protocol for a 3-Arm Placebo Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Furthermore, psychological wellbeing is lower in those with cardiometabolic disease [ 61 ] and a high intake of dietary polyphenols has been shown to enhance indices of psychological wellbeing [ 62 ]. Therefore, general psychological wellbeing will be examined using the COOP WONCA questionnaire [ 63 ], depressive symptoms using the Beck Depression Inventory [ 64 ] and state/trait anxiety with the State Trait Anxiety Inventory [ 65 ].…”

Dietary Intake of Flavonoids and Carotenoids Is Associated with Anti-Depressive Symptoms: Epidemiological Study and In Silico—Mechanism Analysis

“…Therefore, effective prevention and treatment strategies are required to overcome depression. Several studies have shown that the antidepressant effects of polyphenols, especially dietary polyphenols, have the potential to be widely used in depression worldwide because their antidepressant effects can be cost-effective [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]. Most dietary polyphenols are associated with reduced symptoms of depression, and consumption of some polyphenols significantly reduces depressive symptoms [ 9 ].…”