Ergothioneine-rich mushrooms may fight depression, finds US study

14 Oct 2021 --- People who eat mushrooms have lower odds of having depression, according to US researchers at Penn State College of Medicine. The study highlights the potential clinical and public health importance of mushroom consumption as it holds mood benefits and can prevent diseases.

“Mushrooms are the highest dietary source of the amino acid ergothioneine – an anti-inflammatory which humans cannot synthesize,” says Djibril Ba, lead study author, department of public health sciences, Penn State College of Medicine.

“Having high levels of this may lower the risk of oxidative stress, which could also reduce the symptoms of depression.”

“The study adds to the growing list of possible health benefits of eating mushrooms,” confirms Joshua Muscat, researcher at Penn State Cancer Institute and professor of public health sciences.

According to the researchers mushrooms have previously been associated with various health advantages, such as lowering the risk of cancer and premature death.

Antioxidant and neurotrophic factors
Ergothioneine is an antioxidant that may protect against cell and tissue damage in the body. Separate studies have shown that antioxidants help prevent several mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression.

White button mushrooms, which are the most commonly consumed mushroom variety in the US, contain potassium, which is believed to lower anxiety.Mushrooms contain ergothioneine, an antioxidant that may protect against cell and tissue damage in the body.

In addition, certain other species of edible mushrooms, especially Hericium Erinaceus, also known as Lion’s Mane, may stimulate the expression of neurotrophic factors such as nerve growth factor synthesis. This synthesis could have an impact on preventing neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression.

Collecting data
The study used diet and mental health data collected from more than 24,000 US adults between the years 2005 and 2016.

The average age of surveyed participants was 45, and the majority (66%) were non-Hispanic white people. According to the researchers, college-educated, non-Hispanic white women were more likely to eat mushrooms.

The investigators observed a significant association between mushroom consumption and lower odds of depression after accounting for socio-demographics, major risk factors, self-reported diseases, medications and other dietary factors. They said, however, that there was no apparent additional benefit with relatively high mushroom intake.

The research team conducted a secondary analysis to see if the risk of depression could be lowered by replacing a serving of red or processed meat with a serving of mushrooms each day. However, findings show that this substitution was not associated with lower odds of depression.

Prior to this research, few studies examined the association between mushroom consumption and depression, and the majority had been clinical trials with fewer than 100 participants.The researchers could not determine the effects of specific types of mushrooms on depression.

Study limitations
The researchers noted some limitations that could be addressed in future studies. The data did not provide details on the types of mushrooms. As a result, the researchers could not determine the effects of specific types of mushrooms on depression.

Additionally, food codes issued by the US Department of Agriculture were used to determine mushroom intake. Therefore, some entries may have been misclassified or inaccurately recorded.

Adaptogen usage accelerates
Industry players have shown interest in the potential of mushrooms as these adaptogens offer various solutions in the nutrition space. Last month, VidaCap unveiled VidaCap Mushroom Sleep capsules, a fungi-based formulation that features the reishi mushroom and is designed to help improve sleep quality. VidaCap also offers pure mushroom formulations from other fungi species, including turkey tail, lion’s mane and chaga.

In April, Goldmine Adaptogen Powder was developed to alleviate stress and burnout symptoms among Millenials. The powder is a blend of five USDA-certified organic adaptogenic herbs and mushrooms, including chaga, reishi, cordyceps, ashwagandha and astragalus.

Meanwhile, NutritionInsight reported on the potential shift from immunity to mood health due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Edited by Nicole Kerr