Eating tomatoes, watermelons, and carrots frequently helps relieve depression
Feb 06, 2025
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Thanks to lycopene, which is abundant in vegetables and fruits.
Lycopene is a bright red pigment of carotenoids and has strong antioxidant properties.
A joint research team at Chongqing Medical School in China recently published a study in the international journal Food Science & Nutrition that showed that lycopene can alleviate depressive symptoms by improving synapses, the site of brain nerve cell transmission.
The researchers explained "The main clinical treatment for depression at present is drug therapy, which has the advantage that natural plant extracts are suitable for long-term intake, have fewer side effects, and are safer compared to synthetic drugs"In this study, plant extracts such as lycopene and curcumin were proven to have neuroprotective properties, and lycopene stood out due to its strong antioxidant properties and wide availability."
The researchers conducted an experiment on 60 male mice.
After inducing stress and anxiety, one group was given 20 mg of lycopene per kg of body weight, and the other group was fed a corn oil placebo.
As a result, mice that consumed lycopene showed active behavior, such as socializing more with other mice.
There was also relatively little damage to the hippocampus, which governs memory and learning, and synapses, the brain's nerve cell transmission system.
The researchers stated that "research results supporting the neuroprotective effect of lycopene""suggesting that lycopene has great potential as an antidepressant".
However, the researchers said that there are several limitations in this study.
First of all, the study was conducted only on male mice and focused only on the effect on the hippocampus, the brain part responsible for learning and memory.
In addition, considering that depression is a chronic disease, the researchers explained that the study was conducted in a short period of time and that the appropriate amount that can be administered to humans needs a longer and closer investigation.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
