Aching Body Without a Cause... Is It Due to Eating Less Seafood?

Japanese University Research Team Finds
"Low Seafood Consumption Linked to Depression and Unexplained Symptoms"

A study has found that low seafood consumption is associated with depression and medically unexplained physical symptoms.

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on May 12, a research team led by Professor Toshikazu Suzuki of Wayo Women's University in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, reported that seafood intake and the risk of depression have a slight inverse correlation. The team also found that low seafood consumption is related to 'unidentified complaints,' which are unexplained physical symptoms.

'Unidentified complaints' refer to vague physical discomforts that lack an organic disease background, such as general malaise, easy fatigue, discomfort in the lower limbs, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, numbness in the hands and feet, abdominal bloating, and brain fog.

The research team conducted a survey from June 2023, targeting 86 students (aged 18 to 27) at Wayo Women's University. Based on the food groups and cooking methods consumed over the past one to two months, they estimated food intake and nutrient levels. In addition, using a widely adopted 'depression assessment tool' in the medical field, they assessed the students' mental health online. By comparing and analyzing the nutrition intake data with the mental health status, they examined how seafood nutrient intake is related to depression or unidentified complaints.

The study found that individuals with severe unexplained symptoms or depressive symptoms consumed lower amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), vitamin D, and vitamin B12?all nutrients abundant in seafood?compared to those without such symptoms. In particular, the median seafood intake of the group that scored high in both unexplained symptoms and depression was less than one-fourth that of the group with low scores.

Professor Suzuki stated, "I did not expect such clear results," adding, "Recently, seafood consumption has sharply declined, especially among younger generations. These findings once again highlight the importance of a balanced diet that includes seafood for the prevention of unidentified complaints and for maintaining both mental and physical health."

Meanwhile, the results of this study were published in the first half of the April issue of the international nutrition journal Nutrients.