Popular Salad Dressing Has Surprising Effect on Depression

Vinegar may be an effective cure for mental disorders

Researchers have found that a daily dose of vinegar can improve the condition of a person with a mental illness. Scientists have suggested that in the future, a few spoons of the seasoning could be used to treat depression.

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A team of American researchers tested the effects of regular vinegar consumption, and also studied the metabolic processes that convert food into energy. Scientists decided to find the reasons for the benefits that the seasoning has.

Respondents who drank vinegar daily had 86 percent higher levels of the vitamin B3 niacinamide, a substance that previous studies have shown to have anti-inflammatory effects.

“These findings provide further evidence that daily vinegar consumption for four weeks can improve self-reported depressive symptoms in healthy adults and that changes in metabolism may contribute to this improvement,” said Arizona State University nutritionist Haley Barrong.

The study involved 28 overweight adults who were divided into two groups: one group consumed two tablespoons of red wine vinegar twice a day, while the other group took a tablet containing a very small amount of vinegar daily.

During the experiment, people had to fill out two questionnaires: the Center for Epidemiological Studies of Depression questionnaire and the patient health questionnaire.

After processing the respondents' answers, the researchers found that depressive symptoms in the first group decreased by an average of 42 percent, compared to 18 percent in people taking vinegar-containing drugs.

“Depressive disorders are the most common mental health disorders in the world,” researchers say. “Commonly prescribed antidepressants can have serious side effects, and their effectiveness varies widely. Thus, simple and effective additional treatments are needed.”

Depression is the most common mental health disorder in the world, but antidepressants increase the risk of serious side effects. The symptoms of the disorder vary greatly among patients, scientists say, so the range of potential treatments must be expanded and modified. For several years, treating depression with healthy eating and nutritional supplements has shown promise because it is easy to find and reduces the risk of harm to a person's health.”

“Focusing on mechanisms and larger patient samples will strengthen scientific knowledge and provide evidence that more convincingly demonstrates the role of vinegar in promoting health,” the authors conclude.

Scientists have already proven that vinegar lowers blood sugar levels and reduces the amount of visceral fat.