Can an orange a day keep depression away?
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- Reviewed by Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Oranges and other citrus fruits might help ward off depression, suggests a Harvard study published online Nov. 14, 2024, by Microbiome. Scientists evaluated data on more than 32,000 middle-aged, depression-free women who periodically answered questions about their health and diet for 14 years. Compared with women who consumed the least amount of citrus each week, those who consumed the most (six servings of oranges, orange juice, grapefruit, or grapefruit juice) had a 22% lower risk for developing depression. In their investigation, the researchers found that two particular flavonoids (naringenin and formononetin) were tied to the reduction. The researchers went even further and evaluated stool and blood samples of about 200 of the participants, as well as about 300 men who provided similar information in another study. Compared to those with depression, those without it had higher amounts of a certain gut microbe (F. prausnitzii) believed to help regulate mood. Eating citrus boosted F. prausnitzii levels even higher. The study was observational. More research would be needed to confirm the findings.
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About the Author
Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter
About the Reviewer
Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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