Of course, medication and psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and behavioral skills training, remain the frontline treatments for helping people with the condition manage their symptoms and lead successful, fulfilling lives. In addition, researchers are studying the potential link between food and symptoms of schizophrenia. One review, published in October 2020 in the Clinical Journal of Nutrition Research (PDF), in which researchers evaluated the role of inflammation in schizophrenia, suggested there may be a potential role for anti-inflammatory foods in helping manage schizophrenia symptoms in some people. However, “Eating specific foods doesn’t replace the other proven treatments for the condition, but it can be an addition to treatment that can have some benefit,” says April Hackert, RDN, a psychiatric culinary medicine dietitian who specializes in nutrition therapy for people with mental health conditions. “Some nutrients help our brain to function optimally,” explains Shebani Sethi, MD, a clinical assistant professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and the founding director of the Metabolic Psychiatry Clinical Program at Stanford University in California. Those nutrients, she notes, include:
IronOmega-3 fatty acidsVitamin B6Vitamin B12Zinc
There’s no evidence that diet alone can help keep schizophrenia symptoms at bay. But there is evidence that eating a nutritious diet — while following your prescribed treatment regimen — could help prevent potentially life-shortening health conditions such as obesity and diabetes, which are significantly more common among people with schizophrenia than people without the condition, according to a study published in August 2017 in the World Journal of Diabetes. One reason for the increased risk of obesity is that weight gain is a common side effect of certain schizophrenia drugs, including antipsychotics. And weight gain, in turn, can raise the risk of diabetes. Fortunately, relatively simple “dietary changes, especially swapping ultra-processed foods for whole foods,” can provide significant benefits for people with schizophrenia, says Drew Ramsey, MD, the founder of the Brain Food Clinic in New York City and an assistant professor of psychiatry at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, also in New York City. Although no evidence-based diet for schizophrenia exists, experts believe these five foods could benefit people with the condition:
1. Fish and Seafood to Protect Your Brain
The mental health benefits of fish and seafood come from nutrients called omega-3 fatty acids — in particular, eicosatetraenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Omega-3s aid the brain in communicating with the rest of the body, as well as reduce oxidative stress, a type of chemical damage that can wreak havoc on the brain. The nutrients in fish may be beneficial for people with psychosis, a condition in which a person loses contact with reality, and a potential symptom of schizophrenia. A study published in BMC Psychiatry, including more than 18,400 Swedish women with psychosis, found that the women who ate fish three to four times each week had fewer severe symptoms than the women who never ate fish. In addition, the ready-to-use omega-3s in fish are thought to reach the brain faster than the omega-3s in other foods, says Hackert. “With fish and seafood, the body doesn’t have to work as hard as with some other foods to benefit from the nutrients. The nutrients are ready to go.”
2. Lentils to Help Regulate Your Mood
Inexpensive lentils pack a lot of nutrition for the brain. Not only are they high in protein, but they contain other important brain nutrients, including folate and antioxidants, says Hackert. Further, lentils are a good source of tryptophan, a building block for serotonin, a brain chemical that regulates mood and behavior. One cup of cooked lentils delivers 50 percent of the body’s daily requirement of tryptophan, adds Hackert. Lentils are also rich in folate, a nutrient that may be involved in the development of certain conditions affecting the brain and nervous system. Folate deficiencies are common among people with schizophrenia, research published in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences shows. While supplements can help, foods rich in these critical nutrients are a better choice because the body absorbs natural nutrients more easily than nutrients in pills or powder form, Dr. Sethi explains. Lentils are easy to prepare as soups and stews. Just boil them in water with some chopped vegetables and add salt and seasonings for flavor. Even easier: Grab some lentil chips or crackers at the grocery store.
3. Berries to Help Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes
Berries may be small in size, but they’re big in nutritional benefits, says Hackert. Three reasons people with schizophrenia may want to eat them often:
Most berries — including blueberries, according to research — contain anthocyanins, nutrients shown to reduce chemical damage in the brain.They’re sweet and tasty, yet low in calories and sugar.They’re packed with fiber and antioxidants — heart-healthy nutrients that help reduce the risk of diabetes. Three studies published in BMJ linked more frequent consumption of blueberries with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
4. Avocado to Help Suppress Hunger
Surprise! Creamy avocados are a high-fiber food that helps you feel satisfied for longer after eating. That’s important for people with schizophrenia, who often have difficulty with feeling full after meals, says Melvin McInnis, MD, who is the Thomas B. and Nancy Upjohn Woodworth Professor of Bipolar Disorder and Depression, and director of the Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Program at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The reason: Most antipsychotics cause weight gain, according to research published in The American Journal of Psychiatry. And that weight gain leads many people to stop taking their medication. Nutritional interventions like filling up on fiber-rich foods can help prevent the weight gain so it’s easier to stick to your treatment regimen, suggests research published in the journal Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment.
5. Broccoli to Boost Your Brain Health
Broccoli is another food full of fiber, plus it delivers lots of essential vitamins and minerals, including folate, zinc, and potassium, Hackert says. What’s more, broccoli is a top food source of sulforaphane, a natural substance, which may be a game-changer for people with schizophrenia. Scientists at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore hypothesize that schizophrenia may be caused, in part, by chemical imbalances in the brain related to the brain chemical glutamate, which helps regulate brain development, learning, and memory. If sulforaphane can change the levels of the brain chemical glutamate, which scientists have observed in rat studies, it may help improve symptoms in people with schizophrenia. They’re currently using a broccoli-sprout extract to test their theory. If the extract proves to be effective, taking it might allow people to lower their medications to reduce their risk of side effects like weight gain, as well involuntary movements, restlessness, stiffness, and shaking. “Unfortunately, [sulforaphane] breaks down quickly when you cook broccoli, and you might need to eat pounds of raw broccoli to get an effective dose. So there are still unknowns about the best way to get it,” says study author Thomas Sedlak, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and director of the Schizophrenia and Psychosis Consult Clinic at Johns Hopkins University. “But given the medical challenges in this patient community, cooked broccoli is probably better than none,” he says.
