According to the results of a recent trial which aimed to
uncover the impact of serotonin on people’s food choices, the antidepressant
drug citalopram could help conquer
health issues in both the mental and physical sense, as the drug’s serotonin-boosting
properties have been linked to an increase in healthy food choices in those
taking the medication.
The research was conducted by a team comprised of scientists
from the University of Oxford, the University of British Columbia, the
University of Cambridge, and Warwick Business School. They began with a group of
27 adult volunteers, who were each given a pill containing either a genuine
dose of citalopram or a placebo; at this point, the participants had no
knowledge of what they were taking. They were then sat in front of a screen
which presented them with two snack options – either two healthy options, two
unhealthy options, or one of each.
Each of the foods shown had been rated in terms of health
and taste beforehand, allowing the researchers to properly identify which were chosen
for health reasons and which were pure indulgences. When participants were
given the genuine drug, it was found that 60% of their choices were considered
healthy. On the other hand, only 45% of choices made were healthy when the
participant was given a placebo.
Ivo Vlaev, Professor of Behavioural Science at Warwick
Business School, said of the research, “Our trials suggest that after taking
the drug people are more likely to make decisions on what food to eat based on
health, rather than taste.
“Citalopram helps to give a boost of serotonin, which is a
neurotransmitter involved in the regulation of cognitive processes. Our data
tentatively suggests serotonin amplifies the importance of health considerations
in consumption decisions.
“[Serotonin] appears to give people the long-term focus
needed to consider how food will impact on their health, rather than the
short-term decision to go for what tastes better.”
With official figures from the World Health Organisation
(WHO) indicating a two-fold increase in obesity rates since the 1980s, this
kind of research could be vital in maintaining the long-term health of human
populations. Professor Vlaev certainly
thinks so, as he further stated that, “These research findings have
implications for understanding and treating obesity and even eating disorders.”
He also believes that following additional research, citalopram
and other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) of similar nature may also prove
useful in combatting other conditions such as addictions and impulsive
behaviours.
Sam Bonson
Sam
is an aspiring novelist with a passion for fantasy and crime thrillers. He is currently
working as a content writer, journalist & editor in an attempt to expand
his horizons.
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