Dear Dr. Dušan Doliak,

Thanks for expert inputs. Thanks also to spare your precious time for valuable answer.

Thanks & Regards

The most important cause of mood swings in women is the 6 fold increase in monoamine oxidase activity which happens in the premenstrual phase of a normal cycle or continuously when progesterone dominant hormonal contraceptives are used. Hormone use also increases copper and lowers zinc levels which increases adverse reactions to foods. Copper stores may become depleted affecting superoxide dismutase function. B vitamins are also commonly deficient and omega-3 and omega-6 PUFA pathways can be blocked. References are listed at www.harmfromhormones.co.uk

In men alcohol use also depletes zinc, B vitamins and PUFAs and can cause mood swings.

Jerome Sarris et al., from the University of Melbourne (Australia) says : “Evidence is steadily growing for the relation between dietary quality and mental health…”  There is evidence to support nutrient therapies in the management of psychiatric disorders  Studies show that a number of nutrients associate with brain health, including omega-3s, B vitamins (particularly folate and B12), choline, iron, zinc, magnesium, S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe), vitamin D, and amino acids  The study authors urged that recognition of diet and nutrition are central determinants of both physical and mental health.

Sarris, Jerome et al., The Lancet Psychiatry, January 25, 1015, Posted August 8, 2016

Also, blood glucose swings can affect mental health--a good diet help with that too! The Mediterranean diet can help.

Please see

Grant EC Hormonal Contraception and Its Association With Depression.JAMA Psychiatry. 2017 Mar 1;74(3):301-302. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.3701.

Wording "mood swings" sugests changes in the mood (perhaps similar to menopause). There are several deficiencies which cause longer bad mood or longer good mood. But swings in the mood are very badly described in scientific literature.

BTW: there are some observation (single cases) on vegan food and improvement of menopause symptoms. It is speculated it has some connection to hormonal tune up.

Dear Dr. Simone Birgit Bayer,

Thanks for very detailed & effective expert inputs. Thanks for sharing useful link. Thanks also to spare your precious time for valuable answer.

Thanks & Regards

Dear Dr. Ellen Grant,

Thanks for very detailed & effective expert inputs. Thanks for sharing useful link. Thanks also to spare your precious time for valuable answer.

Thanks & Regards

Dear Dr. Danielle Monahan,

Thanks for very detailed & effective expert inputs. Thanks for sharing useful link. Thanks also to spare your precious time for valuable answer.

Thanks & Regards

Dear Dr. Ellen Grant,

Thanks for expert inputs. Thanks also to spare your precious time for valuable answer.

Thanks & Regards

Dear Dr. Dušan Doliak,

Thanks for expert inputs. Thanks also to spare your precious time for valuable answer.

Thanks & Regards

Gut microbiome and interaction with food. Amine, Glutamate producers interfere with neurotransmitters and links to depression, anxiety, fatigue.

Salicylate chemical again in food via prostaglandin production triggers histamine and there again mood, and mental stability and a whole host of histamine reactions.

Constipation from low fibre or motility interference increases toxicity in the blood and liver backloading, increasing total body load which can also affect many things in the body.

Nutrient deficiencies which reduces metabolic function overall, reduced stomach acid, or lower bowel microflora imbalance interferes with several nutrients including, but not limited mineral, B12, Vit D, and cholesterol metabolism all of which are mood and metabolic influencers.

Adding to the above answer:

How Low Stomach Acid Might Cause Depression:

Low stomach acidreduced absorption of protein (essential amino acids)neurotransmitter deficiency (tryptophan, phenylalanine)depression Tryptophanserotonin (relaxing, “mood elevating” neurotransmitter), also a precursor tomelatonin (major “relaxer” in hormonal system) Phenylalanine(99% can tolerate)tyrosinedopaminenorepinephrine, epinephrine & thyroid hormone (uplifting, “energy” neurotransmitters) Bottom line: best to take all essential amino acids by consuming whole protein. However, proper amount of stomach acid is essential to break protein into amino acids!

References:

1.Wright JV MD, Lenard, L. PhD, “Why Stomach Acid is Good for You”, M. Evans & Co., Inc., NY, 2001.

2.Int J Tryptophan Res. 2009; 2: 45–60. Published online 2009 Mar 23. PMCID: PMC2908021NIHMSID: NIHMS104762, “L-Tryptophan: Basic Metabolic Functions, Behavioral Research and Therapeutic Indications”

3.PHENYLALANINE Overview Information, WebMD University of Maryland Medical Center, Last reviewed on 8/6/2015, Steven D. Ehrlich, NMD, Solutions Acupuncture, a private practice specializing in complementary and alternative medicine, Phoenix, AZ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network

To add to the above answer, consider the danger of prolonged use of protein pump inhibitors (Nexium, Protonix, Prilosec etc.):

Use of proton-pump inhibitors is associated with depression:

Researchers examined the association between use of PPIs and depressive symptoms in an elderly population PPIs were associated with increased probability of major depression by 14% Using them more often & taking higher dosesrisk to JUMP even higher No association was found between use of H2-blockers or antacids The drugs might raise depression risk by dysregulating the gut-brain axis and/or by preventing proper absorption of nutrients (amino acids?)

Conclusion: PPIs might be a frequent cause of depression in older populations; mood should be assessed in elderly patients on PPIs

Reference: Int Psychogeriatric. 2018 Jan;30(1):153-159. doi: 10.1017/S1041610217001715. Epub 2017 Sep 13.Use of proton-pump inhibitors is associated with depression: a population-based study. Laudisio A. et al.

A mood swing is an extreme or rapid change in mood. Such mood swings can play a positive part in promoting problem solving and in producing flexible forward planning. However, when mood swings are so strong that they are disruptive, they may be the main part of a bipolar disorder. Changes in a person's energy level, sleep patterns, self-esteem, concentration, drug or alcohol use can be signs of an oncoming mood disorder. Many different things might trigger mood swings, from unhealthy diet or lifestyle to drug abuse or hormonal imbalance. Other major causes of mood swings (besides bi-polar disorder and major depression) include diseases/disorders which interfere with nervous system function. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), epilepsy, and autism are three such examples.

The hyperactivity sometimes accompanied by inattentiveness, impulsiveness, and forgetfulness are cardinal symptoms associated with ADHD. As a result, ADHD is known to bring about usually short-lived (though sometimes dramatic) mood swings. The communication difficulties associated with autism, and the associated changes in neurochemistry, are also known to cause autistic fits (autistic mood swings). The seizures associated with epilepsy involve changes in the brain's electrical firing, and thus may also bring about striking and dramatic mood swings. If the mood swing is not associated with a mood disorder, treatments are harder to assign. Most commonly, however, mood swings are the result of dealing with stressful and/or unexpected situations in daily life.

Best wishes