Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe and disabling psychiatric illness. The symptoms of the disorder can be divided into three main categories: positive symptoms (delusions and hallucinations), negative symptoms (flat affect, lack of motivation and deficits in social function) and cognitive deficits.

With the help of dietary changes, you can prevent a relapse or worsening of symptoms. Certain nutrients, along with prescribed medicines, can help in making schizophrenia patients’ lives better. In this article, we will discuss dietary interventions that should be considered when trying to control the symptoms of schizophrenia.

  1. Schizophrenia Diet: Foods to eat
  2. Consume a heart-healthy diet
  3. Keep your blood sugar balanced
  4. Maintain a healthy body weight
  5. Food allergies in schizophrenia
  6. Diet plan for schizophrenia
Doctors for Schizophrenia Diet

Some foods, rich in certain kinds of nutrients, are known to help with schizophrenia symptom management. As a schizophrenia patient, you should aim to include the following types of foods into your daily diet: 

Essential fats

A growing amount of research says that omega-3 fatty acids can prevent and ease the symptoms of schizophrenia and slow the disease’s progression. Try to eat fish at least twice a week and seeds on most days. Look for a supplement that contains eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) but discuss it with your doctor before beginning to consume them.

(Read more: Fats)

The best fish for EPA, the type of omega 3 fat that’s been most thoroughly researched, are mackerel, herring/kipper, sardines, fresh tuna and salmon. For vegetarian patients, seeds such as flax seeds and pumpkin seeds are the best option. Flax seeds are so small that it’s best to grind and sprinkle them on cereal and salads.

(Read more: Best fish to eat in India)

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Fiber

Many studies suggest that people with schizophrenia often don’t get enough fiber. Fruits like pears, apples, guava and papaya and vegetables like amaranth, fenugreek leaves and gourds are some of the best sources of it. Fiber helps lower “bad” cholesterol and aids digestion. Fiber-rich diets may lower your chance of some health problems that are often associated with schizophrenia, like heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Fruits and vegetables also have essential vitamins and minerals that promote overall well-being of the body.

(Read more: Fiber-rich foods)

Antioxidants

There is evidence of more oxidation in the frontal cortex of those with schizophrenia. Compared to other organs in the body, brain tissue is more vulnerable to oxidative stress due to its high oxygen consumption, high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids and low levels of antioxidant enzymes. Therefore, antioxidant therapy can be helpful in minimizing oxidative stress. Make sure the patient is taking vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D and vitamin E sufficiently in their daily diet. If not able to fulfil the requirements, ask the doctor about supplementation.

Niacin-rich foods

There is evidence that supports the fact that niacin (a type of vitamin B3) can improve the condition of schizophrenia patients and its deficiency can do the opposite. Some of the food sources of this essential nutrient are green vegetables, eggs, fish and poultry - try to add more of them into your daily diet.

(Read more: Vitamin B3 Deficiency)

Vitamin B12 and folic acid

A study by Silver (2000) on 644 bedridden psychosis patients reported that 78.3% of schizophrenic patients had a vitamin B12 deficiency. Some studies have clearly indicated the contribution of folic acid, vitamin B12 and homocysteine to altered single-carbon metabolism and its role in the psycho-pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Other research says that consuming a bit more B12 can ease symptoms. Consuming these nutrients through your diet can be helpful to control the symptoms of this disease. Vitamin B12 is found in meat products, milk, milk products and fermented foods. For folic acid, choose all the green leafy vegetables, black-eyed peas, peanuts, sunflower seeds, etc.

Zinc

Many research studies suggest that there is a close relationship between low levels of zinc and schizophrenia. Oysters, crab and lobster are high in this nutrient and can be consumed to fill nutritional requirements. You can also find it in mushrooms, spinach, garlic, broccoli and zinc-fortified cereals. You can talk to your doctor about taking dietary supplements for it if needed as well.

(Read more: Zinc-rich foods)

A patient with schizophrenia has an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Patients’ diets are often poor, smoking and physical inactivity are common and antipsychotic medications may contribute to weight gain, hyperglycemia and hypertriglyceridemia. Metabolic syndrome is also significantly more prevalent in people with schizophrenia, even among those who have not yet started taking antipsychotic medication. To avoid cardiovascular disease, you can become more physically active, watch your fat intake and add more dietary fiber in your diet.

Many studies have suggested that type 2 diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance are associated with antipsychotic treatment, which is a common treatment in this disease. It is known that most people with schizophrenia don’t eat well, which makes them more likely to have high sugar levels. A diet that consists of foods having a low glycemic index might ease the symptoms of schizophrenia. Cutting out refined sugars found in all-purpose flour, sugar, sweetened beverages, fruit juices, sweets and cake is a good place to start.

(Read more: Blood sugar test)

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Weight gain in schizophrenia patients is a concern due to psychotropic drugs, lack of exercise, potential metabolic changes and poor diet. A small study suggests that schizophrenic patients, especially males, may have 2-5 times more visceral fat than others; this increases their cardiovascular disease risk. Evidence indicates that behavioural interventions can aid persons with schizophrenia to manage their weight. For starters, they would need to watch their calorie intake and consume a balanced diet that includes whole grains, pulses, legumes, milk, milk products, all colourful fruits and vegetables, lean meat, poultry, nuts, etc. For a customized diet plan, consult your nutritionist.

(Read more: Healthy foods to lose weight)

Mental health and food allergies are closely related. Some people with mental health problems are more likely to be sensitive to few food items, which can worsen or trigger symptoms of mental illness. Here’s what you can do about it:

Identify food intolerances: In case of food allergies, some of the usual suspects are gluten (wheat, rye, barley), dairy (all types – cow, sheep and goat milk, cheese, cream, etc), soya, yeast and eggs. If you suspect one of them to be the culprit, you can try an elimination diet. In this diet, you would exclude such foods from your diet for a brief trial period and reintroduce them one by one to understand which food you are allergic to.

(Read more: Gluten-free foods)

Get a food intolerance test: Alternatively, you could undertake an IgG ELISA blood test to determine whether you have raised antibody levels to specific foods in your blood. Whatever the results may be, don’t make dramatic changes to your diet or cut out whole food groups without professional guidance to ensure your diet remains healthy and balanced.

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Following is a sample daily diet plan, which can be followed or adapted for those who suffer from schizophrenia:

  • Early morning: Warm water (1 glass) + almonds (4-5) + walnuts (5-7 pieces)
  • Breakfast: Paneer or egg sandwich (2) + strawberry smoothie (without sugar) (1 glass)
  • Mid-morning: Any seasonal fruit (100-150 gms)
  • Lunch: Millet chapati (2) + chana curry (1 bowl) + any seasonal green vegetable (1-2 bowl) + salad (1 bowl)
  • Evening tea: Herbal tea (1 cup) + sprout bhel (1 bowl)
  • Dinner: Chapati (2) + soya/ fish curry (1 bowl) + mixed vegetable (1 bowl)
  • Bedtime: Turmeric milk (1 glass)
Dr. Dhanamjaya D

Dr. Dhanamjaya D

Nutritionist
16 Years of Experience

Dt. Surbhi Upadhyay

Dt. Surbhi Upadhyay

Nutritionist
3 Years of Experience

Dt. Manjari Purwar

Dt. Manjari Purwar

Nutritionist
11 Years of Experience

Dt. Akanksha Mishra

Dt. Akanksha Mishra

Nutritionist
8 Years of Experience

References

  1. Konarzewska Beata et al. Visceral obesity in normal-weight patients suffering from chronic schizophrenia.. BMC Psychiatry. 2014; 14: 35. PMID: 24506972
  2. Haupt D W, Newcomer J W. Hyperglycemia and antipsychotic medications. J Clin Psychiatry. 2001; 62 Suppl 27:15-26 PMID: 11806485
  3. Lieberman Joseph A. Metabolic Changes Associated With Antipsychotic Use . Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2004; 6(suppl 2): 8–13. PMID: 16001095
  4. Strassnig Martin, Brar Jaspreet Singh, Ganguli Rohan. Dietary Intake of Patients with Schizophrenia. Psychiatry (Edgmont). 2005 Feb; 2(2): 31–35. PMID: 21179633
  5. Bitanihirwe Byron K Y, Woo Tsung-Ung W Oxidative Stress in Schizophrenia: An Integrated Approach. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2011 Jan 1; 35(3): 878–893. PMID: 20974172
  6. Monji Akira, et al. Plasma folate and homocysteine levels may be related to interictal "schizophrenia-like" psychosis in patients with epilepsy. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2005 Feb; 25(1): 3-5. PMID: 15643093
  7. H Silver. Vitamin B12 levels are low in hospitalized psychiatric patients. Isr J Psychiatry Relat Sci. 2000; 37(1): 41-5. PMID: 10857271
  8. Petrilli Matthew A, et al. The Emerging Role for Zinc in Depression and Psychosis . Front Pharmacol. 2017; 8: 414. PMID: 28713269
  9. Xu X J, Jiang G S. Niacin-respondent subset of schizophrenia – a therapeutic review . Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci . 2015; 19(6): 988-97. PMID: 25855923
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