Teenage Angst and the Gut-Brain Axis, Part 1
Shockingly, teens are more afflicted by depression than any other age group.
“To my surprise, my 70s are nicer than my 60s and my 60s than my 50s, and I wouldn't wish my teens and 20s on my enemies.” —Lionel Blue
If you have fond memories of your teenage years, you’re in the minority. Many of us feel lucky to be past the pimples, angst, and broken hearts of these formative years. If you are a teen, then you know personally how much this developmental phase can bite.
Depression and anxiety run high amongst teens. In fact, people between the ages of 18 and 24 have the highest average rates of depression of any age—more than 20%. However, in the US the percentages aren’t uniform throughout the states. The rate of depression ranges from 12% in Hawaii to 28% in West Virginia. Some of the manifestations are deadly serious: According to a recent CDC report, one-third of teenage girls contemplate suicide, and one-fifth of LGBTQ teens actually attempt it. These are sobering statistics.
Surprisingly, depression also correlates with an unhealthy gut. Gut microbes, collectively known as the microbiome, play an outsized role in mental health.
While plenty of studies of the relationship between the gut and the brain have been conducted on adults and the elderly, teenagers are relatively unexplored. Newborns, of course, have a big job ahead of them, building their brains from helplessness to learning to walk, talk, and be fed. But teens also have a lot of learning to do, and their brains are thirsty for knowledge about how to get ahead, how to deal with sex, and how to survive drugs and alcohol. Much of the learning happens on the sleeping schedule of a vampire while frantically swiping through social media apps.
It is a heady time for teens, and their gut microbes are in on the adventure. Intriguingly, teen stressors can negatively impact their gut microbes. Worse yet, the microbes that set up shop in their guts during the teenage years can persist for years. If they are not a healthy batch, they may lead to continuing depression or anxiety. That means the patterns we set in our teen years can plague us for years after.
The Horrors of Teen Diets
Teens have a variety of foods available to them, but they are not always the best arbiters of what’s healthy. Sadly, our schools are not up to the task of educating them about one of the most important aspects of their life.
Teens are a prime target for savvy marketers, who love to exploit a group that is easily swayed by fast, convenient meals and energy-intense, sugary foods. Such edibles typify the aptly abbreviated standard American diet (SAD), which leaves a long-lasting imprint on the microbiome.
American teens are major consumers of the processed products found in the center of the store: the cheese puffs, cookies, macaroni and cheese, candy bars, and ramen. These products are engineered to last in the pantry for years, unlike the natural foods in the less-visited vegetable aisle.
Mediterranean teens have a healthier microbial profile than American teens. Their marvelously tasty cuisine has a great variety of fresh foods and lots of fiber to support a wide diversity of microbial species, a hallmark of health. They are often happier, too. This is a sad testament to the fact that today the American diet is more manufactured than grown.
Next week, we will talk about the role of the gut-brain axis in teen angst. This connection will provide us with some leverage to make life a little better for the awkward teen years. If you aren’t yet subscribed, this is a great time to do it so you won’t miss out!