PsychRounds: The Psychiatry Podcast Nutritional Psychiatry with Dr. Laura Lachance
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Dec 3, 2025 Dr. Laura Lachance, a psychiatrist and researcher focused on nutritional psychiatry, dives into the fascinating link between diet and mental health. She explains the Antidepressant Food Score, highlighting nutrient-rich foods like leafy greens and seafood. Lachance discusses the EASE-GAD trial, revealing how omega-3s can help alleviate anxiety, and the cost-effectiveness of the Mediterranean diet. She emphasizes the importance of tailored nutrition approaches and advocates for incorporating these principles into clinical practice for better mental health outcomes.
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Field Definition And Origin
- Nutritional psychiatry uses dietary approaches to both prevent and treat mental illness.
- Laura Lachance entered the field via research on food insecurity and depression and found growing acceptance.
Use Supplements Only As Add-Ons
- Prioritize whole-food dietary interventions before considering supplements.
- Use supplements only to fill gaps or to achieve a specific physiologic effect when needed.
Mediterranean Diet Shows RCT Benefits
- The SMILES randomized trial showed a Mediterranean-style diet reduced depressive symptoms.
- The diet group had a 33% remission rate versus 8% in control with an NNT of 4.1.