Dried beef and other processed meats linked to manic episodes, say scientists

Scavengers, sausages, hot dogs and other cold cuts could contribute to manic episodes, according to scientists

An analysis of more than 1,000 people with or without psychiatric disorders showed that nitrates – which are chemicals used to preserve meats and other processed snacks – are related to abnormal mood states.

Research, conducted by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the United States, revealed that people admitted to the hospital for an episode of mania characterized by l 39; hyperactivity, euphoria, and insomnia were three times more likely to have eaten nitrate-salted meats than people without a history of serious psychiatric disorders.

Experiments in rats showed hyperactivity similar to that of mania after only a few weeks on diets containing nitrates.

adds to evidence that certain foods, combined with certain types of intestinal bacteria, could contribute to mania and other disorders that affect the brain.

Principal author Robert Yolken, of L & # 39; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine said: "We looked at a number of diff" Future work on this association could lead to dietary interventions to help reduce the risk of manic episodes at people with bipolar disorder or who are otherwise vulnerable to mania. "

Mania is generally observed in people with mood disorders such as bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder.

] Manic states can lead to dangerous risk behaviors and may include delusional thinking.

The team said that further research is needed to understand the mechanism by which nitrates increase the risk of mania, but tests on rats have shown that rodents who ate nitrate jerky exhibited irregular sleep patterns and hyperactivity compared to those who did not

. different models of bacteria living in their intestines compared to other rodents.

The animals also "had differences in several molecular pathways in the brain that were previously involved in bipolar disorder," add the researchers.

The team said that it was too early to take clinical messages, adding it is unlikely that occasional consumption of dried meat will stimulate a manic episode in most of the population and that additional research is needed to understand the association.

The results are published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.