Popular non-alcoholic drink could increase your risk of depression

Experts have revealed that a popular alternative to drinking alcohol on nights out may harm your mental health, possibly causing depression.

According to a YouGov survey conducted earlier this year, well over a third (38 percent) of UK drinkers are consuming low and no-alcohol alternatives semi-regularly.

Moreover, one in five Brits (21 percent) say they don’t drink booze at all, per poll results published by Aviva.

Some popular alternatives include non-alcoholic beers, sweet mocktails, and of course, the humble soda.

Whether it’s a crispy 3pm Diet Coke or a post-work club soda, UK dwellers consume a staggering 6.1 billion litres of bubbly goodness on average.

But did you know your daily tipple could be wreaking havoc on your brain?

Researchers in Germany have suggested that consuming soft drinks could increase the odds of developing clinical depression - and that women are most at risk.

Scientists have suggested that fizzy drinks could cause depression (Getty Stock Image)

The team of scientists was led by Sharmili Edwin Thanarajah, PhD, from University Hospital Frankfurt, and claimed that carbonated beverages tend to raise Eggerthella levels.

Eggerthella, a type of bacterial genus of Actinomycetota with pathogenic potential, comprises various species, some of which can influence human health.

It’s most commonly associated with infections like bacteremia from the gastrointestinal and female genital tracts, according to Science Direct.

Moreover, people with higher levels of Eggerthella are more likely to suffer from depression.

These results were put forward after the experts compared 405 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 527 healthy control individuals, aged 18 to 65 years.

It’s understood this cohort was recruited from the general population and primary care, with around two-thirds of each group being female.

“These findings underscore the role of diet in depression and highlight the gut microbiome as a key mediator,” reported Dr Thanarajah.

“The observed sex-specific effects suggest the need for tailored prevention and intervention strategies.

Your non-alcoholic habit could be more regulated, if researchers have their way (Getty Stock Image)

“Given the global rise in soft drink consumption, public health policies focused on reducing intake through taxation, education, and marketing restrictions are essential.”

Dr Thanarajah continued, explaining to Inside Precision Medicine that their findings were ‘compatible with the idea that increased consumption is related to depression via altered gut microbiome composition’.

Experts now want policies in place to limit the intake of soft drinks so that the risk of depression may be mitigated.

Moreover, they want further investigations into why MDD takes hold to target the composition of the microbiome to take place.

“Dietary assessments and consultations should be integrated into prevention guidelines, as well as routine evaluations for patients with depressive symptoms.

“Nutritional counseling and interventions to reduce soft drink intake should complement depression treatments.

The Priory Group claims one in six UK dwellers experience common mental health problems, such as depression (Getty Stock Image)

“Moreover, these findings support policies limiting soft drink availability and marketing, such as taxing sugar-sweetened beverages, restricting school sales, and regulating advertising to youth.”

People who want to abstain from alcohol and nurture their mental health can choose drinks with mood-enhancing ingredients like ashwagandha or L-theanine.

Ashwagandha is an evergreen shrub used to manage stress, while L-theanine is an amino acid primarily found in green and black tea and some mushrooms.

There is some evidence to suggest that L-theanine can benefit your mental and physical health, but more scientific research is needed before it can be proven just what effects the amino acid L-theanine has, according to Holland and Barrett.

The site also warns that Ashwagandha extract is not suitable if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking any medications, or have endocrine disorders, liver or heart problems, or clinical depression.

It’s best to consult your GP before you start drinking or taking any supplements that may affect you.