A recent study led by Raaj Mehta found that eating an orange a day may lower a person’s depression risk by 20 percent. The researchers discovered that citrus stimulates the growth of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, a type of bacteria in the human gut, which influences the production of neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine.
The study, conducted using data from over 100,000 women in the Nurses’ Health Study II, found that eating one medium orange a day was associated with higher levels of F. prausnitzii and lower depression risk scores. The bacteria used a metabolic pathway to influence the production of serotonin and dopamine, which regulate mood.
Mehta explained that while the study’s findings are promising, more research is needed to confirm the effects of citrus on depression. He hopes that future studies will lead to clinical trials to test the treatment’s efficacy in reducing depression risk or alleviating symptoms.
Source: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2025/02/eating-citrus-may-lower-depression-risk