Cured meat and mania

Mania is a state of elevated mood, arousal and energy that lasts weeks to months and is characterised by hyperactivity, euphoria and insomnia.

In a new study of health records dating between 2007 and 2017, researchers collected demographic, health and dietary data on more than 1100 people aged 18–65 with and without psychiatric disorders.

A study of their records showed that unexpectedly, among people who had been hospitalised for mania, a history of eating cured meat was approximately 3.5 times higher than among people without a psychiatric disorder.

No other foods had a significant association with mania. It is thought the high level of nitrates used to cure processed meats, is responsible for affecting mood.

We also, of course, learned a long time ago that the consumption of processed meats is positively associated with increased incidence of colorectal cancer.