Bipolar and Depressed Individuals 'Become More Obese and Die Sooner'

Recent research shows that low levels of the stress hormone (cortisol) are linked to obesity and cardiovascular diseases in patients with depression and bipolar disorder. According to the website Psych Central, researchers say that in mental illnesses, low hormone levels are associated with increased blood fat and metabolic syndrome. Dr. Martin Maripou from the Psychiatry Center at Umeå University in Sweden states, 'The results of this research give us clues to understand the high incidence of cardiovascular diseases in patients with depression and bipolar disorder. These results may help us better assist these patients in the future and also prevent their onset.' According to the Medical Press website, bipolar disorder and recurrent depression can reduce the lifespan of affected patients by ten to fifteen years. Doctors say one of the main reasons for this reduced life expectancy is the high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in these patients. Stress, lack of physical activity, and high energy consumption (mainly from fatty and unhealthy foods) are major factors contributing to cardiovascular diseases, which are often observed in patients with depression and bipolar disorder. Over the past 25 years, researchers have discovered one of the most complex systems related to stress in the body, known as the HPA axis. This axis is a complex set of effects and consequences of the relationship between the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands in the body. This advanced system determines the secretion levels of the vital hormone cortisol in the body. Cortisol significantly impacts stress levels and the body's digestive system. High cortisol levels in the body over the long term lead to fat accumulation. Stress causes increased activity of the HPA axis in the body, which raises cortisol levels. Researchers say that changes in cortisol levels in patients with depression and bipolar disorder lead to obesity more than in other individuals. However, further research is needed to understand the cause of this relationship.