Diet and drug interactions in the treatment of mental illness--a review.

Drug-diet interactions in the treatment of mental illness are reviewed from two perspectives: the potential effects of drugs on a person's nutritional status, and the effect of diet on drug action through modification of its absorption or various stages of its metabolism. As mental illness is often chronic and recurrent, requiring long-term drug therapy, it is important to become aware of the effects of drugs and their possible interactions with other important factors such as food.