Mood Killers: Fix These Food Deficiencies, Find Happiness

by Chris Shugart

5 Simple Nutritional Solutions

In the mood for madness? Certain nutritional deficiencies can cause that, or at least make the condition seem worse. Let’s fix those.

Your opinion doesn’t matter. Well, they are important, but exactly how you feel about any situation is much deeper than you think. Let’s look at Carl, an imaginary man in an imaginary situation:

Carl’s profile: His boss tells him that he did a bad job at his last job.

Carl’s comments: Carl feels worried. What if he gets fired!? Or Carl might feel sad. The boss didn’t have to hurt so much. Or maybe Carl feels angry. The boss needs to kick the coconuts fast!

But what if Carl felt… happy? Hey, the manager was just stressed; you will see the importance of Carl’s work later. And if the project needs to be redone, no worries. It will be a fun challenge!

There’s a lot going on in Carl’s brain, actually. Seven different brain regions control emotions, from the prefrontal cortex to the raphe nuclei in the brain stem.

Well, Carl’s reaction and subsequent reactions would turn to the bright side. That’s just fine. Interestingly, nutrition plays a role. Proper nutrition increases your chances of being in good shape. Malnutrition does the opposite.

Five things for happier, less Crappy Moods

Much of the science behind the effects of nutrition on mood is related to real emotional problems. But you don’t need to have a diagnosable condition to experience a change in mood when you realize the basics:

1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3s (DHA and EPA) play a major role in brain health and cognitive function. Deficiency is associated with increased risks of depression and other emotional problems, such as anxiety. Omega-3s also seem to regulate the body’s response to stress, and stress is an emotional killer.

Omega-3s are involved in the initiation and functioning of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine – all of which regulate mood. So, think of omega-3s as natural mood stabilizers.

Omega-3s, especially from fish oil, also have anti-inflammatory effects on the brain. Chronic inflammation is linked to emotional problems such as depression. In fact, your brain uses omega-3s, and your body cannot produce omega-3s on its own. They help maintain cell membranes and facilitate communication between brain cells. Without omega-3s, the production and functioning of neurotransmitters are disrupted, and inflammation begins. You may experience stress, anxiety and depression.

A 2018 meta-analysis found that fish oil reduced anxiety and related issues. According to many studies, you need at least 2,000 mg of fish oil every day, and most of it comes from DHA, which has a great impact on neurotransmission.

Biotest’s Flameout DHA-rich fish oil (Buy on Amazon) contains 4200 mg of fish oil per 3-capsule serving, mainly from DHA.

2. Vitamin D

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of depression and other mood disorders. Vitamin D receptors are located in the hypothalamus and hippocampus, both of which are involved in mood regulation. Vitamin D stimulates the production and release of serotonin, which helps regulate your mood, from general feelings of well-being to hot ‘n horny.

Vitamin D also influences the production and actions of various hormones, including those involved in mood, such as cortisol. Some studies show modest increases in testosterone in those previously deficient in D3. Low testosterone is strongly associated with depression and even general crabbness.

Most people have low levels of vitamin D in their blood… unless you’re a lifeguard in Puerto Rico who doesn’t use sunscreen and eats a lot of fish liver. If you’re not, then make sure you’re getting enough by taking a microencapsulated form of Vitamin D. D Fix High Absorption Vitamin D. (Buy on Amazon) contains 5000 IU of this more accessible form. I take this type of D3 every day in the winter and every day in the summer when I get sunlight.

3. Magnesium

If you take 100 people with mild to moderate depression and give 50 of them magnesium and 50 of them a placebo, half of those who get magnesium have significantly less depressive symptoms feedback after just one month. That should tell us something about magnesium and emotions.

Magnesium plays a role in the regulation of neurotransmitters, including serotonin. Low levels of magnesium interfere with neurotransmitter activity, which contributes to symptoms of depression. Also, magnesium deficiency leads to increased inflammation and oxidative stress – both of which are linked to the development of depression. Magnesium is also involved in regulating cortisol.

There’s more: Magnesium regulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), which regulates your body’s response to stress. Chronic stress contributes to the development of mood disorders, and magnesium helps regulate the stress response.

Finally, magnesium helps regulate calcium levels. An imbalance in the calcium-magnesium ratio is involved in emotional issues. In fact, magnesium deficiency can lead to an increase in calcium in neurons, which can contribute to excitotoxicity and neuronal dysfunction associated with mood disorders.

As with vitamin D, many studies show that half or more of Americans are deficient in magnesium, probably because most of us aren’t fans of eating kale, Swiss chard or collard greens every day. So, take a chelated form of magnesium daily for better absorption. Elitepro Vital Minerals (Buy on Amazon) contains 400 mg of this highly bioavailable form as well as zinc, another mineral involved in neurotransmitter function.

4. B vitamins

Low levels of B6 (pyridoxine), B9 (folate), and B12 (cobalamin) are associated with depression and anxiety. These B vitamins contribute to the metabolism of the normal mood regulators: serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. B vitamins also keep homocysteine ​​levels under control. High homocysteine ​​levels are associated with depression.

B vitamins are also involved in your response to stress. Chronic stress depletes B5 and B6, which are important for adrenal function and cortisol regulation.

Most of your B vitamin needs can be met with common healthy foods: leafy greens, avocados, nuts, beans, potatoes, bananas, salmon, tuna, etc. Vegans are probably full of B12, which must be obtained from animal sources (or fortified). vegan products). Yes, vegans have significantly higher rates of mood disorders compared to meat eaters.

5. Steel

Irritability, mood swings, sleep disturbances, feelings of sadness, lack of energy, low appetite…these are all symptoms of iron deficiency AND depression is a little hard to try. -enough. You have to wonder how many people who are given strong anti-depressants are actually iron deficient.

Iron deficiency is more common in women and vegans. Women lose iron every month during menstruation. Vegans do not eat red meat. Female vegans? Now, you know why they are often difficult. Antacids also interfere with iron absorption, so men who use them do not wake up.

Most women and vegans all need to supplement with iron. That can get complicated, so here’s the full article with all the details.

References

1. Tarleton EK et al. “The role of magnesium supplementation in the treatment of depression: a randomized clinical trial.” PLoS One. 2017 Jun 27;12(6):e0180067. PubMed.
2. Kuan-Pin Su, MD, PhD, and others. “Association of Consumption of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids with Changes in Anxiety Disorders, a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.” JAMA Netw Open. 2018;1(5):e182327. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.2327
3. Janice K. Kiecolt-Glaser, et al. “Omega-3 Supplementation Reduces Inflammation and Anxiety in Medical Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” Brain Behav Immun. 2011 Nov; 25(8): 1725–1734.
4. Matteo M. Pusceddu, and others. “N-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) Modulate the Impact of Early Life Stress on Gut Microbiota.” Plos One, October 1, 201.