Mental health is essential for a person to function in their daily life and maintain relationships. There are several lifestyle changes that can be made to improve mental health and overall wellbeing including: exercise, meditation, and the food one eats. Improving one’s diet with vitamins and minerals from natural sources is extremely important in providing the nutrients needed to maintain or improve mental health.
Many studies have discovered that increasing your intake of specific vitamins and minerals can also assist in managing and treating mental health issues; such as depression and anxiety, the management of mood swings, and improving brain health.
Vitamins For Mental Health
Vitamin supplements have long been acknowledged as a powerful tool for improving mental health. Even when you consume a nutritious diet rich in nutrient-dense foods, there are still some vitamins and minerals that you may be lacking or that you may require a bit more of to maintain your good health.
B-Vitamins
B-vitamins are among the most beneficial vitamins for mental health. And most importantly, they are good multivitamins for women. B-vitamins are well-known for their ability to influence one’s mood. They can aid in preventing fatigue, improving memory, and the ability to perform more clearly in general.
For example, a vitamin deficiency, such as thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), and vitamin B12, can result in mood swings, including despair, anxiety, and fearfulness as irritability.
B12 and folate (B9) are two vitamins essential for maintaining a healthy neurological system. The production of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine is dependent on the presence of vitamin B12 and folate. In the brain, neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and serotonin play a role in regulating cognitive behavior patterns and emotions.
Besides pleasure and motivation, dopamine is a neurotransmitter that stimulates your natural reward center and adds to sensations of joy and achievement and motivation and achievement. Low quantities of these substances can cause depression symptoms to manifest themselves.
Based on research, eating a diet high in vitamin-B rich foods and taking daily supplements may help many people enhance their mental health, reduce their feelings of despair and anxiety, and boost their mood. In addition, B-vitamins are abundant in foods such as lean meat, eggs, poultry, whole grains, nuts, fish, and milk.
Zinc
Micronutrient and mineral deficiencies are a primary concern worldwide. And they can result in a variety of health problems, including depression. In humans and other animals, zinc is a mineral found in large quantities throughout the body. Zinc levels are pretty high in meat, poultry, legumes, dairy, and whole grains, among other foods.
Its many biological and biochemical roles are the immune systems, metabolism, and brain growth and development. Zinc is a vital outline element that is involved in a variety of biological and biochemical processes.
According to research findings, low zinc levels have been linked to impaired brain function and other behavioral abnormalities. Taking zinc supplements, particularly in the case of women, can help alleviate painful symptoms. When used in conjunction with the appropriate prescription, some studies have found that zinc can effectively treat ADHD. When zinc and magnesium are combined, zinc is particularly beneficial in treating mental health disorders and depression.
Magnesium
In addition to calcium and potassium, magnesium is an essential mineral found in the human body, and it is necessary for both the regulation and calming of the neurological system. Increased magnesium consumption can help alleviate depression in women and hypertension in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Several studies have demonstrated that low magnesium levels are associated with depression. For example, magnesium may positively affect mental health because it modulates gut microbes related to the hippocampus. Although more study is necessary before we can precisely understand why and how magnesium affects mental health, one possibility is that magnesium regulates gut microbes linked to the hippocampus.
Taking magnesium supplements like BiOptimizers Magnesium Breakthrough, can aid in the regulation of harmful gut microorganisms, which can contribute to the onset of depression symptoms in some people. Additionally, magnesium supplementation has been linked to improved sleep quality, increased energy levels, reduced muscle tension and pain, and enhanced cognitive function.
Vitamin-C
One could argue that vitamin-C is the most “mainstream” or well-known of all the vitamins. Vitamin-C and its immune-stimulating qualities are famous to many individuals. Everybody, even those of us who aren’t familiar with the many vitamins and their applications, is likely to reach for a vitamin-C tablet or a glass or two of orange juice when we notice the beginnings of cold or flu symptoms.
Very few people are aware that vitamin-C is also essential for maintaining good mental health. Many people deficient in vitamin-C suffer from melancholy and chronic fatigue; even though the connection between it and mood may seem odd. People who had normal levels, on the other hand, discovered taking additional vitamin-C improved their cognitive function and mood. However, some study has also revealed that vitamin-C can assist in reducing the symptoms of anxiety.
According to research, taking vitamin-C supplements and consuming sufficient vitamin-C rich fruits and vegetables, such as red peppers and citrus fruits, can positively impact mood, energy levels, and anxiety. However, if you’re taking oral supplements, be sure that you do not exceed the 2,000 milligrams suggested daily intake.
Conclusion
There is nothing more rewarding and healing than having good mental health on your side. While maintaining mental wellness entails making healthy lifestyle choices, many people are unaware that even the smallest of adjustments and supplementing with specific critical vitamins and minerals can help keep their brains be healthy and happy.