I just watched a great TEDx talk about how micronutrients (and nutrition in general, really) can improve mental health disorders (https://youtu.be/3dqXHHCc5lA) and was trying to find out what doses of the nutrients they’re using in their research .. so far I found this really interesting presentation https://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Psychiatrists/Practice/Professional-Topics/integrative-medicine/micronutrient-webinar.pdf - but does anyone have the handy details or insights on what dosages of the various experiments are typically used?
This is really interesting, thank you for sharing. It may be worth reading some of her research publications for more information.
I am not a nutritionist nor an expert in these matters, so this is completely anecdotal. I read Boundless by Ben Greenfield a few months ago and he recommends micronutrients / supplements to help with mental clarity, in the context of neurotransmitters, and does recommend some dosages. I was reading this in the context of burnout and depression symptoms, and taking supps such as Fish Oil and B12 have helped much more than the mild SSRI I had been prescribed. You might find that book interesting reading if you’re looking into this topic.
So, as an RDN that leads a nutrition workshop in the behavioral health setting, there are a few key nutrients that have shown some promise in research. B vitamins, especially Folate and Thiamin, may affect cognitive function if deficient. Certain amino acids that are involved in the production of neurotransmitters may deteriorate cognitive function if deficient. I don’t find it productive to nitpick particular amino acids in my recommendations So, I just recommend adequate daily protein intake. Omega 3 FA is big in terms of neurological development, maintenance, and function. Research has shown promise in terms of cognitive clarity with adequate intake of O3. Vitamin D is also being heavily researched in terms of its role in CNS function. There hasn’t been any fully conclusive evidence adequate Vitamin D bio marker status directly correlates to improved mental health/function due to numerous confounding factors, but the research looks promising.
One big thing to look into here is quality of diet as it relates to quality of overall mental health. The two are symbiotic. People living with MDD are less likely to follow healthful eating patters, including regular meal schedules. The process of improving diet quality must be parallel with mental health interventions as well.
I’ve recently learned that parasites in your gut can be a massive problem with mental health. They break down your gut barrier and can get into your blood stream. The next place they go is to attack your blood/brain barrier. Parasites also eat up a lot of the nutrients you eat. Lots of people have parasites and don’t even know it yet.
Follow and reach out to whoever you feel like can help you. Functional.foods, empoweredautoimmune, paulamariesalas, dr.jess.md, doctor.gonzalez, connealymd, the.holistic.psychologist. the potent plant on Instagram. They have all helped me gain this knowledge. I suggest msging the potent plant, Sarah Murphy. She is very knowledgeable in health and diet. She has given me a lot of information.