Minerals and how they affect your Mental
Our next topic in examining the common nutritional deficiencies that exist in mental health populations is minerals. A mineral is defined as a solid chemical compound that occurs naturally in pure form. Minerals compose of about 4% of our body composition and they are what remain as ash when plant or animal tissues are burned. Minerals come from the earth and when something that has minerals as part of their body composition dies (humans, plants and animals), the minerals return to the earth and get recycled into other life forms. Out of the 103 known minerals, at least 18 are necessary and essential for health. Minerals have a lot of different jobs in the body that include maintaining proper nerve conduction, they help contract and relax muscles and they help facilitate the transfer of nutrients across cell membranes. Here we will take a look at some specific minerals that have been researched to see if they are particularly useful to help support mental health.
Chromium is a trace element, which has a significant influence on helping to produce monoamine neurotransmitters (i.e. serotonin which influences mood, our sleep-wake cycle and appetite). Some early studies have demonstrated success using chromium as a supplement to help treat refractory depressive disorders. Refractory refers to a failure to demonstrate an “adequate” response to an “adequate” treatment (i.e. giving someone who is clinically depressed an antidepressant for a trial period without any significant decrease in depressive symptoms). One study in particular tested the effectiveness of chromium alone in a series of 8 patients with refractory mood disorders (McLeod and Golden, 2000). Positive results were seen in mood, concentration and cognition with dosages of 400-600 micrograms of chromium a day. All 8 of the patients experienced clinical remissions, just by taking chromium as a monotherapy! (meaning as a single therapy). That’s pretty amazing results! Foods rich in chromium include broccoli, barley, oats, green beans, tomatoes, romaine lettuce and black pepper.
Calcium
According to the National Institute of Health, calcium is the most abundant mineral in our bodies. A recent meta-analysis (a research paper reviewing a ton of other clinical trials to see if the treatment had any kind of significant effect) of 17 studies from 12 articles reported that there was a significant inverse association between moderate magnesium intake and the risk of depression, but no significant association between dietary calcium intake and risk of depression. This means that how much magnesium you ate in a day contributed to your depression levels. But for calcium, there were no significant effects in depression no matter how little or how much calcium you ate. Research still needs to be done as there is barely any clinical studies looking at dietary intake of calcium in humans and mental health symptoms.
What has been demonstrated with calcium is the usefulness it has with PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome). I can write an entire paper on PMS and calcium but here are a few interesting studies and facts that have emerged from the data. Numerous studies confirm that there are significant effects of taking calcium on helping reduce PMS symptoms and among menstrual cycles. One study even reported that before and after treatment, results showed that depression and feelings of sadness were significantly reduced in the women taking calcium 1,000 mg/day in comparison with the group receiving placebo (no treatment).
Recent data indicate that tryptophan (an amino acid that comes from protein) metabolism differs at different points of a women’s menstrual cycle (between follicular and luteal phases). This means that at different periods of a women’s menstrual cycle, her cells are more efficient or less efficient at helping make tryptophan. And the reason this is important is because tryptophan is needed to make serotonin (remember that neurotransmitter mentioned earlier that influences mood among other things?). This is one factor that contributes to fluctuations in mood and other jobs that serotonin serves during that time of the month. Perhaps incorporating more foods rich in tryptophan during those times of our menstrual cycle will help support our female bodies and mentals more effectively.
Other studies have examined if using calcium during all three phases of the menstrual cycle helps assist with mood and behavioral symptoms. One study reports that women that were fed low calcium diets reported significantly increased negative mood and more undesireable behavioral changes during all three phases of the menstrual cycle. Low calcium intake resulted in reports of poorer concentration during the premenstrual phase and also resulted in reports of greater pain during the menstrual phase and increased water retention during the premenstrual phase. Doesn’t that sound like fun? (Ugh). There’s one catch: manganese and calcium have to be in balance with each other in order for things to work. Despite the high calcium intake, low manganese levels resulted in increased symptomatology similar to that reported with the low calcium intake group of women. This study highlights the nutritional impacts on the physiological and psychological symptoms experienced by women with normal menstrual cycles, imagine the distinctions for women who experience menstrual disorders like endometriosis. It also highlights the reason why we need to eat a varied diet because that will ensure that we are getting all the minerals and nutrients in order for them to work together as a team!
Magnesium
Magnesium is an incredible mineral because it is needed by more than 300 hundred different enzymes in order for it to work in our bodies. Magnesium is incredibly important for our muscles to be able to contract and for the strength of our bones and teeth. Magnesium is a cofactor (something that is necessary for another process to work) in methylation (remember this from the post on B vitamins?) and is necessary for detoxification. A magnesium deficient diet has been shown to increase depression and anxiety related behavior in mice, but human studies have inconclusive results. One study in particular does seem promising. Psychology Today reports on a study completed in 2017 that had about 100 participants in which all had mild-moderate levels of depression and had an average age of 52 years. Participants in the treatment groups supplemented with 248 mg of magnesium chloride daily, while the no treatment group took a placebo. Results indicated less depressive symptoms after 2 weeks and those individuals who were taking an antidepressant had even greater positive effects on their mood. Magnesium has been shown to improve symptoms of depression in chronic fatigue syndrome and in patients with premenstrual syndrome. Interestingly, supplementing with magnesium by eating magnesium rich foods helps to increase GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps us feel calm. Some studies have shown a correlation between those individuals with a depressive or anxiety disorder and low GABA levels in the brain. Adding magnesium rich foods to your diet can help boost GABA in the brain, helping us feel more relaxed and potentially improve our sleep. Gastrointestinal problems like IBS, Crohn’s disease, or celiac disease can influence magnesium levels in the body, as well as alcohol and carbonated or caffeinated drinks.
There are three forms of magnesium and magnesium threonate, has been shown to cross the blood brain barrier (a literal barrier separating the brain from the rest of our central nervous system) which means it can get into the brain and have some amazing effects. It has been recently demonstrated that this type of magnesium and has direct effects on learning and memory! Magnesium threonate has also been shown to help those with anxiety and sleep disorders.
Magnesium is found in dark leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, whole grains, avocados, and dark chocolate (win!). Not sure if you are deficient in magnesium? Here are some early symptoms: leg cramps, foot pain, muscle twitches, fatigue, tension headaches and back aches. More serious signs include personality changes, abnormal heart rhythms, numbness, insomnia, menstrual cramps, clouded thinking, depression, panic attacks, and seizures. What makes it harder to get enough magnesium is our poor unfortunate soil quality. The current soil supply is incredibly deficient in nutrients that it used to once be when our paleo ancestors were around, and this includes magnesium. And testing for deficiency in our blood for magnesium is not an accurate marker because 99% of our magnesium stays in our tissues.
Zinc
Zinc is super important for our mentals and bodies, being particularly important for the health of our immune system and our skin. Zinc is the second highest mineral found in the brain and is needed to make the calming neurotransmitter serotonin. It is involved in over 300 different biological processes and is required for proper cell function. Zinc is necessary for stomach acid production and you know that we need our stomach acid to help us digest our foods, particularly, proteins. Deficiency may be due to dietary insufficiency, or impaired absorption from medical conditions like alcoholism. Zinc absorption is also influenced by other medications like anti-convulsants, antacids, anti-inflammatories, and oral medications for diabetes and hormones. Zinc deficiency is one of the most common micronutrient deficiencies in autoimmune disease. This makes sense given how zinc helps boost our immune system. Specifically, zinc deficiency is linked to rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s disease. How do you know if you are deficient in zinc? Signs include loss of taste and smell perception, reduced immunity, reproductive difficulties, delayed wound healing, acne, stretch marks, and white spots on the fingernails. Zinc helps to decrease oxidative stress and helps reduce certain levels of inflammatory proteins in the body. In this way, zinc can help impact mental health as mood disorders are being more recently conceptualized as being a manifestation of inflammation in the brain. Several studies have demonstrated that individuals with depression as compared to healthy controls have reduced zinc blood levels. Animal studies have demonstrated a connection between low zinc levels and depressive behavior. The highest levels of zinc in the brain are in the amygdala, hippocampus and the cortex. The amygdala plays a key role in helping process emotions while the hippocampus is in charge of memory. Our cortex is in charge of all of our higher level thinking like organization, planning, and impulse control. Zinc helps feed these parts of our brain to keep them in tip top shape. Those who are at highest risk of zinc deficiency are vegetarians, vegans, people with gastrointestinal diseases like Crohn’s, those with chronic kidney disease and those who abuse alcohol. Foods highest in zinc include shellfish like oysters and mussels, meat (beef, lamb, pork and bison), chicken, fish, legumes, dairy products, eggs, and mushrooms, kale, asparagus and peas.
Selenium is another essential trace element that is only needed in small amounts but packs a powerful punch in our mentals and bodies. Unfortunately, deficiency in this nutrient is all too common because selenium intake is highly dependent on the selenium content in food, which is dependent on the selenium content in our soils which has been gradually depleting. Selenium deficiency has been associated with decreased BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor). This BDNF has been extensively studied regarding depression. It is not well understood exactly how selenium is connected to the potential for developing depression but research has indicated that selenium has an effect on the metabolism of thyroid hormones. Thyroid function is associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms such as mood disorders and cognitive dysfunction. It is suspected that selenium deficiency and poor thyroid function may play a role in the development of depression. A recent meta-analysis indicates that evidence points towards an optimal range of blood serum selenium in relation to developing depression. Low selenium levels have been associated with an increase in inflammatory markers. It is also hypothesized that selenium can exert its antidepressant effects by tweaking various neurotransmitter systems (dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline), which are all involved with the physiopathology of depression. This basically means that selenium can mess with our neurotransmitter pathways and effect the amount of neurotransmitters produced, in turn, affecting our moods. Foods rich in selenium include brazil nuts, seafood, pork, beef, sunflower seeds, mushrooms, and eggs.
Potassium
Potassium is considered an electrolyte that works closely with chloride in regulating blood pressure and pH balance. Electrolytes help provide our bodies with energy. A 2008 study examined the relationship between potassium and mood, and found that a high potassium diet helped to relieve symptoms of depression among participants. Deficiency in potassium can cause fatigue, muscle weakness, cramps, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, restless leg syndrome, and irritability. Potassium has been shown to be important for mental health and brain function because of its importance in helping to maintain electrical conductivity and helping us focus and retain information. Potassium has been shown to be central to the transportation of serotonin, another fact highlighting the need to eat a varied diet to make sure we get all the minerals and vitamins to support our health. Many factors impact potassium levels in our body including a diet that includes processed foods and many prescribed drugs including aspirin and diuretics that deplete our levels of potassium. Foods rich in potassium include avocados, sweet potatoes, peas, spinach, coconut water, white beans, and bananas.
As you can see, minerals are incredibly essential for our mental and physical health on so many levels. While these studies highlight the potential use of these nutrients in helping treat mood disorders, the important takeaway is that being deficient in these nutrients have consistently demonstrated negative impacts on our mental and physical health. Our brains need these nutrients in order to not just operate at our best but feel our best. Using food as medicine can support our health and wellness, helping us age better, support our mental and emotional well-being, decrease inflammation, give us more energy, and help keep our mental clarity and focus. To ensure you are getting these minerals, be sure to eat a varied diet focusing on high quality proteins, organically and locally grown fruits and veggies (if you can), quality carbs and fats. Eat your colors and eat the variety, switch up your fruits and veggies and don’t be afraid to get in the kitchen and experiment. Curiosity can lead you just about anywhere.
References
Penland JG, Johnson PE. Dietary calcium and manganese effects on menstrual cycle symptoms. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1993;168:1417–1423.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00228033
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5313351/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507265/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/zinc#toxicity-and-dosage
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5986464/
