6 Supplements For Mental Health, According To Science

An estimated 1 in 5 adults in the United States has experienced a mental illness such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.¹

Treatments such as prescription medication, counseling, and peer support groups can help alleviate common symptoms such as feeling sad or withdrawn, trouble concentrating, intense worries and sudden, overwhelming fear.² Alternative therapies, including supplements that can fill any nutrient gaps important for the support of healthy mood states, can also be quite effective.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. The annual campaign helps raise awareness and educate the public about the prevalence of mental health issues. It should also serve as a reminder about management, including a significant number of important nutrients that can support healthy mood and mental states.

Omega 3 fatty acids:

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including omega-3 fatty acids like the ones found in Ultra Pure® Fish Oil 800, have been clinically shown to play an important role in maintaining healthy brain function and supporting a healthy response to stress.³

Research shows that low levels of PUFAs may be associated with high incidence of poor brain function and healthy mood responses and can provide a natural alternative to the use of prescription drugs.³

Among participants struggling with mental health issues, supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids was associated with a significant improvement in mood and overall well-being compared to a placebo.⁴

Magnesium:

A magnesium deficiency could reduce serotonin levels, often associated with positive mood states. The mineral has been removed from most processed foods, making dietary supplements a popular option for increasing magnesium levels.⁵

Thanks to its antidepressant effects, magnesium has been used to support healthy mood states for almost a century, making it a popular herbal supplement for mental health.⁵

Research showed that taking a supplement containing 500 milligrams of magnesium four times per day for six weeks was associated with significant improvements in symptoms reflective of poor mood states and higher levels of anxiousness.⁶ Those taking magnesium supplements noticed an improvement in their mood in as little as two weeks.

Vitamin B12:

B vitamins, found in foods like shellfish, eggs, red meat, and yogurt, keep the neurons in the brain firing correctly and deficiencies in B vitamins, especially B₁, B₃, B₆, B₉, and B₁₂, have been linked to depression.⁷

Adding a dietary supplement such as a B-complex supplement or vitamin B₁₂ could help improve healthy mood state responses. A study published in the Open Neurology Journal found that patients with “low normal” B₁₂ levels who received a supplement containing 1,000 micrograms of vitamin B₁₂ once per week for six weeks in addition to their antidepressant medications showed significant improvements in their symptoms.⁸

Probiotics:

Beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium help keep digestive health in check. These probiotics also work on the gut-brain axis, which connects the gut to the central nervous system, leading researchers to study beneficial bacteria like those found in Hyperbiotics Pro-Mood Probiotic as a natural alternative to support healthy mood states.⁹

Among those with major depressive disorder, taking a dietary supplement containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium was linked to improvements in mood, according to research published in the journal Nutrition.¹⁰ Improving the gut microbiome through probiotic supplementation has also been associated with an 86 percent rate of effectiveness for reducing anxiety.¹¹

Lithium Orotate:

Lithium has a long history of being used to treat mental health function.¹² The metal acts as a mood stabilizer, providing neuroprotective effects.¹³

Lithium orotate, a form of lithium, can be used in lower doses with excellent results and lower side effects. In clinical trials, taking a dose of 150 milligrams of lithium orotate per day at least four times per week showed significant improvement in healthy mood states.¹⁴

Though lithium is primarily used to treat bipolar disorder, adding a dietary supplement containing lithium has been shown to help alleviate symptoms among those not getting sufficient results from antidepressant medication alone.¹⁵

St. John’s wort:

The flowers from this deciduous shrub are used to make herbal supplements used in the treatment of depression. Several studies have found St. John’s wort to support healthy mood states. Compared to widely used prescription selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, the extract had much lower rates of side effects, making it one of the best supplements for mental health.¹⁶

Supplements like St. John's Wort, extracted from the popular herb commonly known as St. John's wort, have been shown to be superior to placebo for treating mild to moderate depression, and remission rates were similar to treatment with antidepressant medications.^17,18

During Mental Health Awareness Month or at any time, talk to your healthcare provider about the effectiveness of herbal supplements for mental health to treat diseases such as anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder.