5 Key micronutrients for mental health
Gut health plays a big role in supporting your mental health. Check out these 5 micronutrients to support your pregnancy and postnatal mental health.
Vitamin D
Once considered just to be important for healthy bones, vitamin D is now known to have widespread effects on health including neurological developments, brain health and mood. Everyone is now recommended to take a vitamin D supplement of 10 micrograms per day, including pregnant and breastfeeding women. NHS also advises babies to be supplemented with vitamin D, please check the website for further guidelines.
We strongly recommend getting your vitamin D levels tested to ensure you are supplementing appropriately. A test can be ordered here. Autumn is the best time of year to test as Vitamin D is synthesised in the skin from exposure to the sun, so your levels should be highest after the summer
Vitamin D can be found in oily fish and mushrooms. Fun fact - you can leave your mushrooms outside in the morning sun to increase their vitamin D content. Choose a supplement that contains vitamin D in the form of D3 as this is the form that is naturally produced in the skin in response to sunlight. A good pregnancy multivitamin should contain adequate vitamin D which we recommend taking during your 4th trimester also and whilst breastfeeding.
Choline
A lesser known vitamin found in rich supply in meat, eggs and yeast extract. Choline is an essential component of healthy cell membranes and also needed to make the neurotransmitter acetylcholine which is important for mood, memory and cognition.
Sufficient choline intake needs to be considered for those on a plant based diet, especially during pregnancy and breastfeeding where there is an increased demand. A good pregnancy multivitamin should contain sufficient levels and we recommend taking it during all 4 trimesters and whilst breastfeeding too.
Magnesium
Yet another mineral that is worryingly low in Western diets is magnesium. This powerful mineral is absolutely essential for balanced mood and energy production, it is used in over 260 biochemical pathways and is an important co-factor for the production of the feel good neurotransmitter serotonin that is crucial for a balanced mood.
Magnesium has been studied for its ability to improve symptoms of depression. A recent study found that depression and anxiety score improved in patients taking magnesium supplements for 6 weeks. Effects were observed within just 2 weeks and the study authors concluded that magnesium is a safe, effective and well-tolerated treatment for mild-to-moderate depression in adults. Always check with your healthcare professional before starting any supplements.
Food sources include dark green leafy vegetables and wholegrains. Sugar and alcohol consumption negatively impacts your magnesium levels so consider a supplement whilst you reduce alcohol and sugar intake or whilst you increase your intake of magnesium rich foods. Magnesium is best absorbed as magnesium glycinate/taurinate, where as magnesium oxide can be more helpful for constipation. Epsom bath salts are another great way of providing extra magnesium, with the added bonus of a nice relaxing bath!
Iodine
Iodine is a rare element in soils - unfortunately - and deficiency is now a major public health problem with pregnant women and infants at most risk. Up to one third of the world’s population may be iodine deficient, predominantly in developing countries and many experts consider it to be the leading preventable cause of intellectual disabilities. Sea vegetables are a particularly rich source of iodine: shellfish, eggs, dairy and strawberries can contribute to dietary iodine intake too. A good pregnancy multivitamin should contain adequate iodine, and we recommend taking during all four trimesters and whilst breastfeeding.
Folate & B12
Both low folate and low vitamin B12 have been found in studies of depressive patients. Low folate levels and linked to a poor response to antidepressants, and treatment with folic acid has been shown to improve response to antidepressants.
When choosing a dietary supplement, look for vitamin B12 as methylcobalamin and folic acid as 5-MTHF (5-Methyltetrahydrofolate) as these are the active forms that can be used by the body straight away. A high quality multivitamin & mineral containing high levels of these active forms is the best way to ensure optimal intake of these nutrients, your pregnancy multivitamin should have adequate levels.
If you are pregnant or looking to get pregnant, be sure to take folate in the form of 5-MTHF or folate, and NOT folic acid. Folate is the active form, and some people with a particular gene expression are not able to utilise folate in folic acid form.
Food sources of B12 include eggs, meat and liver. Folate can be found in dark green leafy vegetables.
Chloe Manlay is a registered nutritionist who you can book a 1:1 appointment with here. Make sure you’re also signed up to receive our newsletter to learn more about postnatal nutrition.
