Topic of the Month
Micronutrients and mental illnesses
1 February 2015
An increasing number of studies indicate that nutrition may play a role in the onset and treatment of mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. Further, more recent evidence on brain metabolism suggests that nutritional habits or deficiencies of certain micronutrients can influence the development and progression of mental illnesses. A targeted intake of individual micronutrients appears to have prophylactic or therapeutic effects on certain mental illnesses. Conversely, mental illnesses such as ADHS, alcohol dependency, and eating disorders can lead to a deficiency of certain vitamins and micronutrients. Even if the evidence for dietary supplements in the treatment of mental illnesses is not sufficient to issue general recommendations, data from observational and randomized controlled studies suggest that their use appears to be practical given certain indicators.