28 November 2011
Vitamin supplementation may improve alertness and reduce negative mood symptoms in healthy older men, suggests a new Australian study.
In this randomized controlled trial, fifty healthy men, aged 50–69 years, were given supplements for a period of 8 weeks with a multivitamin formulation that contained vitamins C, E and B vitamins plus minerals (at levels above recommended daily intakes) or a placebo (1). The participants completed a series of mood and stress questionnaires before and after the supplementation. The results showed that, compared with placebo, there was a significant reduction in the overall score on a depression anxiety and stress scale and an improvement in alertness and general daily functioning in the multivitamin group. There were no changes in the placebo group, signifying a real effect of multivitamin supplementation.
The researchers concluded that multivitamin supplementation may be beneficial in preventing negative mood symptoms. The present findings would be particularly relevant for older people who may be at risk of experiencing subclinical depressive symptoms. However, as the sample was relatively small, a larger study would be required to confirm the present findings.
In studies, depressive symptoms have been associated with deficiency of a number of key micronutrients such as vitamin B12 and folic acid deficits and lower levels of vitamin D and zinc (2). The results of studies examining the effects of multivitamin supplementation have been contentious. Although some studies have found no changes in mood after supplementation, others have suggested that B-complex vitamins or multivitamins can improve mood or reduce depressive symptoms (3, 4).
7 September 2015
Obese individuals typically present raised levels of the blood vessel-constricting protein endothelin ET 1, which has a range of serious negative effects on their cardiovascular health. A new study has found that normal ET 1 levels can be restored with a three-month daily dose of 500 mg vitamin C.
5 April 2013
According to a new review, data from dietary intake surveys indicate that vitamin inadequacy is widespread among healthy, elderly people, even those in affluent Western countries.
1 June 2010
There is overwhelming evidence which demonstrates that good nutrition and specific micronutrients can play a major role in maintaining and enhancing physical and mental performance at all life stages as well as delaying the onset of persistent (‘chronic’) diseases. However, there are many social, demographic, economic and lifestyle changes that determine our nutritional status, and for a variety of reasons many more people are not achieving the recommended intakes for specific essential micronutrients.
