Zinc may reduce female anger and depression

Daily supplements of zinc may help reduce measures of anger and depression in young women, according to a new study.

In the study, 30 young Japanese women were randomly assigned to receive multivitamins or multivitamins plus 7 milligrams of zinc for 10 weeks (1). The multivitamins were given to all to avoid vitamin deficiencies, and the supplement provided 50 percent of the Japanese recommended dietary allowances of vitamins A, D, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9 and B12.

At the end of the study, only women who received the additional zinc supplements showed significant increases in blood levels of zinc and reductions in scores of anger-hostility and depression-dejection. On the other hand, multivitamin supplements did not affect the mood states of women who participated in the study.

Although the findings are preliminary and should be interpreted with caution, they may prompt further investigations to evaluate the relationship between zinc and mood states in women, the researchers concluded.

1. Sawada T. and Yokoi K. Effect of zinc supplementation on mood states in young women: a pilot study. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2010; 64:331–333.