In my last episode on Nutrition and Brain Health, I discussed how our food choices and hydration, or lack of it, can impact our brain. While the research shows that unprocessed, Mediterranean style diets are likely to be protective, translating that into what shows up on your plate is not necessarily intuitive. This week I’m going to share the foods you need to be eating to support your mood, offering servings supported by the research whenever possible, so that you can begin to organize your plate to support your mood. Grab your shopping list and a pen, you’ll want to hit the grocery store after this episode!
Welcome back to Blasphemous Nutrition! I am Aimee, your professional protein and produce promoter. I’m going to begin with a brief recap summarizing the highlights of last week’s episode and jump right in to discuss the nutrients that the research shows supports mental health and reduces anxiety and depression symptoms.
Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide for people aged 15-44, and by neglecting to look at what we are eating, we are leaving a huge means of health and support off the table. The field of nutritional psychiatry is gaining traction, highlighting that what we eat has a profound impact on mental health, but it isn’t until recently that research has taken a deeper look into exactly what foods and nutrients make an impact. It wasn’t until 2017 that the first clinical trial in using food to treat depression get published. This was SMILES trial, the first randomized controlled trial to use diet as a treatment for major depressive disorder—it found that 31% of participants who adopted a modified Mediterranean diet achieved remission. That’s a massive success rate, with a number needed to treat of just 4.1! If accurate, and I want to emphasize that we need more research to confirm this – but if accurate, this means that for every 4 people treated by dietary means, 1 can achieve remission from their depressive episode!
Why does this matter? Because observational research about dietary patterns and mood are being confirmed via intervention, and allowing us to break new ground. the first nutritional guidelines to prevent depression are now out, and they advocate for a traditional diet, like the Mediterranean, rich in whole foods, omega-3 fatty acids, and low in refined sugars and processed foods. Studies from Japan, Norway, and China echo these findings, showing that people who follow traditional, ancestral diets, low in refined and processed foods are at a significantly lower risk of depression and anxiety.
So, what do these traditional dietary patterns provide? Certain nutrients like omega-3s, B-vitamins, zinc, magnesium, and vitamin D, which are crucial for brain health and maintenance. Deficiencies in these can trigger or worsen anxiety and depressive symptoms, and research has shown that supplementing them can support treatment and alleviate severity as well as risk. However, we don’t think about food in terms of these isolated nutrients, nor are they likely alone responsible for prevention and remission. Food is a package of nutrients which work together to provide the body what it needs, or not. And Traditional diets rich in vegetables, fiber, and quality proteins such as fish have been linked to a decrease in depression risk, while Western-style diets filled with processed foods show the opposite trend.
In 2015, a group of academics from the International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research published a statement in Lancet Psychiatry calling for nutrition to be included as a routine part of mental health care. The bottom line? Your diet is more than fuel—it’s medicine for the mind.
Let’s start with our macronutrients. These are nutrients that are needed in large amounts daily. In looking at the research, three big macros emerge. Protein, omega-3 fats and Water, which is not considered a nutrient but is a macro-level need by the body that can impact mood and cognition.
Protein intake can have an impact on mental health, with potential benefits including reduced mental distress, improved cognitive functioning, and lower depression and anxiety symptoms. Observational studies in elders as well as adolescents indicate that higher protein intake is associated with reduced depression and anxiety. 1,2. An Iranian study of over 7000 adults noted that men with the highest animal protein consumption had a 24% lower chance of anxiety and women with the highest protein intake reported 40% less stress. Protein may be contributing to improved mental resiliency in a number of ways, from its contribution to blood sugar stabilization to the amino acids provided in protein foods. There are some studies that support amino acids in the preservation of mental cognition and mood in older adults and Alzheimer’s research is noting the impact nutrition can have in the risk and rate of disease progression. This is something I will be addressing more in the next couple of episodes, so I’m just going to leave that little teaser with you.
To further support the amino acid hypothesis, data from the NHANES dataset taken from 2001–2012 revealed that dietary intake of tryptophan, an amino acid commonly known to be found in milk and turkey, but present in all animal foods as well as soybeans, quinoa and oats – was inversely associated with self-reported levels of depression. This relationship was also supported in a a research paper evaluating nearly 8000 women that observed depressed females consumed significantly lower levels of tryptophan than non-depressed ones. (5,6)
The current American recommendations for protein are 0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day. This generally averages out to be about 50-70 grams of protein per day. There is so much freaking research out there demonstrating that this amount of protein is insufficient to preserve basic health in the modern world. You could get by with this when you were in college, but, especially as we’ve become more sedentary and there is less incentives to keep that muscle, we are quickly losing that muscle, with low muscle mass, legitimate sarcopenia, repeatedly being reported as prevalent in children and young adults across ethnicities (11, 12). This makes them more susceptible to inflammation and insulin resistance because they lack the muscle mass to effectively utilize the glucose from their starchy foods. Last week I talked about how inflammation and blood sugar issues can exacerbate anxiety and poor mood.
Firstly, I want to clear up a common misconception: The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein isn’t the gold standard of how much you should be eating—it’s actually the bare minimum to avoid malnutrition. To make matters worse, the RDA for protein was determined using nitrogen balance studies, where people were put on experimental diets for weeks. This gives the body plenty of time to adjust to low protein intake by slowing down processes that aren’t critical for survival, but are crucial for feeling your best—like maintaining strength and keeping your immune system in top shape. So, while the RDA might keep you from falling apart, it’s definitely not the blueprint for thriving. 13
In analyzing protein research that has emerged since establishing our bare minimum, numerous researchers are calling for a revision, proclaiming that we actually need nearly twice the RDA, or 1.0-1.2 grams per kilogram, to function and age well throughout the lifespan. So when you think of a standard serving of protein, which we have been taught as being the size of a deck of cards, what you want to effectively do is double that amount. That is your new minimum for a generally healthy adult. If you have a disease, are exercising, are trying to lose weight, you protein needs may be different than this. Really, aside from advanced kidney disease, getting more than this is probably the direction you’d want to lean.
If you listen to influencers on the internet who are protein-positive, you’ve probably heard we need a minimum of 100 grams of protein a day. This new research is where that idea is coming from. In clinical care, I have seen obese, sedentary adults gain muscle mass and lose fat by increasing their protein intake, even though they are not exercising! The body would not invest so much effort in building calorically expensive real estate like protein if it were not deemed essential. This is another signal I’ve seen first hand that many people are walking around with a protein-deficit.
1.2 grams per kilogram per day is close to half your bodyweight in pounds expressed in grams of protein per day, for my American listeners who hate math. So if you weigh 200 pounds, you’re looking at little more than 100 grams of protein a day. Current RDA recommendations are that this 200 pound person get about 70 grams of protein a day. The difference between these two numbers is best expressed by an additional 4 ounce (115 gram) sirloin steak eaten daily.
Piggybacking off protein is omega-3 fats.
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of fat found mostly in cold water fish as well as some nuts, grass-fed animals and omega-3 fortified eggs. These fats are potently anti-inflammatory and also crucial for brain development. The research showing the impact on omega-3 supplementation is pretty robust but quite mixed. A systematic review of several randomized control trials showed no impact on long-term supplementation. The studies they looked at had an average intake of 1 gram of fish oil daily. For reference, a serving of salmon or trout has more than double this amount. (7)
When we look at population studies, we see stronger observation between fatty fish intake and reduced anxiety and depression.8 While omega-3 fats have been implicated as being contributors here, there are other minerals that may be enhancing this effect. This may be a case where the magic lies in the whole food, but not that 1 gram capsule from Costco you take each day.
Now, when the data in randomized controlled trials is drilled down to specific populations, we start to see stronger signals in favor of fish oil. For instance, women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and outpatients from childhood to adulthood with major depressive disorders (MDD) have experienced significant reductions in depressive and/ or anxiety symptoms after 12 weeks taking 2000 mg doses or higher of fish oil. There still isn’t enough quality research on these specific demographics, so I’m not going to say it is a shoe in, but if eating fish is not your jam, taking 2-3000 mg fish oil is a low risk intervention for most people and worth discussing with your psychiatrist or physician. 9.10 Fish oil caps are one of those supplements that may interact with medications, so please talk to your health care professional before starting them.
When it comes to dietary sources of omega-3s, the richest sources of omega-3 fats can be recalled using the acronym SMASHT – Salmon, Mackerel, Anchovy, Sardine, Herring and Trout. These cold water fish contain at least 2 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per 100 gram or 3.5 ounce serving. They also contain an abundance of trace minerals such as zinc, calcium, selenium, and more that may reduce inflammation and may improve mood through supporting the other systems of the body and reducing overall inflammation.
I have become a huge fan of cold water fish in seeing what it can do in people who consume it in high amounts. It can just obliterate elevated triglycerides and reduce cholesterol, improve mood, reduce PMS symptoms, improve immune health. It’s just crazy good stuff.
If you aren’t a fan of fish start with one you find palatable, even if it isn’t a cold water fish I mentioned. Frequent exposure alters the taste buds and will expand your palate to welcome other fish species. And, I’m going to say something some would consider Blasphemous here – but if the only way you are going to eat fish is as fried fish and chips or even a McDonald’s filet of fish, go for it. Get a double patty on that filet o fish to boost your protein and if you need to nix the bun to keep your starch in check do it.
Play with it a bite at a time, wherever you can find it and however you can tolerate it.
If you have a seafood allergy, Omega-3 eggs can be a good source of these fats for you, but you will likely need to rely much more on plant sources of omega-3s and will need supplementation. I encourage you to speak with someone about your needs so you can ensure that you enough total omega-3s, since plant sources are not as well absorbed by the body as animal sources, so trading out 1 gram of flax oil for 1 gram of fish oil won’t be equivalent.
With water, staying hydrated through herbal teas, water, and watery foods such as soups and stews all can be effective for keeping enough liquid in your body that your brain can do all the things it needs to to stay sharp. Consuming watery fruits and vegetables also helps here. Every time you need to use the restroom, just do a quick check to make sure your urine is a pale yellow, barring any kind of medication or supplement that can change that. If you find that when you drink water it runs right through you, you likely need electrolytes to facilitate absorption. I talk about that in more detail in my hydration episode, which I will link to in the show notes.
When it comes to micronutrients, we get into more detailed foods that can make a massive shift in your overall mood. In 2018, a group of Canadian and American researchers took a look at the isolated nutrients that are impactful in alleviating and preventing depression and created a anti-depression nutrient score based upon seeing which foods contained high amounts of at least one of these nutrients.
Here is where the rubber meets the road, because now we can take something as generalized as ‘eat a mediterranean or Japanese style diet, and make it both more broad to be suitable for a variety of cultures, but also more specific to focus on certain foods within these dietary patterns which will provide the most impact. In taking a review of the research, these researchers ascertained that Folate, iron, long chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA, DHA), magnesium, potassium, selenium, thiamine, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, and zinc as having substantial enough evidence to be considered key nutrients to alleviating depression. Then they assessed the USDA food database to determine which foods contained therein had the greatest concentration of these nutrients.
Broadly speaking, the highest scoring animal foods were bivalves such as oysters and mussels, various seafoods, and organ meats. The highest scoring plant foods were leafy greens, lettuces, peppers, and cruciferous vegetables. These are the foods to focus on that can be integrated into any dietary pattern. Now, if your dietary proclivities have an ancestral bent and you’ve been sold the benefits of a paleo diet you are likely smiling widely and nodding your head with the glee that can only come from confirmation bias, as this group of health advocates are pretty much the only folks I know who get excited about organ meats. Or, even if you aren’t excited about them, you already know they are of high value.
So here again we see how the foods that are pretty much never on the Western dietary plate are in fact, the ones which have the most power to balance and preserve our mental state. Seafood and green vegetables just don’t show up very often on our plate unless we are proactively seeking them out. And most people under the age of 40 have never even tried organ meats, unless they lived with an immigrant family member still cooking foods from the old country.
I will say though, that the veggies do come out on top. They, on average, scored higher than animal proteins, with the heaviest hitters coming from watercress, spinach, mustard, chard, and beet greens, as well as salad lettuces such as red leaf and romaine. The cruciferous family, of which cauliflower, red cabbage, broccoli, kohlrabi, kale, and Brussels sprouts also scored highly. So if you are wanting to use your veggies to boost your mood, focus on those green veggies and get at least half a cup of crucifers in each day as well.
On the animal food end of the spectrum, really the seafood dominates. Oysters top the list, followed by liver and organ meats, and then we see clams, mussels, octopus and crab. The only land animals that made the list are goat, snails, and emu. Again, I’m not seeing these foods on many plates either!
This would be my recommendation for you, if you are struggling with depression or anxiety.
Firstly, if you like seafood, start making it part of your lunch or dinner 3 times a week or more. Because this can get expensive, don’t fret as much about it being fresh caught or anything like that – most of my seafood is actually canned because it doesn’t go bad, it is already cooked and it is cheaper. We cannot let perfection be the enemy of awesome enough. Choose canned or frozen seafood and add it to a green salad or a stir fry with broccoli, kale, cauliflower, and spinach multiple times a week. Get bagged or frozen veggies if you need to. I know that when you are paralyzed with overwhelm or struggling to get out of bed you can’t make this too complicated. Let these foods be as much your medicine as a prescription you are taking. Sometimes it is a pain in the butt, but you will feel better.
In 2016 I ran my first greens challenge. I will be resurrecting it in March of 2025, but it was a free month long challenge with a focus on green veg. I ran this annually until 2020, because in the study i was doing for my masters, it became more and more evident that green veggies were fucking amazing and we needed to be eating them. We need to eat a lot more of them than we were for all sorts of reasons. Mental health reasons were nota t all in my radar. We had not covered that in school, nad teh research that ive been talking about in this episode had largely been unpublished at that piont.
What i was seeing, year after year, is that people would report they felt happier. And this would happen, 2, 3 weeks in. After the third of fourth report of this I went to Pubmed and found evidence that vegetables do improve mood. And here, with what these north american researchers have laid out, it is those green veggies that give us the brightest mood of all.
It still blows my mind.
If you remember from last week’s episode, some of the interventional work reports an increase in mood in just 3-4 weeks. It doesn’t take forever. And the SMILES trial was 12 weeks long, 3 months, and 31% of those participants achieved remission from a major depressive episode. This is cool shit. This is promising AF. This is worth a try.
No such equivalent food chart has been created for anxiety. While many of the same principles apply, there are a couple things with regards to anxiety that I want to point out specifically.
There are associations noted in the research between anxiety and gut issues. It is fairly well documented that those with IBS and SIBO do have a higher likelihood of anxiety than those without gut issues. This is hypothesized to be due to the back and forth conversation that occurs from the bacteria in the gut and the brain via the vagus nerve, known as the gut-brain axis, as well as the downstream impact of inflammation in the gut leading to inflammation in the brain as well. Because the gut produces so many of our neurotransmitters, it is a fundamental piece to address when dealing with mental health challenges, especially with anxiety.
A systematic review pulled together a range of studies and found that regulating gut microbiota—through diet (like the low FODMAP diet) or probiotics—improved anxiety symptoms in over half of the studies reviewed. That’s huge! This review examined 21 high-quality studies, involving around 1,500 participants. Of those, 56% saw improvement in anxiety symptoms, whether the intervention was through probiotics or dietary changes—especially the low FODMAP diet, which is a common dietary prescription that helps reduce bacterial overgrowth.
When it comes to probiotics, don’t get caught up in the hype about needing some fancy, specific strain. Various probiotic formulas—from single strain to multi-strain—were beneficial. The takeaway here? Probiotics work by addressing overall gut imbalances, which in turn can alleviate a whole host of issues, including anxiety, IBS, bloating, and even skin and allergic conditions.
However, dietary interventions for anxiety, like the low FODMAP diet, were found to be more effective than probiotics. Again, we aren’t going to be able to always supplement our way out of health challenges. So before you reach for supplements, consider starting with your diet—it’s a simple, natural way to help manage anxiety. (14)
because of the strong link between anxiety and inflammation, an anti-inflammatory diet is going to be paramount. Like the antidepressant diet, this means less processed foods, less sugar and artificial sweeteners, and more vegetables, fruits, fish and unprocessed grains. With respect to omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA specifically, observational research has implicated low omega-3 fatty acid status in the blood with higher anxiety levels. The strongest piece of evidence I found was a systematic review and meta-analysis — and again, this is when a research group goes looking at all the studies, tosses out the low quality ones, and assesses the data from these studies to effectively look for whether or not there is stronger evidence for a hypothesis. This systematic review and meta-analysis systematic assessed 19 clinical trials including 2240 participants from 11 countries and showed significant improvement in anxiety symptoms with omega-3 fatty acid treatment compared with control groups.
Here’s the catch though – these researchers noted that dosing matters. Less than 2 grams of omega-3 per day? Not gonna cut it. You’ll recall this was also shown in the depression focused research. Better results with 2 grams a day. And if your supplement skimps on DHA (the real MVP), it’s not as effective at relieving anxiety. EPA-heavy supplements with more than 60% of the omega 3s coming from EPA showed no significant effect. If you are taking fish oil caps, look at the label and assess how much EPA and DHA is present in each cap.
Now, with regards to food sources of omega-3s: While flax seeds and chia seeds are high in omega-3s and walnuts look like cute little brains, these plant-based sources are mostly packed with an omega-3 fat called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which your body has to convert to EPA and DHA, but it is only able to do so at a measly 5% rate. So, if you’re serious about getting those brain-boosting, anxiety-crushing omega-3s, you’re gonna want to stick with SMASHT fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring, and lake trout. And speaking of salmon, it’s a double whammy because it’s loaded with astaxanthin, an antioxidant that keeps your omega-3s from going rancid and even brings some neuroprotective perks to the table.
Now, here’s where it gets nerdy (but stay with me, it’s worth it). DHA comes in different forms, and not all of them work the same. A specific kind of DHA called Lysophosphatidylcholine-conjugated DHA, found in fish roe and krill oil, has a VIP pass straight to your brain, thanks to this fancy transporter called MSFD2A at the blood-brain barrier it uses to get into the brain. This active transport system is especially helpful if your brain is inflamed. So, if you’re really looking to nourish your brain and calm your anxiety, krill oil, fish roe, and fatty fish are where it’s at.
Long story short? Omega-3s, especially the right kind and dose, have solid scientific backing for easing anxiety. And when it comes to food sources, your fatty fish and krill oil are the best bet.
Curcumin, or turmeric, is also shown in some studies to alleviate anxiety to a degree. This would likely be due to anti-inflammatory mechanisms, as turmeric is known to be effective in this way, but one study done on mice showed that turmeric can actually increase the enzymes their body uses to convert omega-3 fats into DHA! While we do not yet know if this translates to humans, I’m thinking a turmeric dressing made with flax oil would be pretty fun to make and a great way to apply this research to the real world. Even if it doesn’t increase the enzymes in your brain, it’s a nice anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich way to dress your salad.
Who knew reading research could lead to new recipe formulations?
While all of the literature on utilizing diet to alleviate depression and anxiety is still very new and we definitely need more studies to solidify these findings and create more clear recommendations, there are many promising signals for anyone looking for natural ways to reduce anxiety or depression. If you find medications don’t work well for you, this is a great place to turn next. If you want to avoid medications, this is a great place to start.
To recap all I’ve discussed and put this research into an action plan –
- If you have gut issues alongside your mental health struggles, it is worthwhile to address your gut health as well. The low FODMAP diet has the most research behind it as a treatment for IBS and SIBO. This is a pretty complicated plan and is best implemented with a provider who can take the time to walk you through it, or at least help you transition out of it, as that is where I find the real challenge lies.
- Moving forward, consider a protein serving 2 decks of cards long. This ought to be eaten at least twice daily to ensure you are meeting recommendations backed by current research. Know that if you are active, trying to lose weight, or over 40 you probably need more. Talk to a nutrition professional to dial in your specific needs.
- Drink enough liquids and eat enough watery foods that your pee is the color of straw, a pale yellow.
- Make sure you eat green vegetables every day!
- Begin incorporating a source of omega-3 fatty acids into your diet multiple times a week or try a dose of fish oil at 2 -3 grams after you’ve cleared that with a prescribing medical provider if you are on any medications. If you struggle with anxiety, try krill oil or a DHA forward omega-3 supplement with more DHA than EPA. Remember that food sources are often more effective and keep that SMASHT acronym in mind.
That’s the jist of it. Remember, as specific as these are, they are still pretty general guidelines so your unique circumstances may require tweaks and adjustments to be sustainable or effective. What these recommendations provide are guidelines to improve diet quality that aligns with what the research is suggesting alleviates depression and anxiety. What we really need next is more studies implementing dietary protocols using all these different things the research has already been able to tease out. However, these guidelines are pretty safe to implement as part of a more comprehensive mental health plan.
Some of you are still going to feel like, OMG, how do I even do this, and I have some resources for you if you do not want to wait until March to join my live group for free.
1) you can download the recipes that I created for the greens challenge to start having a repertoire of green-veg focused recipes that I have personally tried and used in my kitchen.
2) you can go deeper and do the Greens challenge yourself as a DIY program online.
3) if you really thrive on accountability or need more personal support you can reach out to me in the link below and set up a time to talk with me at no cost about what that could look like for you.
If you know someone who is struggling with depression or anxiety, please share this episode with them as well as last week’s episode where I discuss some of the reasons why these foods may impact depression and anxiety. We are all made better when we help one another.
I wish you well. I wish you health. I wish you happiness. Until next time, my blasphemous buddies, continue to question the orthodoxy and push the boundaries!
Resources:
- Nutritional medicine as mainstream in psychiatry Sarris, Jerome et al.The Lancet Psychiatry, Volume 2, Issue 3, 271 – 274
- Zhou, S., Ding, X., & Leung, J. (2023). Healthy Aging at Family Mealtimes: Associations of Clean Cooking, Protein Intake, and Dining Together with Mental Health of Chinese Older Adults amid COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20031672.
- Khanna, P., & Aeri, B. (2020). Association of Quantity and Quality of Protein Intake with Depression and Anxiety Symptoms among Adolescent Boys and Girls (13-15 Years) Studying in Public Schools of Delhi.. Journal of nutritional science and vitaminology, 66 Supplement, S141-S148 . https://doi.org/10.3177/jnsv.66.S141.
- Forootani B, Sasanfar B, Salehi-Abargouei A, Mirzaei M. The association between plant and animal protein intake with depression, anxiety, and stress. Nutr Neurosci. 2024 Jul 9:1-14. doi: 10.1080/1028415X.2024.2372194. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38980695.
- Glenn JM, Madero EN, Bott NT. Dietary Protein and Amino Acid Intake: Links to the Maintenance of Cognitive Health. Nutrients. 2019 Jun 12;11(6):1315. doi: 10.3390/nu11061315. PMID: 31212755; PMCID: PMC6627761.
- Lieberman HR, Agarwal S, Fulgoni VL 3rd. Tryptophan Intake in the US Adult Population Is Not Related to Liver or Kidney Function but Is Associated with Depression and Sleep Outcomes. J Nutr. 2016 Dec;146(12):2609S-2615S. doi: 10.3945/jn.115.226969. Epub 2016 Nov 9. PMID: 27934652.
- Suga H, Asakura K, Kobayashi S, Nojima M, Sasaki S; Three-generation Study of Women on Diets and Health Study Group. Association between habitual tryptophan intake and depressive symptoms in young and middle-aged women. J Affect Disord. 2018 Apr 15;231:44-50. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.01.029. Epub 2018 Feb 6. PMID: 29438897.
- Deane KHO, Jimoh OF, Biswas P, O’Brien A, Hanson S, Abdelhamid AS, Fox C, Hooper L. Omega-3 and polyunsaturated fat for prevention of depression and anxiety symptoms: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials. Br J Psychiatry. 2021 Mar;218(3):135-142. doi: 10.1192/bjp.2019.234. PMID: 31647041.
- Appleton KM, Woodside JV, Yarnell JW, Arveiler D, Haas B, Amouyel P, Montaye M, Ferrières J, Ruidavets JB, Ducimetiere P, Bingham A, Evans A. Depressed mood and dietary fish intake: direct relationship or indirect relationship as a result of diet and lifestyle? J Affect Disord. 2007 Dec;104(1-3):217-23. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2007.03.012. Epub 2007 May 1. PMID: 17475339.
- Paduchová, Z., Katrenčíková, B., Vavakova, M., Laubertova, L., Nagyová, Z., Garaiová, I., Ďuračková, Z., & Trebatická, J. (2021). The Effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Thromboxane, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Homocysteine, and Vitamin D in Depressive Children and Adolescents: Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients, 13.
- Amini, M., Bahmani, F., Foroozanfard, F., Vahedpoor, Z., Ghaderi, A., Taghizadeh, M., Karbassizadeh, H., & Asemi, Z. (2018). The effects of fish oil omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on mental health parameters and metabolic status of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.. Journal of psychosomatic obstetrics and gynaecology, 1-9 . https://doi.org/10.1080/0167482X.2018.1508282.
- Jung HN, Jung CH, Hwang YC. Sarcopenia in youth. Metabolism. 2023 Jul;144:155557. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2023.155557. Epub 2023 Apr 18. PMID: 37080353.
- Zembura M, Matusik P. Sarcopenic Obesity in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022 Jun 1;13:914740. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.914740. Erratum in: Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 Aug 15;14:1269546. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1269546. PMID: 35721709; PMCID: PMC9198401.
- Young VR, Marchini JS. Mechanisms and nutritional significance of metabolic responses to altered intakes of protein and amino acids, with reference to nutritional adaptation in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990 Feb;51(2):270-89. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/51.2.270. PMID: 2407099.
- Beibei Yang, Jinbao Wei, Peijun Ju, Jinghong Chen – Effects of regulating intestinal microbiota on anxiety symptoms: A systematic review: General Psychiatry 2019;32:e100056.
- Su K, Tseng P, Lin P, et al. Association of Use of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids With Changes in Severity of Anxiety Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Netw Open. 2018;1(5):e182327. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.2327
- Wu A, Noble EE, Tyagi E, Ying Z, Zhuang Y, Gomez-Pinilla F. Curcumin boosts DHA in the brain: Implications for the prevention of anxiety disorders. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2015 May;1852(5):951-61. doi: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2014.12.005. Epub 2014 Dec 27. PMID: 25550171; PMCID: PMC4754352.
- Opie, R. S., Itsiopoulos, C., Parletta, N., Sanchez-Villegas, A., Akbaraly, T. N., Ruusunen, A., & Jacka, F. N. (2016). Dietary recommendations for the prevention of depression. Nutritional Neuroscience, 20(3), 161–171. https://doi.org/10.1179/1476830515Y.0000000043
- Norwitz NG, Naidoo U. Nutrition as Metabolic Treatment for Anxiety. Front Psychiatry. 2021;12:598119. Published 2021 Feb 12. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.598119
