Millions of Americans take vitamins for mood support, boosting energy, disease prevention and more, but it’s been debated whether such supplements are truly beneficial.
Now new research has shown that vitamin and mineral supplements may indeed be useful for enhancing energy and well-being, not only among those who are healthy but also in those prone to anxiety and depression.
Vitamins and Minerals Enhance Mental Function, Energy in People With Mood Disorders
In a series of studies conducted by Canadian researchers, people with diagnosed mood disorders who had a higher intake of vitamins and minerals had better overall mental functioning.
The study’s lead researcher noted:[i]
” … vitamins and mineral supplements can be the alternative to increasing psychiatric medicines for symptom relief of anxiety and depression. The supplements, she said, also can provide the mental energy necessary to manage stress, enhance mood and reduce fatigue.”
Daily Multivitamin Linked to Enhanced Mood and Energy, Better Sleep, Reduced Cancer Risk
Separate research similarly found that people who took a multivitamin for four months reported significantly increased energy, improved mood and better sleep, compared to those who took a placebo.[ii] Men who took a daily multivitamin also had a significantly reduced risk of cancer compared to those taking a placebo.[iii]
Among the mood- and energy-boosting vitamins and minerals specifically named by the former study are:[iv]
- Vitamin B12 and folic acid, lowered levels of which have been linked to depressed mood
- Vitamin D, which may improve mood
- Zinc, magnesium and calcium, which influence neurotransmitter systems and support mood
- Ginkgo biloba and ginseng, which may reduce stress and anxiety
The researchers concluded:[v]
” … multivitamin supplementation may be associated with appreciable mood enhancement and increases in energy even in a normal, non-depressed and non-anxious population.”
What’s the Best Way to Boost Your Intake of Mood- and Energy-Enhancing Nutrients?
Virtually no one over the age of 25 would pass up the chance for a mood- or energy boost. But what’s the best way to get vitamins for mood and energy into your diet?
First, revamp your meals to include some of these top vitamin- and mineral-rich foods for optimal well-being:
- Asparagus, as it’s an excellent source of folic acid, a B vitamin known for its role in keeping your mood stabilized, and reducing feelings of depression, anxiety and irritability
- Broccoli: This green veggies zaps stress and anxiety because it’s loaded with B vitamins like folic acid, again known to help calm your nerves.
- Grass-fed hamburger: Beef is loaded with zinc, a mineral that helps keep your mood stabilized.
- Nuts, which are a rich source of magnesium (you can get close to 25 percent of your recommended daily value from eating just one-quarter cup of almonds), which is often called nature’s “stress buster.”
- Eggs, which power up your body with the fuel it needs to get going, providing nutrients like protein, fat, B vitamins and antioxidants.
These are but a sampling of the foods that can ramp up your mood and energy … there are many more, too, like black beans, avocado, kiwi fruit, salmon, leafy greens and cherries. Generally speaking, the more varied your diet, and the more it focuses on whole foods in lieu of processed foods, the better you’re likely to feel.
But if you’re like most people, you eat whole foods sometimes and fill in the rest of your meals with whatever’s quick and available come mealtime. This is where a carefully selected supplement can work wonders to fill in the gaps in your diet. While some multivitamins may fit the bill, a more targeted approach for mood and energy is Advanced Memory Support.
It’s wonderful for supporting memory and cognitive function, hence its name, but the reason it works so well in this regard is because it is packed full of stress-busting, anxiety-reducing, mood-enhancing ingredients like B vitamins, gingko, St. John’s wort , L-theanine and more.
If you want to soothe your frazzled nerves, balance your mood, boost your energy (and improve your memory in the process) … and you want to do it naturally … you want Advanced Memory Support. It’s that simple.