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Should You Take A Multivitamin-Mineral Supplement To Improve Postpartum Depression?

Jenna Johnston on March 22, 2023

Studies have found that almost all micronutrients (i.e., vitamins and minerals) are needed in adequate amounts to reduce the risk of depression, and depression is often associated with a variety of micronutrient deficiencies.[1] Since pregnancy, lactation, and postpartum healing all increase the requirements for most micronutrients- not getting enough essential vitamins and minerals can greatly increase a mother’s risk of developing postpartum depression (PPD).

Nutrient deficiencies often start during pregnancy

Researchers have discovered that a significant amount of pregnant women are deficient in vitamins A, B6, C, D, E, and K, as well as calcium, choline, folate, magnesium, iron, and potassium. And many may be consuming an excess amount of folic acid and sodium.[2]

Although deficiencies are often more common among individuals who are unable to consume a healthy diet (in which case, even adding an MVM may still not allow them to reach adequate intakes of micronutrients)- it’s still possible and often likely that a healthy diet alone won’t provide enough micronutrients during pregnancy.[2][3]

As a result, many mothers enter postpartum deficient in several micronutrients that are important for supporting mental health and can help reduce the risk of PPD.

Eating a healthy diet may not provide enough micronutrients during postpartum

Even if a woman was able to eat a healthy diet and took an MVM prenatal supplement during pregnancy and was able to enter postpartum without any nutrient deficiencies- if they discontinue the use of an MVM supplement they are still at risk for nutrient deficiencies in postpartum. And therefore, they are at an increased risk of developing postpartum depression. 

During postpartum, there are many factors that make it difficult to get the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for essential micronutrients. 

After birth, nutrient demands are higher for mothers who are breastfeeding because a portion of the micronutrients the mother consumes is used to support the baby’s growth. But even for mothers who are not breastfeeding- the body requires extra nutrients to heal from pregnancy and giving birth. And even more so if you undergo a c-section because the body needs lots of support for wound healing after surgery.[4]

Furthermore, other factors such as high stress, poor sleep, and genetics, as well as possible injuries (e.g., diastasis recti), infections (e.g., mastitis), digestive issues, or chronic health conditions- can all add to the already high micronutrient demands mothers face after giving birth. 

For these reasons, even if you feel like you are eating a balanced, healthy diet it may be very difficult to get all the nutrients you need to support general health and mental health without taking supplements. 

What the research says about multivitamin-mineral supplements for depression

Recent research has found that broad-spectrum multivitamins and multimineral supplements can help to relieve a number of mental health conditions better than single-nutrient supplements. One of the reasons why this is likely is due to the fact that several micronutrients are important cofactors involved in the creation of neurotransmitters. And without adequate amounts of these vitamins and minerals, individuals are more likely to develop neurotransmitter imbalances which can lead to issues such as depression.[5]

One study that looked at multivitamin supplements for postpartum depression found that the occurrence of postpartum depression was significantly lower in the group taking a multivitamin supplement during the first month after birth vs. the group taking a vitamin D and calcium supplement.[6]


Multivitamin-mineral supplements won’t resolve PPD on their own 

In most situations, just taking an MVM by itself won’t completely eliminate PPD. For some individuals, other additional supplementation may be required. This may be because of other factors such as health conditions, genetics, dietary preferences, lifestyle, stress levels, etc. 

Moreover, it may be necessary to add more good-mood foods into your diet and make any necessary lifestyle changes to support mental health. 

For this reason, it can be extremely beneficial to work with a nutritionist to help you determine what supplements are going to be best for you. This can help decrease the amount of guesswork it takes to determine what supplements to choose which can not only save you time and money but can speed up the time it takes you to overcome PPD. 

Conclusion

It’s common for women to experience nutrient deficiencies during pregnancy and postpartum- which can greatly increase their risk of developing PPD. Fortunately, research has shown that taking an MVM supplement can help to reduce the feelings and symptoms of depression. 

Lastly, working with a nutritionist who specializes in nutrition for depression can reduce the time it takes to see improvements in your mood which can help you save lots of time and money!

REFERENCES
  1. Sánchez-Villegas, A., Pérez-Cornago, A., Zazpe, I. et al. Micronutrient intake adequacy and depression risk in the SUN cohort study. Eur J Nutr 57, 2409–2419 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-017-1514-z
  2. Bailey RL, Pac SG, Fulgoni VL 3rd, Reidy KC, Catalano PM. Estimation of Total Usual Dietary Intakes of Pregnant Women in the United States. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(6):e195967. Published 2019 Jun 5. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.5967
  3. Gernand AD, Schulze KJ, Stewart CP, West KP Jr, Christian P. Micronutrient deficiencies in pregnancy worldwide: health effects and prevention. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2016;12(5):274-289. doi:10.1038/nrendo.2016.37
  4. Ball L, de Jersey S, Parkinson J, Vincze L, Wilkinson S. Postpartum nutrition: Guidance for general practitioners to support high-quality care. Aust J Gen Pract. 2022;51(3):123-128. doi:10.31128/AJGP-09-21-6151
  5. Kimball SM, Mirhosseini N, Rucklidge J. Database Analysis of Depression and Anxiety in a Community Sample-Response to a Micronutrient Intervention. Nutrients. 2018;10(2):152. Published 2018 Jan 30. doi:10.3390/nu10020152
  6. Sparling TM, Henschke N, Nesbitt RC, Gabrysch S. The role of diet and nutritional supplementation in perinatal depression: a systematic review. Matern Child Nutr. 2017;13(1):10.1111/mcn.12235. doi:10.1111/mcn.12235

Postpartum Depression & The Mediterranean Diet: Can Following This Diet Actually Improve Your Mood?

Jenna Johnston on March 17, 2023

It’s very likely that at some point in your life, you’ve heard or read about the countless benefits of the Mediterranean Diet. From helping with weight loss, balancing blood sugar, improving cardiovascular health, and more- it’s no wonder why the Mediterranean diet has received so much attention over the last 30 years and is considered one of the most healthy dietary models around the world.[1]

But, have you ever heard that the Mediterranean diet can help reduce the risk and improve symptoms of depression? Although this is a lesser-known benefit of the Mediterranean diet, it’s still a very valuable way to help ease depression and improve quality of life.

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean Diet (MD) was first described by Ancel Keys in the 1960s as a dietary pattern that was low in saturated fat and high in vegetable oil (mainly olive oil) and spread throughout Greece and Southern Italy.[1]

More specifically, the MD consists of:

  • A high intake of vegetables, olive oil, fish, and whole-grain bread and cereal
  • A moderate intake of eggs, legumes, fruit, nuts, poultry, and fermented dairy (mainly goat’s milk products)
  • A low intake of red meat (i.e., ~2 times a week)
  • Red wine consumption during main courses

From a nutritional perspective, the MD has a beneficial high ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 and is rich in probiotics, fiber, antioxidants, and monounsaturated fats. It also contains a variety of food groups and types of food which promotes the intake of a variety of vitamins and minerals that can help to support mental health and overall health. 

What does the research say about its success for depression?

Studies have found that Mediterranean dietary patterns are associated with a reduced risk for depression and can help to improve symptoms and feelings of depression. 

In particular, one study found that people with the greatest adherence to the MD had the lowest risk for depression. On the other hand, the researchers found that individuals who consumed an unhealthy, pro-inflammatory diet were at the greatest risk for depression. The authors of the study concluded that following a traditional Mediterranean diet and avoiding a pro-inflammatory diet can reduce the risk of depressive symptoms or clinical depression.[2]

Another study found that consuming an MD that was supplemented with a fish oil supplement led to a significant reduction in depressive scores in individuals with self-reported depressive symptoms.[1]

Although there aren’t any studies that specifically look at MD and its effect on postpartum depression, research has shown that high adherence to a diet characterized by an adequate intake of vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, olive oil, fish, and dairy products during pregnancy is correlated with a lower risk of PPD.[3] And greater adherence to this dietary pattern during postpartum is also associated with fewer PPD symptoms.[4]

What makes it so beneficial?

As mentioned above, the benefits of the MD come from a variety of components that work together to help support overall health and mental health. Some of these components include:

  1. High in omega 3’s

Omega 3 is anti-inflammatory and helps reduce inflammation in the body which may be a significant contributor to depression in some individuals.[5] They are found mainly in fatty fish, as well as nuts and seeds like walnuts, chia, and flaxseed.

  1. Fiber

Evidence shows that high intakes of dietary fiber may help to reduce inflammation and severity of depressive symptoms. It’s likely that these results occur due to positive changes in the gut microbiota which can increase the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and decrease inflammatory markers.[6] High-fiber foods include vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes.

  1. Antioxidants & phytochemicals

A diet high in plants contains antioxidants and phytochemicals which may have anti-inflammatory and antidepressant effects.[7][8] For example. studies have shown that oxidative stress plays a major role in the development of depression and treatment with antioxidant nutrients and compounds has resulted in positive effects on depression.[8]

  1. Probiotics 

Research has found that gut probiotics play an integral role in the two-way communication between the gut and the brain- therefore, probiotics can lead to a significant reduction in depression. This is likely due to their ability to modulate the immune system and, as a result, inflammation in the body, as well as support the production of serotonin.[9] Common probiotic foods include yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut.

  1. Variety of vitamins & minerals 

Since the MD includes a variety of foods within every food group, it helps supports an adequate intake of all the essential micronutrients needed to support general health as well as mental health. Studies have found that depression is often connected with a large variety of essential micronutrients.[10] For this reason, consuming an array of foods within each food group is the best way to decrease your chances of depression and improve existing depression.

Conclusion 

Although it’s a lesser-known benefit of the Mediterranean Diet- studies have shown that consuming this type of diet can help to reduce the risk and symptoms of depression. Researchers believe this is a result of many components of the Mediterranean Diet that work together to improve mental health such as omega 3s, fiber, antioxidants and phytochemicals, probiotics, and a variety of vitamins and minerals. 

For these reasons, consuming a Mediterranean Diet may play a key role in helping people overcome postpartum depression and relieving unwanted symptoms of depression.

REFERENCES
  1. Ventriglio A, Sancassiani F, Contu MP, Latorre M, Di Slavatore M, Fornaro M, Bhugra D. Mediterranean Diet and its Benefits on Health and Mental Health: A Literature Review. Clin Pract Epidemiol Ment Health. 2020 Jul 30;16(Suppl-1):156-164. doi: 10.2174/1745017902016010156. PMID: 33029192; PMCID: PMC7536728.
  2. Lassale C, Batty GD, Baghdadli A, Jacka F, Sánchez-Villegas A, Kivimäki M, Akbaraly T. Healthy dietary indices and risk of depressive outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Mol Psychiatry. 2019 Jul;24(7):965-986. doi: 10.1038/s41380-018-0237-8. Epub 2018 Sep 26. Erratum in: Mol Psychiatry. 2018 Nov 21;: Erratum in: Mol Psychiatry. 2021 Jul;26(7):3657. PMID: 30254236; PMCID: PMC6755986.
  3. Chatzi L, Melaki V, Sarri K, et al. Dietary patterns during pregnancy and the risk of postpartum depression: the mother-child ‘Rhea’ cohort in Crete, Greece. Public Health Nutr. 2011;14(9):1663-1670. doi:10.1017/S1368980010003629
  4. Opie RS, Uldrich AC, Ball K. Maternal Postpartum Diet and Postpartum Depression: A Systematic Review. Matern Child Health J. 2020;24(8):966-978. doi:10.1007/s10995-020-02949-9
  5. Firth J, Gangwisch JE, Borisini A, Wootton RE, Mayer EA. Food and mood: how do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing? BMJ. 2020 Jun 29;369:m2382. doi: 10.1136/bmj.m2382. Erratum in: BMJ. 2020 Nov 9;371:m4269. PMID: 32601102; PMCID: PMC7322666.
  6. Swann OG, Kilpatrick M, Breslin M, Oddy WH. Dietary fiber and its associations with depression and inflammation. Nutr Rev. 2020;78(5):394-411. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuz072
  7. Bahramsoltani R, Farzaei MH, Farahani MS, Rahimi R. Phytochemical constituents as future antidepressants: a comprehensive review. Rev Neurosci. 2015;26(6):699-719. doi:10.1515/revneuro-2015-0009
  8. Vaváková M, Ďuračková Z, Trebatická J. Markers of Oxidative Stress and Neuroprogression in Depression Disorder. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2015;2015:898393. doi:10.1155/2015/898393
  9. Huang R, Wang K, Hu J. Effect of Probiotics on Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients. 2016;8(8):483. Published 2016 Aug 6. doi:10.3390/nu8080483
  10. Campisi SC, Zasowski C, Shah S, Shah A, Bradley-Ridout G, Korczak DJ, Szatmari P. Assessing the Evidence of Micronutrients on Depression among Children and Adolescents: An Evidence Gap Map. Adv Nutr. 2020 Jul 1;11(4):908-927. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmaa021. PMID: 32193537; PMCID: PMC7360446.