NutraTalk Blog

Micronutrients as an Alternative Treatment for Anxiety and Depression

Posted on : October 15, 2018 by Hardy Nutritionals® — No Comments

Two University of Canterbury studies are examining broad-spectrum micronutrients as an alternative to conventional medication for anxiety and depression.

In Christchurch, New Zealand, university researchers are attempting to address "common but serious psychiatric problems" in the community.  Two new trials are currently underway, one for the general public and one for pregnant women.  Participants are taking broad-spectrum micronutrients daily in a much higher concentration than a typical daily diet can provide.  Dr. Julia Rucklidge Micronutrients

"Then we open up an avenue of exploration and opportunity to treat mental illness in a completely different way than we've been doing in the last 60 years," shares Dr. Julia Rucklidge, University of Christchurch researcher and clinical psychologist.

Worldwide depression and anxiety rates are rising.  One in 10 adults in the developed world now takes an antidepressant, according to the Mental Health and Nutrition Research group in Canterbury, NZ.

"Medications have a place.  They save some people's lives.  But sadly, they aren't helping enough people get well," Dr. Rucklidge says.

Participants in other trials have reported dramatic improvements in symptoms while taking the micronutrients, which are a blend of 40 ingredients including vitamins, minerals, amino acids and botanicals.  Now, over 100 studies have been published featuring the health benefits of using broad-spectrum micronutrients, for a wide range of issues including mood and mental health.


One participant, Andri Pretorius, shares how her life changed after starting the micronutrients.

“I was ok in my own skin,” she said.

“I could live a good life. I got confidence in my ability to keep myself well. That was a big deal for me.”

Since 2010, when the Mental Health and Nutrition Research group's first study was published, Dr. Julia Rucklidge has been a frequent face in the media, including presenting a TEDx Christchurch talk, The Surprisingly Dramatic Role of Nutrition in Mental Health, which had more than 958,000 views online.

"Our experience of the nutrients over 10 years is that when it works – and I have to always be careful to say it doesn't work for everyone – but when it does work we see a broad range of symptoms getting better...we give nutrients to people and they get better," she says.

WHAT ARE MICRONUTRIENTS?

Micronutrients – as opposed to macronutrients carbohydrate, protein, and fats – are the vitamins and minerals that the body needs in trace amounts: B-complex vitamins, selenium, iodine, zinc, magnesium, iron, copper, etc. The World Health Organization calls them "magic wands", enabling the body to produce enzymes, hormones and other substances essential for proper growth and development.  Hardy Nutritionals® Daily Essential Nutrients, which has been studied extensively by Dr. Rucklidge and others, is available worldwide without a prescription.

About
Hardy Nutritionals® multivitamin-mineral products are powered by our proprietary NutraTek™ mineral delivery technology, which combines each mineral with specialized organic molecules—just like nature—to optimize absorption and distribution to body cells. Our flagship supplement, Daily Essential Nutrients, is widely considered to be the most research-backed micronutrient treatment.
Nutrition & Mental Health: A Growing Body of Research
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