Micronutrients can help both women with prenatal depression and their babies: research

Antenatal depression affects 15% to 21% of pregnant women worldwide. It can affect birth outcomes And the development of childrenlike increase the risk of postpartum depression.

Current treatments such as therapy can be inaccessible and can take antidepressants risks for developing babies.

Over the past twenty years, research has shown that poor nutrition is one of the most important consequences contributing risk factor for mental health problems. Most pregnant women in New Zealand do not adhere to dietary guidelines, according to a longitudinal study. Only 3% met the recommendations for all food groups.

Another cohort study in Brazil shows that ultra-processed foods (UPF) were at least responsible 30% of daily dietary energy during the pregnancy, crowding out healthier options.

UPFs are chemically produced and contain additives to improve shelf life, as well as added sugar and salt. It is important that they contain few essential micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).

Consumption of these foods is concerning because a nutrient-poor diet during pregnancy has been linked to poorer mental health outcomes in children. This includes depression, anxiety, hyperactivity and inattention.

Increasing nutrients in mothers’ diets and reducing consumption of UPFs could improve the mental health of the mother and the next generation. Good nutrition can have lifelong benefits for the offspring.

However, there are several factors that mean a diet change alone may not work Enough to tackle mental health issues. Supplementing with additional nutrients can also be important to meet nutritional needs during pregnancy.

Micronutrients as a treatment for depression

Us Previous research suggests that micronutrient supplements for depression have benefits beyond pregnancy.

But to date, there have been no published randomized controlled trials specifically designed to assess the efficacy and safety of broad-spectrum micronutrients on prenatal depression and overall functioning.

The NUTRIMUM trial, which ran between 2017 and 2022, recruited 88 women in their second trimester of pregnancy who reported moderate depressive symptoms. They were randomly assigned to receive either twelve capsules (four pills, three times a day) of a broad-spectrum micronutrient supplement or an active placebo containing iodine and riboflavin over a twelve-week period.

Micronutrient doses were generally between the recommended daily allowance and the tolerable upper limit.

Based on reviews by doctors, micronutrients significantly improved general psychological functioning compared to the placebo. The findings took into account all changes noted based on self-assessment and physician observations. This includes sleep, mood regulation, coping, anxiety and side effects.

Both groups reported a similar reduction in symptoms of depression. More than three-quarters of the participants were in remission at the end of the trial. But 69% of participants in the micronutrient group rated themselves as “a lot” or “very much” improved, compared to 39% in the placebo group.

Participants taking the micronutrients also experienced significantly greater improvements in sleep and overall daily functioning, compared to participants taking the placebo. There were no group differences in stress, anxiety and quality of life.

Importantly, there were no group differences in reported side effects, and reports of suicidal ideation decreased over the course of the study for both groups. Blood tests confirmed elevated vitamin levels (vitamin C, D, B12) and less shortcomings in the micronutrient group.

Micronutrients were especially helpful for women with chronic mental health problems and for women who had used psychiatric medications in the past. Those with milder symptoms improved with or without the micronutrients, suggesting that general care and monitoring may be sufficient for some women.

The benefits of micronutrients were comparable to psychotherapy but with less contact. There are no randomized controlled trials of antidepressants to compare these results.

Retention in the study was good (81%) and compliance excellent (90%).

Beyond maternal mental health

We followed infants born to mothers who participated in the NUTRIMUM study (who were therefore exposed to micronutrients during pregnancy) for 12 months, alongside infants from the general population of Aotearoa New Zealand.

This second group of infants from the general population included a smaller subgroup exposed to antidepressants for the treatment of prenatal depression.

We assessed each child’s neurobehavioral development within the first four weeks of life, and temperament up to one year after birth.

These observational follow-ups showed positive effects of micronutrients on infants’ ability to regulate their behavior. These results were comparable to or better than typical pregnancies, and better than antidepressant treatments.

Babies exposed to micronutrients during pregnancy were significantly better at coping with external stimuli. They were also better able to block external stimuli during sleep. They showed fewer signs of stress and had better muscle tone compared to babies who were not exposed to micronutrients.

They also showed a greater ability to interact with their environment. They were better at regulating their emotional states and had fewer abnormal muscle reflexes than babies exposed to antidepressants during pregnancy.

Reassuringly, micronutrients had no negative impact on the child temperament.

These findings highlight the potential of micronutrients as a safe and effective alternative to traditional drug treatments for prenatal depression.

The prenatal environment lays the foundation for a child’s future. Further research into the benefits of micronutrient supplementation would give us greater confidence in its use for other perinatal (from the start of pregnancy to a year after birth) mental health conditions. This could offer future generations a better start in life.

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