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Most people know when they’re stressed but very few consistently take the healthiest action to combat its negative effects. In fact, when stress strikes, people often unwittingly do the opposite; they skip meals, convenience food, guzzle alcohol, drink more coffee, and throw out of the window all those nurturing self-care habits that help to protect health and build resilience.

Stress is perhaps one of the biggest anti-nutrients known to man, it is an energy-hungry process that can quickly deplete our nutrient reserves. And when you add this to the mix of unhealthy diet and lifestyle habits that usually go hand in hand with stress, it’s no wonder that you can be left feeling seriously nutrient depleted, lethargic and struggling to get your mojo back after a particularly hectic patch.

The good news is there’s lots you can do to protect against the negative effect of stress. And the first step is to ensure that your diet supplies optimal amounts of the key nutrients that are rapidly depleted when the emergency stress response kicks into action. Read on to find out more…

Top 5 nutrients used up rapidly during stress:

1. Magnesium

So much is written and talked about magnesium that you’ll likely be in no doubt that it’s a powerful mineral with widespread benefits. It’s no coincidence that it’s at the top of this list too. That’s because stress depletes magnesium and yet we need magnesium to deal with stress. In a 2020 review article published in Nutrients on magnesium status and stress, the authors commented, “stress could increase magnesium loss, causing a deficiency; and in turn, magnesium deficiency could enhance the body’s susceptibility to stress, resulting in a magnesium and stress vicious circle”.1 Multiple studies have now demonstrated improved stress response, anti-depressant and anti-anxiety effects of magnesium supplementation.2-6 Magnesium is found in rich supply in wholegrains, nuts, seeds, legumes and leafy green veg. Yet sadly, the typical Western diet is unlikely to supply enough. The key takeaway message is that if you’re going through a particularly stressful time, it’s vital to pay attention to your magnesium intake.

2. Vitamin C

Best known for its immune-supporting qualities, vitamin C can often be overlooked when it comes to stress, yet is crucially important.  Vitamin C is found in high amounts in the adrenal glands and is released in response to ACTH (a hormone secreted during stress).7-8 The links between chronic stress and mental health disorders are well established and vitamin C has been studied for its potential as adjuvant therapeutic support in anxiety and depression.9 Humans are among only a few mammals that can’t make vitamin C; and for most other mammals, vitamin C production naturally increases during stress. Since human bodies can’t do this, we have to rely on our diets to regularly keep vitamin C stores topped up, and this is especially important during times of stress.

3. Vitamin B5

Pantothenic acid or vitamin B5 as it is more commonly known is a member of the water soluble B complex family of vitamins.  B vitamins are often nicknamed ‘anti-stress’ nutrients for their powerful ability to balance mood and calm the nervous system. B5 is an important nutrient co-factor needed during the stress response, so when stress levels increase it’s vital to pay attention to your body’s requirements for vitamin B5. It is also needed to support the synthesis of important neurotransmitters and so helps to support cognitive health and mental performance. Needless to say, it’s an important nutrient to keep topped up during a stressful patch.10-11

4. Vitamin B6

Another member of the 'anti-stress' B complex family, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is an essential co-factor in several of the biochemical pathways in the adrenal stress response. The hypothalamic / pituitary / adrenal (HPA) axis modulates adrenal activity and the stress response. Vitamin B6 is important for the proper function of the HPA axis so helps to support balance and harmony.  Vitamin B6 B6 is also involved in the production and regulation of feel-good neurotransmitters; serotonin, GABA and dopamine, and supports blood sugar balance too. Chronic stress depletes B6 so it is crucial that your diet supplies plentiful levels of this nutrient during stressful times.10

5. Zinc

Zinc is the second most prevalent trace element in the human body. It is essential for a healthy nervous system and to support a balanced stress response. Although severe zinc deficiency is rare, it is likely that many people are affected by a mild-to-moderate deficiency.12 This is due to many factors including inadequate zinc intake through a typical Western diet,13 further compounded by the fact that the body doesn’t have a specialised storage system for zinc thus regular dietary intake is crucial. In addition, many of the world’s soils are zinc deficient,14 a high consumption of phytate-rich grains can block the absorption of zinc and chronic stress can lead to low zinc levels - our bodies quickly eliminate more zinc through urine, sweat and saliva under stressful conditions. Whilst stress can lead to low zinc; low zinc levels are also problematic for the stress response. In humans, long-term exposure to uncontrollable and unpredictable life stressors is known to be a significant factor in the development of depressive disorders. There is also strong evidence that depression is accompanied by lower serum zinc. Clearly, maintaining optimal intake of dietary zinc is a crucial strategy to protect against the deleterious effects of stress.15-17 Zinc is found in high amounts in meat, poultry and oysters, and organ meats such as liver are a particularly rich source. Anyone following a vegetarian or vegan diet is at higher risk of zinc deficiency and so should pay even closer attention to including optimal levels of this vital mineral in their diet.

References:
1. Pickering G, Mazur A, et al. Magnesium status and stress: the vicious circle concept revisited. Nutrients. 2020 Nov 28; 12:3672
2. Wienecke E, Nolden C. Long-term HRV analysis shows stress reduction by magnesium intake. MMW Fortschr Med. 2016 Dec; 158(Suppl 6): 12-16.
3. Boyle NB, Lawton C et al. The effects of magnesium supplementation on subjective anxiety and stress – a systematic review. Nutrients 2017 May; 9(5): 429
4. Tarleton EK, Littenberg B, MacLean CD et al. Role of magnesium supplementation in the treatment of depression: A randomized clinical trial. PLOS One June 27 2017.
5. Barragán-Rodríguez L, Rodríguez-Morán M, Guerrero-Romero F. Efficacy and safety of oral magnesium supplementation in the treatment of depression in the elderly with type 2 diabetes: a randomised, equivalent trial. Magnes Res 2008; 21: 218–23.
6. Macian N, Duale C, et al. Short-term magnesium therapy alleviates moderate stress in patients with fibromyalgia: a randomised double-blind clinical trial. Nutrients 2022 May 17; 14(10): 2088.
7. Hooper MH, Carr A et al. The adrenal-vitamin C axis: from fish to guinea pigs and primates. Crit Care. 2019; 23: 29.
8. Padayatty SJ. Human adrenal glands secrete vitamin C in response to adrenocorticotrophic hormone. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007; 86:145–149.
9. Moritz B, Schmitz AE, et al. The role of vitamin C in stress-related disorders. J Nutr Biochem 2020 Nov: 85: 108459
10. Stough C, Scholey A et al. The effect of 90-day administration of a high dose vitamin B-complex on work stress. Hum Psychopharmacol. 2011 Oct; 26(7): 470-6.
11. Hurley LS, Mackenzie JB. Adrenal function in the pantothenic acid-deficient rat: liver glycogen, blood glucose, adrenal cholesterol and adrenal ascorbic acid levels. The Journal of Nutrition, Vol 54, Issue 3, 1 Nov 1954, Pages 403-415
12. Sandstead HH (1991) Zinc deficiency. A public health problem? American Journal of Diseases of Children, 145:853–859.)
13. https://www.who.int/publications/cra/chapters/volume1/0257-0280.pdf
14. Alloway BJ, Soil factors associated with zinc deficiency in crops and humans. Environ Geochem Health. 2009 Oct; 31(5): 537- 48.
15. Watanabe M., Tamano H., Kikuchi T., Takeda A. Susceptibility to stress in young rats after 2-week zinc deprivation. Neurochemistry International. 2010;56(3):410–416.
16. Takeda A, Taramano H et al. Behavioural abnormality induced by enhanced hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis activity under dietary zinc deficiency and its usefulness as a model. Int J Mol Sci. 2016 Jul; 17(7): 1149
17. Swardfager W, Herrmann N et al. Potential roles of zinc in the pathophysiology and treatment of major depressive disorder. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2013 Jun;37(5):911-2

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