Some supplements, such as omega-3s, may indeed benefit mental health, according to a major new review.

“While there has been a long-standing interest in the use of nutrient supplements in the treatment of mental illness, the topic is often quite polarising and surrounded by either over-hyped claims or undue cynicism,” says Joseph Firth, Ph.D., a senior research fellow at Western Sydney University, in Australia.

Indeed, over time, different nutritional supplements have received, by turns, either approval or disapproval from nutritionists and researchers. Studies have concluded either that supplements can benefit various aspects of physical and mental health or that they have no significant effects at all.

In particular, supplements as potential aids in the treatment of mental health conditions have received a lot of attention of late, what with recent research suggesting that the diet may play a key role in psychological well-being.

So can supplements help support mental health, or are they of little use in this regard? To try and settle the matter, Firth and colleagues recently conducted the largest review of the existing evidence to date.

“In this most recent research, we have brought together the data from dozens and dozens of clinical trials conducted all over the world, in over 10,000 individuals treated for mental illness,” Firth says.

The researchers looked at which supplements were likely to help improve symptoms of specific conditions, including depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, schizophrenia, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

They present their findings in a paper featured in the journal World Psychiatry.

“This mass of data has allowed us to investigate the benefits and safety of various different nutrients for mental health conditions — on a larger scale than what has ever been possible before.”

Joseph Firth, Ph.D.

The supplements that help — sometimes

Firth and colleagues reviewed 33 top quality meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials. Collectively, the studies included in the analyses looked at data from a total of 10,951 people with various mental health conditions.

The team wanted to find out not only which supplements would benefit which conditions, but also which dosages would achieve those positive effects and how safe the supplements actually are.

In the “Discussion” section of their paper, the authors report that “The majority of nutritional supplements assessed did not significantly improve mental health outcomes.”

However, they note, a few supplements did help improve specific symptoms of particular disorders “under certain conditions” and when the person took them alongside other treatments.

The meta-analyses that the researchers assessed indicated that omega-3 supplements could help relieve symptoms of major depression in people who also take antidepressants.

Also, limited evidence suggested that omega-3 supplements may offer small improvements to some people with ADHD.

For mood disorders and schizophrenia, N-acetylcysteine — an amino acid — seemed to help when individuals took it alongside their regular treatments.

Various dosages of folate-based supplements seemed to help with managing symptoms of depression and schizophrenia — though folic acid did not have this effect.

Yet when it comes to vitamins and minerals, the researchers found no compelling evidence to suggest that these could help manage any symptoms related to mental health.

However, the researchers add, as long as individuals follow dosage recommendations, they are not likely to experience serious adverse effects of taking any supplements. Moreover, supplements did not appear to interact with psychiatric medications.

“Future research should aim to determine which individuals might benefit most from evidence-based supplements and to better understand the underlying mechanisms, so we can adopt a targeted approach to supplement use in mental health treatment,” advises senior researcher Prof. Jerome Sarris.

“The role of the gut microbiome in mental health is a rapidly emerging field of research; however, more research is needed into the role of ‘psychobiotics’ in mental health treatment,” he cautions.

The MNT editorial team had lots of fun at the annual summer party.

In previous years, MNT‘s summer party events have included community gardening and a rocky, but joyous boat trip. This year, we decided to do something a bit different: a laughter workshop.

Never ones to shy away from trying something new, the MNT editorial team welcomed the laughter workshop with curiosity, though there were some reservations.

“I had no idea what to expect from this session,” said one editor. “I thought I’d feel a bit silly and self-conscious.”

It’s fair to say that running around a yoga studio pulling faces at each other and making Santa-style laughing noises did make us feel slightly silly, but most of us left the session feeling joyful and revitalized.

“Although I can understand why it might not have been everyone’s cup of tea, I had a hoot!” another editor commented. “It gave me the blissed out feeling of a yoga session combined with the good feelings of sharing a lot of jokes with a group of friends.”

There’s science behind these feelings. A study covered by MNT in 2017 found that laughter triggers the release of endorphins, or “feel good hormones,” which can promote social bonding.

There’s certainly no shortage of social bonding within the MNT editorial office, which contributes to our amazing culture, and — importantly — the content that we produce.

Speaking of our content, we reported on some fascinating studies this month. Our article on a study linking a class of drugs to an increased risk of dementia piqued your interest, as did our coverage of research that sheds light on how calcium in coronary arteries may predict future heart health.

Other popular news included our article on how hypertension treatment could slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and our coverage of research that suggests people with fibromyalgia have different gut bacteria.

Many of you were interested to learn about Neurobion supplements this month, as well as whether there is a link between gluten and rheumatoid arthritis. You also wanted to learn about the differences between veganism and vegetarianism.

One of my top picks this month is a feature written by our Research Editor Yella, who talks about how she got started with intermittent fasting. If you’re thinking of taking up this popular eating plan, give this article a read!

Do you have any health topics you’d like MNT to cover? Let us know! You can also reach out to us on Facebook and Twitter.

I’ll be back in July with more on what the MNT editorial team has been up to.

In the meantime, have a wonderful July filled with love and laughter!

Honor Whiteman, Managing Editor