Nutrient deficiencies and mom’s mental health
Pop quiz.
What’s an area of our health where nutrition has a huge, well researched evidence based role, but no one ever talks about it when it comes to treatment options?
Mental health and mood disorders.
This topic is huge, and the lack of good comprehensive treatment really gets my goat. So let’s dive in.
But actually before we jump in - I want to say that I know mental health is nuanced and multifaceted. I am not talking about do this (nutrition) NOT that (therapy or meds). There is a space for an AND here, and this is where I want to take you.
Mental health for moms isn't only about stress, what's happening in your environment, the invisible load, genetics, or the need for meds.
And while therapy is helpful for ALL of us and medications can be life saving—there is still room to talk about what role nutrition plays. Because it's big.
If we can improve things like nutrient deficiencies, gut health, inflammation, and hormones—everything gets better, including mood.
In this article we're talking about the connection between brain health, mood, and your nutrients. (I promise, it's not as boring as that sounds.)
Let's get at it!
In my practice, I see a huge amount of moms struggling with their mental health. From PMS to mommy rage to clinical depression and anxiety - moms are carrying a huge mental health load while trying to parent and be a functional human in a world that often feels like it’s falling apart.
In most cases, working on their nutrition which includes eating in a way that’s suitable for this phase of life (and not pre-baby 20s), identifying and correcting nutrient deficiencies, and using some strategic supplements can significantly improve their mental health and sometimes completely turn around all of their symptoms.
And this isn’t just me and what I see clinically.
There is a lot of research in this area, and similar dietitians are getting these types of results.
In this article, I want to share with you the 6 nutrients that are most important for mental health.
We’ll dig into what the research says, what I see clinically in my nutrition practice, and how to help your body balance each nutrient. Let’s go.
Protein —
At the top of my list is something that not many moms got enough of during pregnancy, and since pregnant bodies prioritize giving protein to the baby in utero - many moms can come out of pregnancy super deficient. Did you know protein requirements are around 100g during pregnancy, which is about double what the average pregnant woman is eating? Your needs in postpartum are even higher than that because of healing, lack of sleep, and nursing if applicable.
The combination of higher requirements in pregnancy and postpartum and lower intake really sets the stage for deficiency—sometimes for years! I also see low protein intakes and clinical symptoms of deficiency in moms well past the postpartum stage. Same goes for everything else in this article, so if that’s you - keep reading!
You need protein to manufacture neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA, which are directly related to your mood. Low amounts of quality protein have been linked to higher rates of both depression and anxiety because we’re not getting these building blocks. When a body is protein deficient, things like hormones and neurotransmitters are last in line to get their share.
Clinically, I see that increasing protein to about 100g per day (which averages out to about 30g in each meal and then some more from snacks) can help mood, sleep, and energy significantly.
Blood Sugar –
This isn't quite a nutrient deficiency, but I see over and over in my practice that an imbalanced intake of carbs is heavily linked to anxiety. Why? When carb intake is wonky, we’re more likely to have blood sugar spikes and dips. Blood sugar crashes are a huge anxiety trigger for many!
What do I mean by “carb imbalance?”
Two common scenarios:
Meals that favor carbohydrates without enough protein and fiber to balance the plate. Blood sugar rises quickly, and then falls. This causes fatigue, a cortisol spike, cravings, and very often - anxiety.
Low carb meals are also an issue! Protein, fat, and fiber are great. Please eat more of them! But when meals (particularly breakfast and lunch) don’t have enough good quality starches, blood sugar can also be driven down. This is especially true for those that are exercising regularly and/ or breastfeeding.
So carbs are like Goldilocks. We want juuuuuuuust the right amount and not too little or too much. An easy way to test this is if you get an energy crash in the afternoon and anxiety hits - have a little snack. Do you feel better? More energy and less anxious? We’ve got to balance out those meals!
Once my patients hit the right meal timing, the anxiety often improves and in some cases, completely disappears. Yay!
Magnesium –
Research on magnesium is super interesting. We see that low magnesium levels in the body is associated with anxiety - “regular” anxiety as well as PPA. And there is also plentiful studies showing that a therapeutic dose of magnesium supplementation can improve symptoms of both anxiety and insomnia (which go hand-in-hand!).
This is a huge reason why I run comprehensive nutrient tests with my patients. Magnesium is one of my favorite supplements to use with my mama clients too!
Magnesium also indirectly supports mental health by its role in sleep. I think we all know that a sleep deprived mom is a grumpy and anxious AF mom, so any help in that area is going to play a role in mental health! Magnesium helps to regulate the sleep hormone melatonin, and also plays a crucial role in the activation of the calming neurotransmitter GABA, aiding in relaxation and promoting a more peaceful sleep. Sign us all up for some of that!
Zinc –
Low intake of zinc and low serum zinc are linked to depression as well as anxiety. There's specific research connecting this mineral to PPD as well.
It's interesting to note here that the pill depletes zinc. I know almost all of my patients, friends, and myself were on the pill for years and years prior to having our children. This mineral can also be difficult for some to absorb, especially if there are gut issues - and is mostly found in animal products. So many moms are going into pregnancy with lower than ideal levels, and then baby gobbles what you have left right up!
Eating a heavier protein diet with a focus on animal sources, and taking a good quality prenatal during pregnancy and postpartum (my favorite is FullWell - save 10% with the code ALISON10) is really helpful at replenishing Zinc levels. If there are gut issues, you want to also focus there! I don’t generally recommend supplementing with Zinc by itself because too much is also a problem.
Iron –
Ahhh, iron. The most common nutrient deficiency in the world for women of childbearing ages. (That’s you). Low intake of heme iron (read: red meat), heavy periods, gut issues, pregnancy, blood loss from childbirth - all set the stage for significant iron deficiency. I recommend everyone get a full iron panel with ferritin yearly to keep an eye on your levels.
Deficiency in iron is linked to many mental health diagnoses and it is thought that this happens via decreasing serotonin production. Even those without a diagnosis of anemia can have lower than ideal levels that are contributing to mood issues, which is why a CBC isn’t a comprehensive enough test. I've heard many stories of new moms being misdiagnosed with PPD only to find out their symptoms were actually caused by iron deficiencies and they felt better once it was corrected. This is a huge reason why I always have my patients get a full iron panel when we start working together. I’ve seen levels so bad they need regular iron infusions!
Alright that’s a wrap!
These are the most common nutrient deficiencies I see, but it's not the entire picture. There are also links between vitamin D, several B vitamins, and minerals like copper and selenium and mood issues.
Here’s the thing - babymaking is nutritionally expensive, and these deficiencies and symptoms can last years if not addressed. This is why in my work with clients, we focus on eating MORE of these nutrients and stabilizing our blood sugar. And why nutrient testing is so important during any health or symptom assessment so we can see the whole picture.
