Which Mood Supplements Should I Take?

by Evelyn Montgomery May 13, 20220 comments

How much do you think about the health of your brain?

The state of your brain is a real indicator of how you feel.

Did you know that your brain controls your mental health as well as your physical health?

It's the control centre of your whole body.

When your brain is functioning poorly it impacts your mental health.

Did you know that for your brain to work at an optimal level it needs a constant supply of 30 nutrients - 15 vitamins and 15 minerals?

When your body and brain start running low on certain indispensable nutrients – energy, neurotransmitters, and essential hormones levels start to fall and your brain becomes inflamed and your mood and thoughts become negative.

You start to struggle with your mental health.

Nutrients: A vital part of your brain care toolkit

A huge body of evidence now exists that finds that nutrients are as important to mental health as they are to physical health.

“A healthy diet is protective and an unhealthy diet is a risk factor for depression and anxiety,” says Felice Jacka, President of the International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research.

Good nutrition is crucial for brain health then. Nutrients nourish our brains and becomes the proteins, enzymes, tissue and neurotransmitters that transfers and processes information controlling every function of your body and every feeling you have.

So, it's exciting to know that you have incredible power and control over your mental health using foods and nutrients.

But I know from my own experience though how hard it is to always hit every nutritional goal when life gets busy or emotions are overwhelming.

But if you can start taking care of your brain, you can start taking care of your future health.

How to tell if your brain is healthy

When your brain needs nourishment you get a few clues.

Do you recognise any of these feelings?

Low mood - do you feel low, flat or numb and have lost the joy in life?

Anxious mind – is peace of mind a far off concept and instead you’re stuck with a mind that won’t shut up, involved in a myriad of worrying thoughts?

Easily stressed – do you get frustrated and irritated easily? It doesn’t take much for you to snap?

Brain fog – does your thinking get slow and foggy and you feel burned out?

Fatigue – do you feel low in energy but especially on a mental level where any more thinking is just too much?

Irregular emotions – do you have mood swings and feel more sensitive and tearful?

Forgetful – do you forget names and things to do more often than you’d like?

Lack of motivation – have you lost your mojo and feel like you want to work out or take care of yourself but it’s just too much?

Food cravings and indulgence – do you feed your brain the best nutrition or find yourself a slave to cravings?

Energy crashes – especially in the middle of the day? Do you keep wishing for an afternoon nap?

Disrupted sleep – do you struggle to get to sleep or do you wake in the middle of the night? Is the quality of your sleep low and you wake up feeling just as exhausted?

Underactive physically – despite your best intentions do you skip work outs and experience lower energy even if you do try to work out?

Meditation nightmare – trying to be quiet and enjoy inner peace feels too difficult with your mind restlessly flitting around?

Did you tick any of these boxes?

If yes, then maybe it’s time to look more intensely at how you can change your daily habits to help the health of your brain, to get better sleep and to build better relationships.

Take this quick quiz to find out about your brain

Do you feel stressed and struggling with a constantly low mood?

Are you overwhelmed, always have so much to do but find it difficult to focus?

Do you feel exhausted, tired all the time with little energy left for any joy in your life?

Have you start to notice that you are emotionally numb, shut down and withdrawing socially?

Do you feel alone and self-doubt rattles around your mind?

Are you crying so much more than usual for you?

Are you struggling with a bad back, tense shoulders, digestive problems, poor sleep, headaches or teeth clenching?

If so, then you might be struggling with low mood or chronic high functioning depression.

There are a lot of lifestyle changes that you can make to help your brain and mental health:

getting outside every day

doing some daily movement

connecting with loved ones

learning something new

resting and getting as much sleep as you can

learning some breathing or mindfulness exercises

and most importantly, nourishing your brain.

But which vitamins to take? Don’t worry - you have come to the right place to find out what vitamins to take to nourish your brain to help your low mood.

Vitamins and nutrients can help your low mood by helping your brain get healthy:

They can reduce inflammation.
They can correct glitches on genes.
They can boost your neurotransmitter levels.
They can balance your hormones.

What vitamins can I take for low mood?

Here’s a guide to some of the best nutrients to lift your low mood:

The Best 10 Nutrients to Improve Your Low Mood

L-Tryptophan

Helps produce serotonin and melatonin, which have several health benefits including helping to promote better sleep, providing relief from anxiety and depression, providing increased emotional well-being. It alleviates the symptoms of low serotonin which include low mood, negativity, depression, seasonal affective disorder, worry, anxiety, obsessive thoughts, and irritability [17].

5 HTP

5 HTP originates from from the seeds of an African plant known as Griffonia simplicifolia. It’s part of the tryptophan pathway and is used in the regulation of mood, appetite, gut function and sleep.

It plays an important role in reducing anxiety, stress and depression [35].

L-Tyrosine

Turns into dopamine which helps you feel joyful, energised and motivated [31]. Dopamine also influences serotonin, and together, they play a central role in regulating your mood [19].

L -Glutamine

Is a vital nutrient for the brain helping you to feel calm and relaxed as it reduces anxiety, depression and improves sleep.

DL- Phenylalanine

Helps produce dopamine, reduces brain fog, balances hormones, lifts depression, overall enhances mood, reduces pain and promotes greater feelings of happiness and fulfilment [30].

Methylated Vitamin B Complex

Taking B vitamins is crucial to brain health - especially methylated B vitamins.

What is methylation?

Methylated vitamins are the active versions of vitamins which your body can readily make use of, while un-methylated vitamins must go through a conversion process before your body can actually use them.

The problem is that many people are unable to make that conversion in their bodies because they have a genetic mutation that prevents it.

All humans have a gene called the MTHFR gene which is responsible for converting some vitamins into their usable state by the body.

60% of the U.S. and 40% of Australian and British people population have a mutation to this gene.

For all individuals who have the gene abnormality, the absorption of B-complex vitamins is either largely inefficient or lacking altogether.

So those vitamins remain mostly unabsorbed, and can simply build up to the point of toxicity.

Taking methylated B vitamins means that you can absorb them in a body ready form.

Sometimes this is the key that unlocks the optimal functioning of our brains and bodies.

The most important B vitamins are:

Vitamin B9 (Folate acid L-5 MTHF)

B9 is essential in the brain for making neurotransmitters and DNA. Supplementation has been shown to reduce depressive symptoms in people with normal and low folate levels [3]

It also helps with female fertility, reduces inflammation, and helps to balance blood sugar levels.

Vitamin B12 (Methylcobalamin)

Vitamin B12 is crucial for the release of energy, for the production of neurotransmitters and for the normal function of the brain and the nervous system. It is also involved in the formation of red blood cells and helps to create and regulate DNA [15].

The metabolism of every cell in the body depends on vitamin B12. It helps with the release of energy by helping the human body absorb folic acid.

This is especially important for vegans and vegetarians as the main source of B12 in food is in meat.

Many people who are depressed are deficient in B vitamins, so it’s important take vitamin B12 and folate (especially in the form of L-5 MTHFR) at the same time.

They are usually effective within one week of starting to take the supplements, they don’t interact with prescription medications and have fewer side effects compared to antidepressants.

Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol)

Vitamin D3 is more effective than vitamin D2 at raising blood levels of Vitamin D.

Some types of vitamin D are not vegan-friendly. Vitamin D2 is always suitable for vegans, but vitamin D3 can either be derived from an animal source (such as sheep’s wool) or lichen (a vegan-friendly source).

Vegan friendly D3 activates genes that regulate the immune system and release neurotransmitters (like dopamine and serotonin) that affect brain function and mental health.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a mood disorder featuring depressive symptoms, may be due to decreasing levels of vitamin D3, which can be helped by taking supplements.

Vitamin D deficiency impairs and prolongs recovery from depression [6]

Magnesium

(Bisglycinate, Citrate, Taurate)

Did you know that there are many types of Magnesium?

Not all magnesium supplements are created equal. Some forms are better for energy, while others are better for mood.

It’s especially to take magnesium to support your brain, your mood, to help you relax, to ease anxiety and to help you sleep better.

Magnesium Citrate is an essential mineral known to play a crucial role in mood and sleep regulation. Studies show this form of magnesium is easier to absorb, promotes mental and muscle relaxation.

Supplements containing magnesium citrate are known for their calming properties. Magnesium Citrate reduces stress, improves focus and helps you feel calm and collected.

Magnesium Bisglycinate has 80% bioavailability, meaning the body can more readily absorb the nutrient which raises your levels quickly. It has a calming effect on your brain due to the presence of glycine.

It can help relieve anxiety and promote better sleep.

It reduces premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms.

Magnesium Taurate helps decrease the risk of depression, improves overall cognitive function, memory, migraines and PMS [33].

It has been shown to help induce calmness during times of high stress or anxiety due to the presence of taurine.

Microbacteria Blend

(Probiotics)

Lactobacillus Acipophilus, Bulgaricus
Bifido Breve, Longum, Infantis
Saccharomyces Boulardii

Psychobiotics are a group of probiotics that improve not only our gut and digestive function but also our brains and moods with antidepressant and anti-stress effects [18]

Did you know that 90% of our serotonin and 50% of our dopamine is made in our gut and not the brain? And that our gut influences our mood, cognition, and mental health.

Stress can lead to changes in both the numbers and types of bacteria. This can have a knock-on effect for mood via the gut-brain communication system known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.

Probiotics are not just supplements. Probiotic bacteria actually live in the gut microbiome and have science-backed benefits for mental health.

Species of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus are found in the colon where they exert a positive influence on whole body health including alleviating anxiety, memory, and cognitive symptoms and improves our stress resilience.

In this unique blend of probiotics we have included special ones that have an important role in alleviating negative emotions, improving cognitive function, and also relieving psychological stress.

Omega 3

Healthy brains and nerve cells depend on omega 3s because the nervous system is made mostly of fat. The signals —feelings, thoughts, commands to our bodies—travel along nerve cells where the membranes are about 20 percent fatty acids which seem to be crucial for keeping your brain operating well.

More top mood vitamins

It’s hard to reduce the list to only 10 as the brain needs a combination of so many nutrients to work so here’s a few more that I couldn’t ignore:

Vitamin C (Calcium Ascorbate)

Vitamin C deficiency has been linked to depression and anxiety [7] and adding extra Vitamin C has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety and low energy levels [8].

It has also been shown to improve thinking and memory.

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine HCL)

Thiamine is very important to our brain for energy, positive mood, its powerful anti-stress properties as well as being useful for focus and concentration. Low energy, depression, fatigue, PMS and sleep disorders may be signs of mild deficiency (low levels of B1) which can be corrected with supplements [12]

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin 5’-Phosphate)

Riboflavin helps our brain with energy, mental clarity and a healthy mood through being an important factor in the production of serotonin as part of the tryptophan and Vitamin B3 pathway [13]

Vitamin B3 (Niacin Nicotinamide)

Niacin helps our brain with energy, mental clarity and a healthy mood through being an important factor in the production of serotonin as part of the tryptophan and Vitamin B2 pathway [36].

Vitamin B5 (Calcium Pantothenate)

Vitamin B5, also called pantothenic acid, is one of the most important vitamins for human life. It’s necessary for making blood cells, it helps you convert the food you eat into energy, it enhances memory, it reduces brain fog helping with focus and concentration as part of the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine [14].

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxal 5’-phosphate)

Helps our brain function and the body make the hormones serotonin (which regulates mood) and norepinephrine (which helps your body cope with stress) [32]. Vitamin B6 also helps our body make melatonin, which is important in helping regulate your internal clock and your sleep

Vitamin B7 (Biotin)

Depression and fatigue are symptoms of low Biotin levels [2] and it is one of the vitamins that is indispensable for the normal functioning of the brain. The brain needs biotin to make neurotransmitters that keep you feeling mentally alert, happy and attentive.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine

Improves mental and physical energy, improves brain power, lowers inflammation, boosts circulation, increases mental focus and increases fat burning [28].

DL-Methionine

Has antidepressant effects due to increasing brain levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine [37]. It needs vitamin B12 and folate to make serotonin.

Copper (Citrate)

Copper, and keeping it balanced with Zinc (below), stimulates production of the neurotransmitters serotonin, epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine. Low copper level symptoms include panic attacks, insomnia, phobias, migraines, depression and anxiety [34].

Manganese (Citrate)

Required for the normal functioning of your brain and nervous system. Low levels of zinc, copper, and manganese have been linked with depression and anxiety [10]. It’s also important in fertility and collagen production.

Selenium (Methionine)

Studies have shown that selenium improves mood and diminishes anxiety and confusion [4] and lowers the risk of depression [5]. Selenium is also a powerful antioxidant that fights oxidative stress and helps defend your body from chronic conditions.

Has antidepressant effects due to increasing brain levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. It needs vitamin B12 and folate to make serotonin. Many people who are depressed are deficient in B vitamins, so it’s important take vitamin B12 and folate (especially in the form of L-5 MTHF) at the same time.

It is effective usually within one week of starting to take the supplements, it doesn’t interact with prescription medications and has few side effects compared to antidepressants.

Zinc (Citrate)

Zinc is very calming and sedating, as it enhances GABA activity in the brain.

Deficiency causes depression and anxiety symptoms, and supplementation has successfully been used as a treatment [9].

It’s also fantastic for your fertility and immune system, fighting off viruses better than vitamin C

It’s pretty amazing how nutrients can help isn’t it?

Mood Me will give you 29 different ingredients that you need to restore your brain health and to help your low mood.

MOOD ME has everything you need: read more about it here

Vitamins for low mood

We all tend to eat the same sorts of foods each week which means that over time we start to miss some crucial nutrients.

It means that we end up with deficiencies and gaps without even realising it.

This has a huge impact on how our bodies and brains work. We adjust and just think that it is our normal. It’s just what we have to put up with.

But this isn’t the case.

You can make a change.

That’s where a high quality supplement can help fix the deficiencies and fill the gaps.

Your mood, your health and your life will feel transformed.

You have abundant energy and joy comes back into your life.

It can seem overwhelming to try to take all these supplements as well as trying to eat well and live a healthy lifestyle.

Many of us find that we start taking supplements with all good intentions.

We want to take care of our brain and mental health without having to take medication.

They don’t want to have the side effects of anti-depressants either.

So they try supplements. But then have problems taking so many. They end up feeling like they rattle!

It’s expensive too.

So that’s why I designed 360ME - multi-vitamins designed to improve your mood.

360ME is a multi-nutrient range of supplements that have all the amino acids, vitamins, minerals and probiotics to help you lift your mood all in one place. Just 2 easy to swallow capsules a day.

They are designed to naturally boost your serotonin and dopamine levels and ease your symptoms of low mood and depression naturally by giving your brain everything it needs to rebalance and recharge.

How you feel tomorrow really can start today.

Good brain health means good mental health.

Recent research has shown that food supplements such as zinc, magnesium, omega 3, and vitamins B and D3 can help improve people’s mood, reduce stress, relieve anxiety and depression.

Nutrients for brain health are one of the most powerful ways that you can take care of yourself and manage your mental wellbeing.

It may be that you are low in serotonin and it makes sense to try to lift your low mood by increasing the amount of serotonin ingredients in your body.

To produce serotonin you need a combination of ingredients that work together to support your brain health to helps to improve your mood and you feel happier, balanced and recharged [1].

It’s important to balance serotonin with dopamine and other neurotransmitters in your brain for you to feel happier and more energised.

Better mood and mental health starts with the right ingredients for your brain.

What is the vitamin that makes you happy?

Happy Me contains the perfect mix of vitamins and nutrients to naturally boost your serotonin levels, to lift your mood, ease your anxiety, to help you relax and sleep better.

Happy Me is a pioneering and unique superblend of nutrients to support your mental health especially if you are struggling with depression, feeling flat and struggling with your sleep and are looking for something to improve your mood

HAPPY ME is designed by a psychologist to boost your serotonin: find out more here

Nutrients are a vital part of your self-care toolkit.

They are essential to restore and maintain the levels of the 4 mood transmitters in your brain.

If your neurotransmitters are abundant + balanced you have great mental health.

The 4 mood transmitters:

1 Serotonin 2 Dopamine 3 GABA 4 Acetylcholine

If your serotonin levels are good:

you feel positive + confident + sleep well;

if they are low:

you feel negative + obsessive + worried + have bad sleep patterns

If your dopamine levels are good:

you feel energised + alert + joyful;

if they are low:

you feel flat + stuck + sensitive + unenthusiastic about life

If your GABA levels are good:

you feel relaxed + cope well with stress;

if they are low:

you feel anxious, + wired + stressed + burned out + overwhelmed

If your acetylcholine levels are good:

you feel energetic + concentrate easily + process information well;

if they are low:

you feel tired + have difficulty focusing + remembering things

For each of these 4 mood transmitters your body needs particular ingredients to make them.

For example:

Serotonin needs the amino acid tryptophan.

For dopamine you need the amino acid tyrosine.

For GABA you need the amino acid glutamine.

And for acetylcholine you need carnitine.

And tryptophan, tyrosine, glutamine and carnitine all need particular vitamins + minerals + omega oils to combine together to make serotonin + dopamine + GABA + acetylcholine.

A bit like a cake needs eggs + flour + butter + sugar to rise.

YOUR BODY NEEDS

AMINO ACIDS

(like Tryptophan + Tyrosine + Glutamine + Carnitine)

VITAMINS + MINERALS + OMEGA OILS + PROBIOTICS

MOOD TRANSMITTERS

(Serotonin + Dopamine + GABA + Aceytlcholine)

To feel happy + calm + energised

To feel like your best self

The main reasons you run low on mood transmitters are:

Being used up too quickly

Not being replenished due to nutrient deficiencies

Genetic glitches

Your levels of acute (trauma) or chronic (ongoing, long term) stresses have a huge impact on your mood transmitters. They get used up very quickly.

And when levels are low your brain is misfiring.

It hasn’t got the fuel that it needs to function fully effectively.

So to rebuild fuel supplies you can try to slow down how much you use by:

including rest + relaxation + breathing + yoga + quiet time + meditation + visualisation + daylight + sleep into your life.

And you can also help yourself replenish the levels by eating good mood foods full of high quality proteins + plenty of fresh fruit + vegetables.

Of course the ideal is to eat an amazing diet but do you skip a few meals when you busy, tired or stressed + grab a quick take away? Anything will do is sometimes the reality.

That’s why I wanted to design a multivitamin that would fill all the gaps. To be your insurance so that you can get all the nutrients you need whatever is going on in your life.

So that’s why I designed 360ME - multi-vitamins designed to help low mood.

360ME is a multi-nutrient range of supplements that have all the amino acids, vitamins, minerals and probiotics to help you lift your mood all in one place. Just 2 easy to swallow capsules a day.

They are designed to naturally boost your serotonin and dopamine levels and improve your low mood and depression naturally by giving your brain everything it needs to rebalance and recharge.

And just to make sure that you have all the ingredients you need for the perfect mood transmitter recipe they have all been included in 360 ME.

In our unique formula MoodNutrition Plus we have put a combination of tryptophan + tyrosine + glutamine + carnitine to replenish all your mood transmitters.

Each formula has also got some other special ingredients.

We have included methylated B vitamins which are vital if you have a genetic glitch that means you cannot otherwise absorb enough of these really important nutrients. Without them your body cannot make mood transmitters.

We have also included a fantastic blend of probiotics to support your gut. The gut is at the cutting edge of research into the effects of nutrition on the brain. Understanding the gut-brain axis is a fundamental element to brain + mental health especially when you consider that 90% of Tryptophan is made in the gut.

Mood Me is a brilliant multi vitamin + mineral formula for overall balance + to refuel our brains.

Happy Me is specifically designed to boost serotonin + dopamine.

Calm Me is designed to boost GABA.

And Energy Me is formulated to boost acetylcholine.

It’s pretty amazing how nutrients can help isn’t it?

We all tend to eat the same sorts of foods each week which means that over time we start to miss some crucial nutrients.

It means that we end up with deficiencies and gaps without even realising it.

This has a huge impact on how your body and brain works. You adjust and just think that it is your normal. You think it’s just what you have to put up with.

But this really isn’t the case.

You can make a change.

That’s where a high quality supplement can help fix the deficiencies and fill the gaps.

Your mood, your health and your life will feel transformed.

You have abundant energy and joy comes back into your life.

How you feel tomorrow really can start today.

Take care of yourself,

Evelyn

REFERENCES

1 https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/the-role-of-micronutrient-for-depressed-patients-2472-095X-1000116.php?aid=92980

2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4772032/

3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1123448/