Dr. Bonnie Kaplan and Julia Rucklidge, two researchers who specialize in the connection between nutrition and mental health, recently wrote a blog post regarding the conventional approach to research in this area: single nutrients.
But here is the primary message that emerged from that examination of the literature: scientists were not studying nutrition in the way in which humans have evolved to require nutrients — consuming lots of them together and in balance.
Instead, researchers for over 100 years have given a group of participants a single nutrient then tested for improvement. This technique has yielded benefits, but only modest ones.
There are studies showing that calcium supplementation modestly improves mood; that zinc or copper supplementation modestly improves mood and can improve attention; that various B vitamins administered one at a time modestly improve mood. This trend is visible in the present time, when our public funds have continued to support the magic bullet approach.
These researchers propose that instead research should focus on studying the effect broad-based nutrient consumption has on mental illness. After all, when we eat, we do not consume nutrient individually, but as part of a complex diet of varying amounts of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.
What do you think?