In May 2019, the peer-reviewed journal Research in Nursing & Health published a study in which researchers from the United States reported a link between vitamin B12 levels and depression among pregnant women.
What did the researchers study?
Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the researchers analyzed the vitamin B12 levels of nearly 200 pregnant women. They then compared that analysis to the depression data of the same women.
What did they discover?
What they discovered was that the pregnant women who had lower blood levels of B12 were nearly 4 times more likely to experience depression. compared to those who had higher vitamin B12 levels in their blood.
How can I increase my vitamin B12 levels?
Vitamin B12 occurs naturally in common foods, and since humans can’t absorb the vitamin B12 produced by bacteria in our digestive system, we have to get it through the foods we eat. Vitamin B12 is available primarily in animal products, such as meat, milk, and eggs. It’s particularly abundant in the following foods:
- Clams
- Organ meats
- Mackerel
- Crab meat
Insects are also a good source of vitamin B12, but, well, you know.
Plant-based, naturally occurring sources of vitamin B12 are rare, mostly in tempeh, nori, laver, and some types of algae. Many processed foods (such as soy products, breakfast cereals, energy bars, and nutritional yeast), however, are fortified with vitamin B12.
What about supplementation?
Alternatively, vitamin B12 is available in supplement form. In fact, did you know that Truehope EMPowerplus contains vitamin B12? Actually, it contains 2000% of the recommended daily value of vitamin B12. EMPowerplus is a specially formulated combination of 36 select vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants designed to support physical and mental well being.
This is one more study in a growing body of research showing a connection between what we eat and our mental health. Here at Truehope, we’ve been promoting nutrition as mental health treatment for over 20 years.