A randomised trial of nutrient supplements to minimise psychological stress after a natural disaster.
Psychiatry Res. 2015 Aug 30;228(3):373-9. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2015.05.080
Kaplan BJ1, Rucklidge JJ2, Romijn AR2, Dolph M3.
After devastating flooding in southern Alberta in June 2013, we attempted to replicate a New Zealand randomised trial that showed that micronutrient (minerals, vitamins) consumption after the earthquakes of 2010-11 resulted in improved mental health. Residents of southern Alberta were invited to participate in a study on the potential benefit of nutrient supplements following a natural disaster. Fifty-six adults aged 23-66 were randomised to receive a single nutrient (vitamin D, n=17), a few-nutrients formula (B-Complex, n=21), or a broad-spectrum mineral/vitamin formula (BSMV, n=18). Self-reported changes in depression, anxiety and stress were monitored for six weeks. Although all groups showed substantial decreases on all measures, those consuming the B-Complex and the BSMV formulas showed significantly greater improvement in stress and anxiety compared with those consuming the single nutrient, with large effect sizes (Cohen's d range 0.76-1.08). There were no group differences between those consuming the B-Complex and BSMV. The use of nutrient formulas with multiple minerals and/or vitamins to minimise stress associated with natural disasters is now supported by three studies. Further research should be carried out to evaluate the potential population benefit that might accrue if such formulas were distributed as a post-disaster public health measure.
Download the PDF from VitaminDWiki
Notes:
only 1,000 IU in the vitamin D arm and a tiny 320 IU in the broad spectrum arm
Strangely none of the RCT arms has any Omega-3
Study was cited 58 times as of Dec 2023
Effect of monthly vitamin D3 supplementation in healthy adults on adverse effects of earthquakes: randomised controlled trial 2014
- New Zealand earthquake occured during a Vitamin D RCT
“psychological adverse events-such as fatigue, stress, anxiety, and insomnia-that participants reported at their usual monthly appointments was significantly higher after the earthquake” but extra 100,000 IU of vitamin D monthly did not help
full free PDF is online
See also VitaminDWiki
- Earthquake and Vitamin D - several studies
- Mild Traumatic Brain Injury reduced by Vitamin D – May 2014
- Mental stress, physical stress associations with low vitamin D - many studies
- Need for Routine Vitamin D Screening in Military Personnel – Sept 2016 PTSD
- Vitamin D deficiency again associated with higher cost of health care – April 2015 PDST female veterans
- Depression is associated with low Magnesium – meta-analysis April 2015 a different nutrient
- Psychiatric distress 2.4X more likely if low vitamin D – July 2015
- Omega-3, Vitamin D, and other nutrients decrease mental health problems – March 2015
- Omega-3 prevents PTSD and some mood disorders - Aug 2015
- Mental stress, physical stress associations with low vitamin D - many studies
- Elderly Korean women 2.7 times more likely to feel stressed if low vitamin D – Oct 2016