Study Reveals Nutrition Cuts Anxiety by 55%

A groundbreaking pilot study led by Dr. Monique Aucoin, ND, M.Sc., from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM), is shedding light on the impact of nutrition in managing Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). The study reported a significant 55% reduction in average anxiety scores among participants following a targeted dietary intervention.

GAD Affects Nearly 9% of Canadians
Generalized Anxiety Disorder affects approximately 8.7% of Canadians during their lifetime, causing excessive worry, tension, and sleep disturbances. While traditional treatments for GAD focus on psychotherapy and medication, the EASe-GAD study explored the effects of dietary counselling and omega-3 supplementation over a 12-week period, involving 50 adult women with moderate to severe GAD.

Diet-Based Interventions Show Significant Anxiety Reduction
The results, published in Nutritional Neuroscience, highlight the potential of nutrition-based approaches to complement conventional treatments. “Our findings show that diet-based interventions can provide additional support, especially for individuals who don’t fully respond to standard treatments,” said Dr. Laura LaChance, MD, M.Sc., co-investigator and psychiatrist.

The study underscores the importance of integrating dietary considerations into mental health care, an approach that is often overlooked. Dr. Aucoin stressed the need for further research, stating, “Diet is a vital component of mental health care, and a large-scale study is needed to confirm these promising findings.”

The study received support from Ekhagastiftelsen, Mitacs Accelerate, AquaOmega, Lipid Analytical Laboratories, and Sobeys.