Nutritional imbalances

Currently, in our Western societies, we tend to suffer from substantial nutritional deficiencies, due to intensive farming methods, poor soil quality, inadequate diets, stress, pollution and unhealthy lifestyle habits:

•  1 in 20 adults in England – 3 million people – are affected by malnutrition Elia, M. (2015). The cost of malnutrition in England and potential cost savings from nutritional interventions. [online] Southampton: BAPEN and National Institute for Health Research Southampton Biomedical Research Centre. Available at: http://www.bapen.org.uk/pdfs/economic-report-short.pdf [accessed 11 Nov. 2026].
• 92% of Americans are deficient in one or more essential vitamins and mineralsReider, C.A., Chung, R.-Y., Devarshi, P.P., Grant, R.W. and Hazels Mitmesser, S., 2020. Inadequacy of immune health nutrients: intakes in US adults, the 2005–2016 NHANES. Nutrients.
  • 80% are deficient in vitamin D
  • Over 99% are deficient in the essential omega-3 fatty acids Hyman, M. (2008). The UltraMind Solution. New York: Scribner, p. 306.
• Obesity is a growing worldwide epidemic, and obese individuals have high rates of micronutrient (vitamin and mineral) deficiencies, in particular vitamin D, chromium and thiamine Chapela, S.P., Martinuzzi, A.L.N., Llobera, N.D., Ceriani, F., Gonzalez, V., Montalvan, M., Verde, L. and Frias-Toral, E., 2024. Obesity and micronutrients deficit, when and how to supplement. Food & Agricultural Immunology.
• A tendency to certain nutritional deficiencies is also individual to each person, depending on genetics

There is a correlation between poor nutrient intake with mood disorders such as depression.Zielińska, M., Łuszczki, E. and Dereń, K., 2023. Dietary nutrient deficiencies and risk of depression (review article 2018–2023). Nutrients.

Symptoms of depression could point to a deficiency in:

• Vitamins B3, B6, B9, B12
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Zinc
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Iron – the production of serotonin depends on sufficient iron levelsZhang, Y., Liu, J., Fang, M. and Lai, R., 2026. Iron-dependent regulation of tryptophan metabolism in depression. Health and Metabolism.
• Omega 3
• Specific essential amino acids such as tryptophan
• Essential nutrients such as choline

Symptoms of anxiety and panic could point to a deficiency in:

• Vitamins B6, B12
• Vitamin D
• Zinc
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Omega 3

Baik, H.W., 2024. Mental health and micronutrients: a narrative review. Annals of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism.

“Individuals who are chronically sleep deprived often have low blood levels of several vitamins and minerals”.Ji, X., Grandner, M.A. and Liu, J., 2017. The relationship between micronutrient status and sleep patterns: a systematic review. Public Health Nutrition.

Sleep issues could point to a deficiency in:

• Vitamins B6, B12
• Zinc
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Omega 3

Kazlausky Esquivel, M. and Ghosn, B., 2024. Current evidence on common dietary supplements for sleep quality. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. Yeom, J.W. and Cho, C.-H., 2024. Herbal and natural supplements for improving sleep: a literature review. Psychiatry Investigation.

Symptoms of exhaustion could point to a deficiency in:

• Vitamin B5, B9, B12
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Zinc
• Iodine
• Magnesium
• Iron

Tardy, A.-L., Pouteau, E., Marquez, D., Yilmaz, C. and Scholey, A., 2020. Vitamins and minerals for energy, fatigue and cognition: a narrative review of the biochemical and clinical evidence. Nutrients. Aarsland, T.E., Aakre, I., Stea, T.H., Henjum, S., Markhus, M.W., Strand, T.A., Dahl, L., Korevaar, T.I.M., Bakken, K.S. and Sleire, S.N., 2025. Association of mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency with thyroid function — a systematic review and meta-analysis. Advances in Nutrition.

Symptoms of hyperactivity could point to a deficiency in:

• Calcium
• Iron
• Zinc
• Magnesium
• Omega-3 fatty acids

El-Sayed, R.M., Alamri, E.S., ElSayed, M.H., Alshehri, O.S., Altawil, A.E. and Fawzy, M.S., 2025. Role of vitamins and nutrients in the management of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a narrative review. Journal of Disability Research. Hunter, C., Smith, C., Davies, E., Dyall, S.C. and Gow, R.V., 2025. A closer look at the role of nutrition in children and adults with ADHD and neurodivergence. Frontiers in Nutrition.

Mood swings could point to a deficiency in:

• Vitamin B complex
• Vitamin E
• Magnesium
• Chromium
• Zinc
• Selenium
• Omega-3 fatty acids

Zielińska, M., Łuszczki, E. and Dereń, K., 2023. Dietary nutrient deficiencies and risk of depression (review article 2018–2023). Nutrients.

Symptoms of irritability could point to a deficiency in:

• Vitamin B12
• Omega 3
• Calcium
• Iron
• Magnesium

Zielińska, M., Łuszczki, E. and Dereń, K., 2023. Dietary nutrient deficiencies and risk of depression (review article 2018–2023). Nutrients.

Symptoms of poor concentration and attention could point to a deficiency in:

• Vitamin B1, B5, B12
• Zinc
• Magnesium
• Omega 3
• Vitamin D

Poor memory and Alzheimer’s disease could point to a deficiency in:

• Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B7 (Biotin) B9, B12
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin C
• Magnesium
• Calcium
• Zinc
• Selenium
• Iron
• Omega 3

Miteva, M.T., Laurenti, D., Mattioli, R., Di Risola, D., Mariano, A. and Mosca, L., 2026. Vitamin deficiencies and Alzheimer’s disease: evidence and implications for supplementation. Frontiers in Nutrition.

Neurotransmitters for mood, calm, sleep, etc. must be continually produced from the nutrients in the food that we eat, digest and absorb. These neurotransmitters include:

• Serotonin, the neurotransmitter that regulates our mood, alertness, sleep and appetite
• GABA, the neurotransmitter that makes us feel calm, relaxed and focused
• Dopamine, the neurotransmitter that gives us focus, motivation and pleasure
• Acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter essential for attention and memory

Nutrient deficiencies and imbalances can reduce the production of neurotransmitters and may also alter how sensitive our brain cells are to these neurotransmitters.

If we don’t eat and absorb the right nutrients from our food, our body may not be able to produce the right balance of hormones for our mental health:

• Optimal levels of sex, stress and thyroid hormones, are important for mental health, and require good amounts of cholesterol and essential fatty acids, as well as protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals
• Optimal levels of insulin are necessary to ensure stable blood sugar, which is essential to mood, anxiety levels, cognitive function, etc.

Lisco, G., Giagulli, V.A., De Pergola, G., De Tullio, A., Guastamacchia, E. and Triggiani, V., 2024. The role of nutrition on thyroid function. Nutrients.

The primary cause for nutritional imbalances is usually an unhealthy diet. If your diet predominantly consists of the list below, there is a good chance it’s not providing you with the nutrients you need for a healthy brain and moodsRamachandra, S., Sohrabi, H.R., Ho, V., De Silva, B.G.D.N.K., Fernando, W.M.A.D.B. and Martins, R.N., 2025. The impact of diet and gut microbiota on cognitive health: a comprehensive review. Alzheimer’s & Dementia.

• Packaged, prepared and processed foods, which are devoid of healthy nutrients and full of the wrong kinds of nutrients
• Fried foods and “junk foods”
• High intake of refined carbohydrates such as sugar and white flour (white breads, white pasta, etc.)
• Low intake of whole foods and fresh foods such as vegetables, fruits, grains and moderate amounts of meat, poultry and fish

It has been shown that diets consisting of mainly fast foods and processed foods are associated with an increase in depressive symptoms, while diets which have high concentrations of vegetables, fruits and fish are associated with a lower risk of depressive symptoms.Zhang, H., Li, M., Mo, L., Luo, J., Shen, Q. and Quan, W., 2024. Association between Western dietary patterns, typical food groups, and behavioral health disorders: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Nutrients.

Even if you do have a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, unless they are organic (which has been shown to correlate with higher concentrations of antioxidants and polyunsaturated fatty acids) and local, they often contain fewer micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants) than they traditionally would have due to:

• Poor soil fertility, often due to intensive farming methods which deplete the soil of micronutrient (minerals and vitamins) density
  • Deficiencies associated with poor soil fertility include selenium, zinc, iodine and magnesiumDuborská, E., Šebesta, M., Matulová, M., Zvěřina, O. and Urík, M., 2022. Current strategies for selenium and iodine biofortification in crop plants. Nutrients. Lopes, S.O., Mayer, E.M., Azevedo, F.M., Candido, A.C., Bittencourt, J.M., Morais, D.d.C., Franceschini, S.d.C.C. and Priore, S.E., 2025. Nutritional status of iodine and association with iron, selenium, and zinc in population studies: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients.

• Long transportation distances can deplete the nutritional content of vegetables and fruit
• Excessive pesticide and herbicide use

If you have a well balanced diet but don’t digest and absorb your food adequately, you may still have nutritional deficiencies.

Poor digestion can be due to:

• Poor eating habits
• Gut issues, such as leaky gut, bacterial dysbiosis, low hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes
• Stress and state of mind
• Insufficient chewing

The following eating habits can hamper digestion and absorption of the nutrients from your food, or can create blood sugar imbalances which are detrimental to mental health:

• Rushed meals on the run can cause high cortisol and lowered HCL (stomach acid) and digestive enzymes
• Insufficient chewingKumar, A., Almotairy, N., Merzo, J.J., Wendin, K., Rothenberg, E., Grigoriadis, A., Sandborgh-Englund, G. and Trulsson, M., 2022. Chewing and its influence on swallowing, gastrointestinal and nutrition-related factors: a systematic review. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.
• Smoking, drinking significant amounts of alcohol and chronic drug use can lead to vitamin and nutrient deficiencies
• Skipping meals and eating irregularly can cause imbalances in blood sugar which can contribute to mental health issues

Rasiah, R. et al., 2025. Malnutrition in substance use disorders: a critical issue in their treatment and recovery. Healthcare.

Gut issues, such as leaky gut, gut dysbiosis, low stomach acid or insufficient digestive enzymes which are usually caused by poor diet, ageing, toxins and stress, further hamper digestion and absorption of nutrients:

• Gut dysbiosis is the disturbance of normal levels of gut bacteria, with reduced levels of good bacteria, and increased levels of bad bacteria. Gut dysbiosis can hamper digestion and absorption of nutrients
• Leaky gut, also known as intestinal permeability, is when the tight junctions of the gut become permeable, and allow particles of undigested foods and other substances such as microbes and toxins to pass into the bloodstream. Leaky gut can compromise proper digestion and absorptionZuo, K., Odenwald, M.A. and Turner, J.R., 2023. Paracellular permeability and tight junction regulation in gut health and disease. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology.
• A lack of hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes will cause poor digestion and absorption of nutrientsWhitcomb, D.C., Buchner, A.M. and Forsmark, C.E., 2023. AGA clinical practice update on the epidemiology, evaluation, and management of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency: expert review. Gastroenterology.

Our state of mind can have a big impact on how fast we eat, how well we chew, digest and absorb our food:

• Stress and anxiety increase cortisol which in turn slows our digestion by reducing the production of digestive enzymes
  • This is why the opposite of “fight of flight” is considered to be “rest and digest”
• Anger and resentment increase cortisol, constrict blood flow to the digestive organs, and hamper digestion
• When we do not pay attention to eating our food, we tend to eat faster and chew less, which hampers the digestive process
• When our attention is distracted, we will likely consume more of a certain food, possibly an unhealthy one, and require a stronger taste (more sugar and salt)Gough, T., Mann, T., Ahmadyar, K., Finlay, I. et al., 2026. Eating while distracted: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of distraction on concurrent and later energy intake in adults. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Genetic mutations can cause imbalances in certain nutrients. For instance, the MTHFR polymorphism can cause low folate, low B12, and high homocysteine.

This can lead to mental health issues arising from low B vitamins leading to low neurotransmitters and other neuroendocrine and chemical imbalances.

Pyroluria is a genetic condition which can cause low B6 and low zinc in particular. It can contribute to anxiety, in particular social anxiety, and depression.

It can be accompanied by poor mouth health, morning nausea, motion sickness, joint pain, pale skin among other things.