There are many mood-supporting supplements on the market today. With mental health a popular topic, and a necessary one at that, consumers are remaining interested in products that will help keep their minds clear and concentrated, and their moods manageable. Curious about which ingredients to include in your products? We’ve got you covered!
Probiotics: Happy Gut, Happy Mind
Alright, you have the probiotic that promotes gut and digestive health. But did you know that certain species of bacteria that live in the gut can also produce dopamine, which may affect mood and behavior? While more research is on the horizon, several studies show that when consumed in large quantities, specific strains of bacteria can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Your custom probiotic formula could include a strain that helps your customers feel better with less on their mind.
The Velvet Bean
Mucuna pruriens, or velvet beans, naturally house high levels of L-dopa, the precursor molecule to dopamine. Studies show that eating these beans helps raise dopamine levels, especially in people with Parkinson’s disease, which is caused by low dopamine levels. Furthermore, Mucuna pruriens supplements were found to be even more effective and longer lasting than traditional Parkinson’s medications, with fewer side effects. This is not to suggest that dietary supplements can treat or cure the disease, but there are findings that support dopamine’s positive effect on those with it.
Get Moving
Many of your customers know that exercise increases endorphin levels, thereby improving mood. Sometimes, people need to be reminded. With your preworkout powder, or nutritious superfood supplement, explain on your product label why it is vital that your customers exercise regularly. Make it known that regular exercise can improve mood and boost dopamine levels, making for a happier YOU.
The Depression Direction
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in everyday activity. It affects how one thinks, feels, and behaves, and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical complications. While it is important for people to contact their doctor when they realize their condition is more than just a case of the blues, supplementing with certain nutrients may help just as well as, if not better than, prescribed medication. Many of these nutrients can be found in products your private label brand already offers. Now, you may want to combine some of the ingredients in these products to form a mood supporting multivitamin.
Mighty Multivitamins and Mood
If you decide to offer a multifaceted multivitamin, consider vitamin B3, B9, and vitamin D. These are only a few of the many nutrients that have bene proven effective in helping people with depression. Omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and vitamin C may also help reduce people’s feelings of anxiety, restlessness, and a deeper sense of unhappiness. This is not to say that a multivitamin will cure someone’s depression, but there are ingredients that, in combination with therapy, may guide your customers to a more manageable, energized, and balanced life.
Vitamin B3, aka niacin, is related to the production of serotonin, the brain’s neurotransmitter that helps with inter-cell communication and mood regulation. A serotonin deficiency can lead to anxiety, headaches, fatigue, memory loss, disorientation, and depression, so before going down a dark tunnel, ensuring adequate intake of vitamin B3 could greatly benefit your customers.
Vitamin B9, or folate, works to regulate levels of BH4 in the body. BH4 is an important cofactor in the formation of dopamine and serotonin, meaning that it must be present for them to be produced. Disruptions in the levels of both dopamine and serotonin are linked to depression. While your customers may get their folate from green leafy vegetables and fortified grain products, a multivitamin manufactured with a safe dose of vitamin B9 could help maintain their overall mental health.
Vitamin C is something most of your customers associate with the common cold. They may not know that this nutrient can protect against immune system deficiencies and cardiovascular disease, all while playing some role mood. Studies have shown that people who have lower than normal vitamin C levels found that their mood improved after supplementing with vitamin C. It is important that you choose a reputable manufacturing company that values the importance of accurate product labeling as dosages matter and could either help your customers’ health or hurt it.
Vitamin D, the obvious nutrient that is endorsed to help with just about everything. And it’s true! Sufficient vitamin D is crucial for normal growth and development of bones, teeth, and resistance against certain illnesses. Vitamin D is vital for immune system function as it regulates the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. If the body lacks vitamin D, the body is at risk of developing bone abnormalities such as soft and fragile bones. In terms of depression, research has shown that vitamin D can play an important role in modulating mood. In one study, scientists found that people with depression who received supplemental vitamin D noticed an improvement in their symptoms. In another study involving people with fibromyalgia, vitamin D deficiency was more common in individuals who were also experiencing anxiety and depression, proving the vitamin to be all-around beneficial, possibly most for those with mood imbalances.
On to omega-3, which is needed for proper brain function. It is believed that those who experience depression may not have adequate amounts of omega’s two fatty acids, EPA and DHA, in their system, and point to the sometimes-necessary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids. While research is ongoing, studies show that EPA and DHA can significantly help improve symptoms of depression, as people in these studies who had minor depression, postpartum depression, and suicidal ideation had lower levels of the two fish oils.
Sleep can dramatically improve or deplete mood and brain health. Magnesium is a nutrient which can help your customers gain a more restful sleep at night, working to calm the nervous system and feelings of anxiety. Magnesium is also often found in brain health supporting supplements because of its agency at a cellular level improving energy levels, while promoting mood regulation.
The Importance of Manufacturing Supplements
The body and mind requires more than just the sunshine vitamin to keep happy. There are many necessary nutrients that will throw off the body’s balance of mood-supporting hormones. If your customers do not consume enough of these vitamins and minerals through food, then your role as a private label supplement brand comes to light. Consumers rely on brands that partner with supplement manufacturing companies based not only in the U.S., but on a set of principles that put safety and quality before anything else. Manufacturing supplements with a trusted GMP-compliant service provider allows your business the chance to offer customers the dietary supplements they need while becoming the brand they need.
Sources
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-increase-dopamine
- https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/mental-health/depression/related/vitamins-for-depression/
- https://www.healthline.com/health/niacin-for-depression
- https://www.beatalewismd.com/blog/folate-a-secret-weapon-against-depression
- https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/benefits-vitamin-d
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20356007
- https://vitagene.com/blog/magnesium-for-depression/
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-benefits-of-vitamin-c#