#324 Can Multivitamins Help Treat Depression, Anxiety and Prevent Mental Health Issues? | Professor Julia Rucklidge

Coming into this podcast my opinion was that multivitamins are just not worth it. Whether that’s for general wellbeing, cardiovascular health, sleep and especially mental health, I just was not convinced that they did anything at all.

But I specifically wanted to speak with Professor Julia Rucklidge, clinical psychologist and Director of the Mental Health and Nutrition Research Lab at the University of Canterbury, because she has a very different opinion.

Julia’s groundbreaking research and viral TED Talk have transformed how psychiatrists and mental health practitioners think about nutrition and mental illness, especially the potential of broad-spectrum micronutrients to support mood, focus, and resilience.

We explore:

• 💊 Why “no single ingredient solutions” matter, and when multivitamins might actually help
• 🧬 How stress, inflammation, and modern farming have changed our nutrient needs
• 🧠 The mechanisms linking nutrients, mitochondria, and neurotransmitters to mood and cognition
• 👩‍🔬 The evidence for micronutrients in ADHD, PMS, Depression and Anxiety
• 🥗 How to choose quality supplements and avoid the hype

If you’ve ever wondered whether taking a daily multivitamin is worth it or how food and nutrients impact the brain, this episode will challenge your assumptions and expand your understanding of nutrition for mental wellbeing.

Julia has made me reconsider my personal perspectives on multivitamins, and I’m excited to dive deeper into this topic on future podcasts and with our internal research team.

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