First-ever Study of its Kind Explores the Role of Nutrition in Managing Generalized Anxiety Disorder

26/09/2024 - Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine

A pilot study led by Dr. Monique Aucoin ND, M.Sc., Senior Research Fellow at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) and Adjunct Professor at the University of Guelph, is shining a light on an often-overlooked factor in the management of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): nutrition.

GAD affects 8.7% of Canadians at some point in their lives and is characterized by disproportionate worry about everyday situations, accompanied by symptoms like tension, restlessness, and sleep disturbances.

Previous studies reported a decrease in depression symptoms following dietary counselling. The Eating and Supplementation for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (EASe-GAD) study involved dietary counseling and omega-3 supplementation over 12 weeks with 50 adult women diagnosed with moderate to severe GAD.

In addition to confirming feasibility and acceptability of this treatment approach, the EASe-GAD study reported a 55% reduction in average Beck Anxiety Inventory score among those receiving the treatment.

"Our findings highlight how diet-based interventions can complement traditional treatments, especially for those who may not fully respond to conventional approaches," says psychiatrist Dr. Laura LaChance, MD, M.Sc., study co-investigator and Adjunct Research Scientist from CCNM.

The results of the study – recently published in Nutritional Neuroscience – highlight the opportunity for innovative treatment approaches beyond traditional psychotherapy and medication approaches.

"If you had a heart attack, someone on your health-care team would ask you about what you eat - but those conversations are often absent from mental health care. This study adds to the mounting evidence that diet is an important component of mental health care and that a large-scale study to confirm these findings is warranted," says Aucoin.

This study was supported by Ekhagastiftelsen, Mitacs Accelerate, AquaOmega, Lipid Analytical Laboratories and Sobeys Inc.