First-ever Study of its Kind Explores the Role of Nutrition in Managing Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Study reported a 55% reduction in average Beck Anxiety Inventory score
TORONTO, September 26, 2024: 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 studies1,2 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.
About the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (ccnm.edu)
The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM), established in 1978, is Canada's premier, pan-Canadian academic institution for education and research in naturopathic medicine. CCNM has two campuses, one in Toronto and another in the Metro Vancouver area known as the Boucher Campus. Its graduates are eligible to write the licensing examinations for all regulated jurisdictions in Canada and the United States to become naturopathic doctors.
Media contact:
Karamjit Singh, Manager, Marketing & Communications
Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine
ksingh@ccnm.edu
(416) 498-1255 ext. 263
Karamjit Singh, Manager, Marketing & Communications
Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine
ksingh@ccnm.edu
(416) 498-1255 ext. 263