Specific Nutrient Intake Via Diet and/or Supplementation in Relation to Female Stress: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Women are negatively impacted by psychological stress and despite the prolific use of dietary supplements to manage stress there is little evidence to support their use for such. This study examined the relationship between intake of specific nutrients through diet and/or dietary supplementation and level of perceived stress. Method: In this cross-sectional study of adult Australian women (n = 74), perceived stress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale, dietary intake was assessed using a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire, and supplement usage was recorded using a Supplement Use Questionnaire. Results: Potentially substantive reductions in stress scores were associated with polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation: a-linolenic acid (mean difference [MD] = À3.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] = À7.97 to 1.29), linoleic acid (MD = À4.08, 95% CI = À8.97 to 0.82), c-linolenic acid (MD = À2.23, 95% CI = À7.20 to 2.74), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)/docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (MD = À4.05, 95% CI = À8.07 to À0.03). There were negative correlations between intake of vitamin B6 and vitamin C and stress (r = À0.50 and À0.35, respectively). Compared with nonsupplementers, stress scores were on average 0.92 units lower among those supplementing with magnesium and vitamin B6 concurrently (95% CI = À3.88 to 2.03). An increase in vitamin B6 through food was related to lower stress scores. For most nutrients, intake from food was positively associated with supplementation status. Conclusion: There is some evidence to suggest potentially meaningful associations between intake of particular nutrients and stress, although CIs were wide and there were no statistically significant relationships observed. Further research is warranted to investigate any potential benefits more precisely using randomized controlled trials or large-scale observational studies.

Women's experience of stress and related use of diet and/or dietary supplements

“…The objective of this qualitative study was to examine the lived experience of stress among women and their use of diet and/or DSs to manage stress. A cross‐sectional study that examined the relationship between psychological stress and dietary supplement intake found no significant relationship between any specific nutrient and stress among the sample of women, and helped inform the research questions in this study (McCabe, Bednarz, Lockwood, & Barker, 2020).…”

“…A population of 74 women who had participated in a preceding crosssectional survey (McCabe et al, 2020), that examined the relationship between stress and specific nutrients consumed via diet and/or DSs, were invited to take part in this PAR study. Thus, although this was a convenience sample, it was also purposivewe were also selecting from a group of women who had previously acknowledged their lived experience of stress and were therefore able to call upon experience particular to this study.…”

Management Accounting for Healthy Nutrition Education: Meta-Analysis

“…Analysis of this school of thought indicates that dietary supplements must contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, amino acids, herbs or other plants or enzymes. Moreover, it has revealed that certain supplements can help to ensure that the individual receives enough vital substances that the body needs to function, or they help to reduce the risk of disease, although it emphasizes that supplements should not completely replace foods that are necessary for a healthy diet, as indicated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) of the United States [101,102].…”

Association between 29 food groups of diet quality questionnaire and perceived stress in Chinese adults: a prospective study from China health and nutrition survey

“…A previous study by Leng et al suggested that a higher level of stress can be considered harmful and has a certain degree of negative impact on a person’s health [ 3 ]. It impairs emotional, physical, cognitive, and social functioning [ 4 ] and puts people at increased risk of stress-related health problems, especially depression [ 5 ]. Bremner et al, reviewed the associations between diet, stress, and stress-related disorders.…”