“We were surprised to find that externalising problems were significantly associated with reduced intake of B1, B2, B5, B6 and folate.”—Prof Oddy. Image: Kate Hisock

The study, ‘Low intake of B-vitamins is associated with poor adolescent mental health and behaviour’, examines the intake of eight B-complex vitamins (B1-thiamine, B2-riboflavin, B3-niacin, B5-pantothenate, B6, biotin, folate and B12-cobalamin) and their impact on externalising problems, such as delinquency and aggression, and internalising problems, such as being withdrawn, anxious or depressed and experiencing sleep difficulties.

Professor Wendy Oddy from the Telethon Institute of Child Health Research says the adolescent population study revealed an increased dietary intake of B-vitamins was significantly associated with increased measures of psychological wellbeing.

“It’s plausible that certain foods or vitamin supplements ensure optimal biochemical performance and improve mood and mental functioning, particularly where deficiencies exist,” Prof Oddy says.

“The mechanisms by which vitamin deficiency may impact externalising behaviours have rarely been studied and we were surprised to find that externalising problems were significantly associated with reduced intake of B1, B2, B5, B6 and folate.”

Other research has shown that young prisoners or delinquent school children, supplemented with B-vitamins and minerals were found to decrease their incidence of aggressive behaviour.

Researchers have suggested that poor vitamin nutrition affecting early brain function may predispose to antisocial and violent behaviour by affecting cognitive functions.

This study also found that low vitamin B6 and folate intake were associated with more internalising disorders, although not to the same degree.

Researchers analysed the findings of the Raine Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort Study; a prospective, longitudinal study that began in 1989 and involved 2,009 Australian women and their children from birth to 17 years of age.

At the 17-year follow-up, 835 subjects completed a Youth Self Report to assess mental health behaviour and the CSIRO 212-item food frequency questionnaire which enabled measurement of vitamin intake.

The study recommends that the role of B-vitamins requires further investigation.

“A diet rich in B-vitamins is required for optimal brain functioning and the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin so promotion of a diet rich in nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes, and fruit and vegetables would be useful,” Prof Oddy says.

The Raine Study is funded by the University of Western Australia, the Raine Medical Research Foundation, the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, the UWA Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Women and Infants Research Foundation and Curtin University.

History of Herbs

Herbs have played an important part in man's life for countless years -- in his politics, romance, love, religion, health, and superstition. 

Celery was used by the Abyssinians for stuffing pillows. Ancient Greeks and Romans crowned their heroes with dill and laurel. Dill also was used by the Romans to purify the air in their banquet halls.

Some herbs were given magical properties, probably because of their medicinal uses. The early Chinese considered artemisia to have special charms. In France during the Middle Ages, babies were rubbed with artemisia juices to protect them from the cold. Ancient Greeks used sweet marjoram as a valuable tonic and parsley as a cure for stomach ailments. Rosemary was eaten in the Middle Ages for its tranquilizing effects and as a cure-all for headaches.

Chives, still a common herb often found growing wild, had economic importance throughout Asia and many Mediterranean countries. Odd as it seems now, the early Dutch settlers in this country intentionally planted chives in the meadows so cows would give chive-flavored milk.

Mint, another popular herb today, also had its beginnings early in history. Greek athletes used bruised mint leaves as an after-bath lotion. In the Middle Ages, mint was important as a cleansing agent and later was used to purify drinking water that had turned stale on long ocean voyages. Mint also was given mystical powers It was used to neutralize the "evil eye" and to produce an aggressive character.

Mustard was lauded by Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician, and Shakespeare called it a desirable condiment in several of his plays.

Other herbs with importance dating back to early times include basil, saffron, sage, savory, tarragon, and thyme.

Early settlers brought herbs to America for use as remedies for illnesses, flavoring, storing with linens, strewing on floors, or burning for their pleasant fragrances. Some herbs were used to improve the taste of meats in the days before preservation techniques were developed. Other herbs were used to dye homespun fabrics.

Herb gardens were almost an essential feature of pioneer homes. They were placed in sunny corners near the house to be readily available to the busy homemaker. As the population of the new country grew, people from many nations brought herbs with them. This resulted in an exchange of slips, seeds, and plants.

Many herbs familiar to settlers from other countries were found growing wild in the new country. These included parsley, anise, pennyroyal, sorrel, watercress, liverwort, wild leeks, and lavender. American Indians knew uses for almost every wild, nonpoisonous plant, but they used the plants chiefly for domestic purposes -- tanning and dyeing leather and eating.

Herbs for Beginning Gardeners

Beginning herb gardeners may have a problem deciding which herbs to plant because of the large number of herbs from which to select. A quick check of your supermarket shelf will give you some idea of the types of herbs used in cooking and also will serve as a planting guide. Many cookbooks also offer information on uses of various herbs as flavorings.

Following is a good variety of flavors and uses of recommended herbs for beginners:
Strong herbs -- winter savory, rosemary, sage Herbs strong enough for accent -- sweet basil, dill, mint, sweet marjoram, tarragon, thyme Herbs for blending -- chives, parsley, summer savory

As your interest and needs increase, you can add to the variety of herbs in your garden. Keep in mind that herbs can be annuals, biennials, or perennials when selecting herbs to grow for the first time.

Annuals (bloom one season and die) -- anise, basil, chervil, coriander, dill, summer savory Biennials (live two seasons, blooming second season only) -- caraway, parsley Perennials (overwinter; bloom each season once established) -- chives, fennel, lovage, marjoram, mint, tarragon, thyme, winter savory.

What you may not know is that recent research has also shown that adequate vitamin D levels are necessary for optimal immune, brain, nerve, and muscular function and control of genes that can influence our tendency toward certain diseases. Research in these areas is still evolving.

How does someone become vitamin D deficient? Remember the age-old recommendation to get your 15 minutes of daily sunshine? Well, as it turns out, that may not be enough. A study of young Hawaiian skateboarders and surfers found that over 50% of them had vitamin D levels lower than average. Slathering on sunscreen could be an issue in blocking adequate absorption. What was really interesting was that the vitamin D levels of these tropical sun-bathing folks were compared to levels among Wisconsin residents who were taking vitamin D supplements and who aren’t riding waves or boogying down the sidewalk on their boards. Guess who had better levels? Yep, it was the pale-skinned Midwesterners. Apparently outdoor training and recreation wasn’t cutting it for maintaining adequate vitamin D levels. 

What should your vitamin D level be? Here’s the rub. The IOM panel recommends 20 ng/mL as a sufficient level, while some vitamin D advocates, including the Endocrine Society and the International Osteoporosis Foundation, note that 30 ng/mL is necessary for optimal bone health. Can you have too much? Evidence suggests that levels above 50 ng/mL may pose an increased cancer risk. But that’s not the problem for most of the population. Not having enough D on board is the critical issue.

The good news is that emerging information about vitamin D’s potential has prompted excellent new research studies. For instance, the National Institutes of Health has initiated a study to include 20,000 men and women over 60 years old to study whether 2,000 IU of vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil, or placebo will lower the risk of heart disease.

1. Get your vitamin D level checked. This is especially important for those people who are getting little sun, are at risk for osteoporosis, may have inadequate dietary intake, and are either taking no vitamin supplements or are taking them sporadically. It’s just good to get a baseline. Knowledge is power.

2. Discuss your vitamin D status and supplements with your medical team. Because there is controversy surrounding the IOM report regarding what is a normal D level and supplement intake, you need to talk with your medical professional about your individual situation. Your gender, age, level of physical activity, nutrition intake, bone status, osteoporosis risk, and sun exposure are all factors that must be considered. Then add to this your D level and you can have a comprehensive discussion about next steps to optimize your D status.

3. Add up your daily D. Just for grins, whip out your supplements and add up how much D you’re actually consuming. Multivitamins contain D at varying levels, while calcium supplements are usually fortified with D. Check out how much D you’re consuming from foods sources including fortified dairy and cereals. This will help you monitor your total intake. And it will be helpful to share this information with your medical team when you’re deciding how much D you need on a daily basis.

4. Soak up a few rays. Even though we now know that 15 minutes in the sun is probably not enough to bump your D levels sky high, it’s still good to get outdoors to reap whatever benefit you can from the sun, as well as enjoy your external environment while staying physically active. Just remember to smooth on that sunscreen after 15 minutes of exposure or you’ll never hear the end of it from your dermatologist.

5. Eat D-licious foods. You saw the laundry list of natural food sources for vitamin D. If you eat salmon, try to get the wild (not farmed) type, as it has fewer contaminants. I’m increasing my egg consumption and integrating more mushrooms into my daily salads and side dishes.