July 26, 2022 – While people around the world are polarized about their tastes, scientists agree that Marmite may be better for more than just toast.
UK pantry staples can help ease anxiety and depression, new research from the University of Reading suggests.
The study, published in the Journal of Human Psychopharmacology recruited more than 475 young adults to take daily doses for a month Placebo or high-dose vitamin tablets. The researchers measured self-reported anxiety and depression and found little significant change in those taking B12 supplements. However, vitamin B6 caused a stir.
Research shows that participants who took vitamin B6 supplements (about 50 times the recommended daily intake) reported “feeling less anxious and depressed.”
“Vitamin B6 helps the body produce a specific chemical messenger that suppresses impulses in the brain, and our study linked this calming effect to reduced anxiety in participants,” said lead author David Field, PhD, Reading University associate professor said in a press release.
The documented benefits of these vitamins It can be found in Marmite, a spreadable yeast paste popular in the UK that contains high concentrations of B vitamins and other nutrients.
This isn’t the first time sandwich spreads have been tested. The 2022 study builds on a 2017 study that found people who ate vitamin-rich spreads like Vegemite and Marmite had less anxiety and less stress.
What’s in your sandwich?
While Marmite does contain some vitamin B6, research suggests that the sedative effect this paste proposes may also come from it Contains high levels of other B vitamins, glutamic acid and tryptophan, the amino acid that makes serotonin.
The B vitamins and compounds in Marmite are precursors to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an anti-anxiety chemical that blocks the Neurotransmission to control anxiety, stress and fear.
To expand the benefits of Marmite, researchers recommend combining vitamin-rich foods with supplements or therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy.
“Many foods, including tuna, chickpeas, and many fruits and vegetables, contain vitamin B6,” Field said. “However, the high doses used in this trial suggest that supplementation is necessary to have a positive effect on mood.”
” This research is in the early stages, and the effect of vitamin B6 on anxiety in our study is comparable to what you might expect from medication Compared to expectations, it does little,” he said.
But supplements and foods like Marmite “produce far fewer unpleasant side effects than drugs, so in the future, people may prefer them,” he said.
Next time you browse the aisles of the grocery store, you might want to take another look at the love it or hate it spread. Seeing how making the perfect sandwich boils down to a science, how does the chemistry of a sandwich affect?
Click here for more information on Marmite.
