5. Zinc: There’s a Link, but It’s Too Soon to Recommend It
Zinc requirements increase during pregnancy, and as with B12 and folate, people who follow plant-based diets may be at an even greater risk of not getting enough.
That said, only limited research has linked lower zinc levels with greater PPD symptoms.
A meta-analysis of randomized trials found that mineral supplements, including zinc, weren’t significantly better than placebo for PPD.
One potential challenge is that inflammation can affect zinc levels in the blood, making zinc status more difficult to interpret, Golden says.
“Research on zinc and postpartum depression is tricky, because zinc levels go down as inflammation goes up,” she adds, which may be a particularly important factor to consider in the postpartum period. In fact, a recent study that measured zinc during pregnancy and at three months postpartum accounted for signs of inflammation when assessing participants’ zinc levels.
For now, though, there isn’t enough evidence to recommend zinc supplements in place of established PPD care. “Supplements [like zinc] are better used as an adjunct to established treatments, like psychotherapy and medication, as opposed to replacing them,” De Faria says.
