Unlocking the secrets to mental resilience: The magnificent trio of Magnesium, Zinc and Iron

Not a day goes by without the report of a shocking case of suicide or self-harm. Discussions about these cases among friends, colleagues, or relatives reveal two common responses: people who overly sympathize with it and those who are critical. I am more concerned about the mental health of the first group because they often see extreme self-harm as justifiable given the circumstances.
But what are these situations that people think as justifying a suicide? They are common scenarios in modern life, like insurmountable debt, a serious medical diagnosis, the loss of a loved one, job loss, or even the end of a relationship.Why do some people brush off such setbacks and move forward, while others see them as reasons to end their lives?
The answer lies in mental resilience, our adaptability to change and uncertainty. People with high mental resilience solve problems and overcome crises, while those with low resilience lose hope, panic, and may resort to self-harm when facing challenges.
While extreme behaviors are rare, many people struggle to handle life's challenges or sudden changes, leading to fear, anxiety, depression, and despair. This is especially critical in careers and skills, where overcoming such challenges is essential for success and happiness.

The conventional view is that people are born with either poor or strong mental resilience, changeable only through therapies like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). While I believe in CBT's power, especially for some, I'm surprised that modern medicine largely overlooks how certain nutrients impact mental resilience, despite proven research.
I discovered the power of these nutrients while researching for my biohacking book, 'The Making of a Superhuman'. As a biohacker, I experimented with these nutrients and saw stunning results. Let me now explain how just three minerals impact our mental resilience.
The research on these minerals is so compelling that health-tech startups have developed supplements to optimize levels of magnesium, zinc, and iron. The combination of zinc picolinate and spirulina forms Super Zinc, while magnesium citrate and moringa create Super Magnesium. Zinc picolinate and magnesium citrate are the most absorbable forms of these minerals, while spirulina and moringa are rich, bioavailable sources of iron.
Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in countless functions within the central nervous system, mainly due to its role in hundreds of neurotransmitters. While magnesium deficiency has been observed in several mental disorders including depression, magnesium supplementation has been shown to improve depressed mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety, irritability & insomnia. Magnesium can also boost mental performance by improving short-term memory, by reducing stress and by inducing calm.
Zinc on the other hand is the mineral that governs emotions, due to its impact on the brain and the central nervous system. For instance, zinc helps in elevating the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the brain areas controlling emotions. And like magnesium deficiency, zinc deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of depression.
Iron is yet another overlooked mineral when it comes to mental resilience. While most of us, including medical doctors, associate iron deficiency with physical fatigue, this crucial mineral’s deficiency is equally applicable to mental fatigue as it is essential in the production of hemoglobin which in turn is responsible for oxygen transport to the brain too. Hence iron is essential for healthy brain function, but its impact goes further due to its role in DNA repair and antioxidative functions.
(Author: Sajeev Nair, Founder and Chairman, Vieroots Wellness Solutions)