Functional Medicine and Nutrition Virtual Classroom 307 - Mental Health from a Functional Nutritional Perspective

Course overview

Describe how overlapping symptoms and abstract scoring in tools like the Beck Inventories can misclassify patients with depression or anxiety. Identify common medications such as antibiotics, PPIs, statins, and NSAIDs that contribute to depression and anxiety through nutrient depletion or microbiota disruption. Recognize pathophysiological conditions like hypoglycemia, anemia, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and celiac disease that mimic depression and anxiety symptoms. Explain the roles of folate, B12, B6, niacin, iron, zinc, magnesium, and vitamin D in neurotransmitter synthesis and mood regulation. Describe how vitamin and mineral cofactors support neurotransmitter pathways for serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and the catecholamines. Analyze how the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio influences brain inflammation, PTSD, ADHD, and aggression through cytokine and TLR4 activation. Explain how the gut microbiota influences mental health via neurotransmitter precursors, vagal signaling, and psychobiotic strains. Apply nutritional interventions such as curcumin, cannabinoids, creatine, and antioxidants to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in traumatic brain injury.