The Bright Side

Mood waxes and wanes—help your customers stay positive.

We feel it every day and often it can dictate what we do, how much we do, and what we don’t do. Mood.

“Mood is something that is internally felt, and its vibration can affect us to our core, dictating our behaviors and physical actions and, of course, how the outside world perceives us. And consumers are feeling it,” said Trisha Sugarek MacDonald, BS, MS, senior director of research and development, national educator for Texas-based Bluebonnet Nutrition Corp.

Kat Wiranowski, director of brand & retail marketing, Organic India USA, Colorado, related that “we think of mood as a reflection of the state of one’s overall well-being. When any biological system is out of balance, remaining grounded in a stable positive mood in the face of the stressors of daily life can be incredibly challenging.”

Neurologist and ayurvedic practitioner Kulreet Chaudhary, MD, medical consultant to Maryland-based Healthy Directions, explained that mood is a complex physiological experience, as it is the result of the intermingling of neurochemistry, gut health, hormonal balance and social/psychological experience. “The greater internal harmony there is, the better your mood and the greater internal disharmony within, the worse your mood. Even though we think our external circumstances are determining our mood, in reality, our internal harmony determines how we perceive, interpret and respond to our external circumstances.”

Mood isn’t an isolated condition, as it is interwoven with other well-being factors and is impacted easily by endogenous and exogenous factors, as Chaudhary noted. Stress and anxiety will cause mood to plunge and remain low to the ground.

According to Sugarek MacDonald, in 2021, a survey conducted by The Harris Poll for the American Psychological Association (APA) found that 63 percent felt that the uncertainty about what the next few months will be like causes them stress, and that 36 percent said it has been more stressful to make day-to-day decisions. The results of this survey also suggest that consumers understand the link that stress has on mood.

In the viewpoint of Kurt Cameron, CMO, Omne Diem, Michigan, the topics of mood and mental health have really come forward in the wake of COVID-19. The isolation and uncertainty surrounding the pandemic—not to mention the global sociopolitical landscape—have undoubtedly contributed to mood disturbances. Reductions in positivity, motivation, sense of purpose—these feelings and others have become more prevalent for thousands of people. According to the latest 2022 survey by Mental Health America, he cited, nearly 20 percent of American adults are experiencing at least one form of mental illness, while over 15 percent of American youth (12-17) have experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past year.

“I own three health food stores and two supplement brands, Lively Vitamin Co and Wild Theory CBD, that we sell to other health food stores, so I can state for sure that the mood category has grown substantially over the last few years in all three of these businesses,” said Madison, WI-based retailer Tim O’Brien. “I am convinced that this is from COVID. The amount of stress, anxiety, depression and sleep problems seems to have skyrocketed. Further, folks are strongly motivated to find relief with supplements and natural remedies because the medications they have tried or are still on seem to be dissatisfactory to them.”

Nutritional Impact

When working with customers who want to support healthy mood, discussing nutrition and diet will be informative and empowering as certain changes will be felt.

Cheryl Myers, chief of scientific affairs and education, EuroPharma, Inc., Wisconsin, commented, “The foods a person eats can have very supportive—or destructive—effects on serotonin, a primary mood regulatory hormone. A study of Norwegian adults found that those consuming a healthy diet, including fish, vegetables, berries and whole grains, were much less likely to suffer depression than those who regularly ate processed foods.”

She pointed to a similar study finding that a diet abundant in vegetables, fruit, meat, fish and whole grains was associated with lower odds for major depression, dysthymia and anxiety disorders. A diet of processed or fried foods, refined grains, sugary products and beer promoted the exact opposite.

Inflammation-promoting foods are a culprit in sustained low mood, as in most cases of depression, inflammation is a significant factor. “Studies conducted at Cork University Hospital and College in Ireland found that chemical stress responses from the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis encourage the release of inflammatory cytokines that have a detrimental effect on the brain and behavior. This is a much more complex set of factors than the previous ‘brain chemistry only’ model,” she said.

Nutritionists tend to emphasize that diets and lifestyle choices may promote mood, brain health and cognition. According to Sugarek MacDonald, the major nutritional categories that have been tested in human clinical trials include the macronutrients (i.e., carbohydrates, protein and fatty acids), especially those of the MIND diet (a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH diet), micronutrients like vitamins and minerals, dietary constituents like caffeine, and dietary supplements that contain adaptogens, melatonin, amino acids and many others.

The Gut-Mind Connection

Along with the HPA, the gut-brain-axis, or “second brain,” is also heavily involved in mood state and regulation. The gut microbiome has been figuring more prominently in mental health, and Wiranowski recommended high fiber intake, such as psyllium. Psyllium provides both soluble and insoluble fiber. “It is a natural prebiotic and is the most researched fiber with dozens of clinical trials to support its many benefits—one of which is gut microbiome support,” she explained.

In ayurveda, one of the most important aspects of mood is the way in which food and gut health impact mental health—mind and gut are inseparable, pointed out Chaudhary. She emphasized, “The foods you eat, and the strength of your digestion determine the quality of your thoughts and mind. When our food is nutrient poor and grown in a way that harms the body, this deprives us of the basic building blocks for a healthy mood. The fastest way to shift mood is by improving gut health, shifting your microbiome and changing your diet.”

Continual research into the biochemistry and mechanics of the mind-gut connection is supporting what ayurveda has known for thousands of years, said Chaudhary—that the gut is instantly impacted by mood. For example, the moment we hear bad news, the stomach suddenly tightens. “Chronic mood disorders result in chronic gut disorders, which in turn worsen the mood disorder. It becomes a negative feedback loop. This is why in ayurveda, the gut and mind are always treated simultaneously,” she said.

Additionally, it is known that the gut produces approximately 90 to 95 percent of serotonin, the chief “feel good” neurotransmitter.

Related Factors

Beyond the conversation about diet and food, there are other approaches to supporting mood and likely many are integrative. “This is tricky for the retailer in the aisle, due to the sensitivity of the subject,” related Cameron. Therefore, it may be wise to approach the mood conversation from a mind-body perspective.

“Many factors can be responsible for a low mood,” said Myers. “So, if a retailer is asked about exercise support supplements or pain relief, they may also talk about how challenging it is to get physically motivated during winter months, or how tough sticking to a healthy diet can be and see if that sparks additional conversion on the customer’s part,” she suggested.

Conditions such as inflammation, immune status, physical activity, and even exposure (or lack thereof) to sunlight all influence mood and therefore, identifying and acting on one all-cause may be futile. Instead, Myers said, “I think that retailers can truly help their customers improve mood by doing something at which they likely excel: active listening.”

Mood-Support Supplements

Discussing supplements that help improve outlook and mood may take a while, as there are quite a few to recommend.

At Your Healthy Place, the No. 1 selling product for mood health “by a landslide” is Strata, a CBD/THC gummy, reported O’Brien. This product offers 25 mg CBD plus 2.5 mg delta 9 THC. “It’s legal in all 50 states based on the 2018 Farm Bill. Customers say it begins to work to uplift mood in only about 30 minutes.”

Green tea can be suggested as its high content of l-theanine has been shown in preliminary research to increase dopamine production. Vitamin D also regulates dopamine and other neurotransmitters that modulate mood. B vitamins support the structure and function of the nervous system. Magnesium is fundamental for mood sustenance, as low magnesium levels are correlated with depression, apathy and anxiety. Omega-3 EFAs help support healthy mood as they support brain structure and function. GABA (gamma amino butyric acid) is also widely researched as a natural solution to depressed mood. And St. John’s wort remains a “go-to” herbal supplement for brightening outlook.

Bluebonnet Nutrition Corp., said Sugarek MacDonald, has a wide range of products to help soothe emotional, physical and mental stressors. Since your individual customers’ needs are unique when it comes to mood modulation, Bluebonnet has a wide range of products, including melatonin, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, omega fatty acids, combination formulas and herbal products to help address their individual concerns.

Bluebonnet offers whole-food based formulas that help support mood, such as Targeted Choice Stress Relief and Sleep Support Vegetable Capsules. These formulas are vegan, free of common allergens (e.g., soybeans, gluten, and wheat), non-GMO (genetically modified organism) and kosher certified. “Bluebonnet’s Targeted Choice Stress Relief and Sleep Support Vegetable Capsules are a great adjunct to help keep high stress levels in check and maintain a healthy sleep cycle routine,” she commented.

Organic India USA’s Stress & Mood Support Daily Pack box consists of 30 daily packs, each containing six herbal supplements targeted toward stress relief and mood balance. “Each Stress & Mood Support Pack contains two capsules each of tulsi for stress-relief, Joy! formula for mood and nervous system support, and ashwagandha for balanced energy and adrenal function,” Wiranowski said.

More specifically, tulsi and ashwagandha are primary adaptogen herbs in the products. “Tulsi is valued for its characteristic of uplifting mood and working synergistically with other adaptogens. It is considered a tonic for body, mind and spirit, and in ayurveda, is a common remedy for stress, mood, digestive and respiratory-related issues,” she described.

Ashwagandha is known as a rasayana or restorative herb that helps invigorate the mind and body, she added. Ashwagandha’s root has been used as an herbal supplement for centuries as a natural source of energy and vitality and is especially useful for low mood and its corresponding apathy. Also classified as an adaptogenic herb, ashwagandha promotes a healthy response to environmental, emotional and physical stress. Ashwagandha has also been shown in clinical studies to provide restful sleep and help manage stress, as well as to rebuild vitality after a depleting event, and improve mood.

Organic India USA’s Joy! formula is made with nootropics and adaptogens that support energy and vitality, while promoting cognitive wellness and a healthy response to mental, physical and environmental stress. It blends herbs such as gotu kola, bacopa and shankhpushpi to provide mood and relaxation benefits.

When recommending Organic India USA’s products for emotional and mood well-being as well as stress relief, Wiranowski advised encouraging the customer to develop a lifestyle ritual around taking the daily pack. Retailers can tie in mindfulness by recommending meditating a couple minutes before and after taking the herbal supplements, and then take a few more minutes to write out everything he or she is grateful for that day. The mood-lifting experience can be embellished “by lighting candles and incense, putting on music that lifts your spirits and savor the quieter seasons of life with a practice of self-love and non-judgment.”

Similarly, Healthy Directions’ product line is also formulated with ayurvedic healing principles and botanicals. Its brain formula, said Chaudhary, can be recommended for mood support. She explained, “Some of the herbs have become well known in the West, such as ashwagandha and Brahmi, while others have yet to be explored, such as shankhpushpi, which is one of the most well-known mood stabilizing herbs in ayurveda.”

The formula also contains ingredients to support a healthy gut microbiome, notably a spore-forming probiotic that has been researched for its brain support benefits, as well as other mood-support nutrients, she added.

Another adaptogen formula, EuroPharma’s Adaptra, combines ashwagandha and rhodiola. The ashwagandha in the supplement has shown remarkable stress and cortisol reducing capabilities, decreasing anxiety (and its attendant insomnia) by 69 percent, reducing severe depression symptoms by 79 percent, and decreasing social dysfunction by 68 percent—and those are just some of its attributes.

Clinical research on rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea) has shown some remarkable results for enhancing concentration and physical stamina. One clinical study focused on fatigue associated with night duty for young physicians showed an improvement for total mental performance. Other research has found that college students taking rhodiola saw reduction in mental fatigue, improvements in overall fitness and well-being and higher final exam grades.

“Adaptra is an excellent choice for anyone who feels overbooked, overwhelmed and under-equipped to deal with it,” Myers commented.

Omne Diem’s Brain Support supplement features citicoline, a dinucleotide produced within the body, which Cameron explained acts as a rate-limiting factor in brain energy metabolism. Citicoline is one of the few supplemental compounds that crosses the blood-brain barrier to work directly within the brain itself. Citicoline also converts in part to cytidine, which in turn converts to uridine, thereby boosting ATP, norepinephrine and dopamine, all of which contribute to mood, mental energy and cognitive function.

And as a precursor to acetylcholine, phosphatidylcholine (PC) and other phospholipids such as phosphatidylserine (PS), and, she asserted, citicoline, is a more efficient strategy for increasing brain phospholipids than direct supplementation of PC or PS. These phospholipids are vital to maintaining the integrity of endothelial tissues within the brain’s vascular network.

Omne Diem also offers S-sdenosylmethionine (SAMe), a naturally occurring compound produced in the body from ATP and methionine, SAMe has been the subject of dozens of peer-reviewed trials including a meta-analysis of 13 studies with more than 380 participants where SAMe was found to be superior to placebo and comparable to standard pharmaceutical strategies. “SAMe expedites the breakdown neurotransmitters such as serotonin, melatonin and dopamine. SAMe works in conjunction with vitamins B12 and folate, which are also recognized for their impact on mood and mental energy,” he explained.

EuroPharma’s Vectomega provides DHA and EPA, bound to phospholipids phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol and sphingomyelin, and delivers peptides that reduce anxiety. The array of bioidentical peptides Vectomega supplies can boost mood, according to Myers. “Since the omega-3s in Vectomega remain in their original positions on the carbon chain (sn-2), they are bioidentical—that is, a perfect fit—to the positioning of omega-3 fatty acids in the human brain,” she said.

Myers pointed to an Italian clinical study examining the effect of omega-3s on quality of life, phospholipids profile and effects on depression in older female volunteers. At the end of only eight weeks, the participants reported significant improvements in depression and overall quality of life.

According to the 2022 Condition Specific Report by Nutrition Business Journal, “the mood and mental health condition category will be more than two and a half times its 2017 size of $677 million in 2025. Last year, it reached $1.29 billion.” As with your immune-support section, which you likely expanded the past year or so, your mood/mental health department will also see demand and high sales turnover. This also is a great opportunity to tie in aromatherapy as well as yoga mats and accessories.

Nobody likes to loll in a funky mood and your counsel on supplements, foods and natural remedies can help your customers lift themselves up. As Chaudhary noted, “Mood flavors everything. It is the spice in life.” VR