Can nutrition change the way that you think and feel? Science says yes — or, at least, solid nutrition can push you in the right direction. And on the flip side, nutritional deficits can exacerbate and even create stress and anxiety. Nutritional powerhouse fresh spirulina can go a long way in avoiding those deficits and topping off your tank with clean-burning, stress-fighting fuel. Let’s look at the science behind your brain on amino acids, iron and vitamin B12!

Ease Anxiety and Depression Symptoms with Iron

Low ironhas been shown to lead to anxiety, depression and panic symptoms. Because low iron levels can also lead to irregular heartbeats, that same low iron level can even trigger panic attacks. While obviously depression isn’t solely caused by anemia, being anemic can make you much more susceptible to feelings of anxiety and depression, and exacerbate depression symptoms like irritability, fatigue, and headaches. Anemia is an issue that plagues athletes, particularly female and vegan athletes, but it’s preventable if you’re smart about supplementing. SP2 provides more iron per calorie than a steak or spinach, and you won’t even notice that it's in your smoothie or mixed in with your morning juice.

Recover Smarter, Stay Calm with Amino Acid

Studies have found that BCAAs — branched-chain amino acids — can reduce fatigue during exercise, and a full complement of amino acids is key for speeding up muscle recovery post-workout. Fresh, frozen spirulina like SP2 delivers 18 of the 20 amino acids, and actually contains more protein per calorie than meat! That means you’ll reduce the stress on your body that comes from training when you sneak a cube of SP2 into your recovery smoothie. Decreasing body stress means you have more resources available to handle whatever comes your way at work or at home, and you’ll be less fatigued when you’re trying to finish that report at 10 PM.

Decrease Depression Symptoms with Vitamin B12

Studies have shownthat supplementing with vitamin B12 can actually decrease symptoms of depression. B12 is a hard-to-find vitamin, especially for vegans, but SP2’s spirulina is packed with a full recommended daily dose. In fact,studies have shown that deficiencies in omega–3 fatty acids, B vitamins, and amino acids all have been linked to mental disorders, and SP2 is packed with all of those micronutrients.

Ease Stress with Antioxidants

A 2009 studyshowed that supplementing with antioxidants decreased signs and symptoms of perceived stress and fatigue in healthy volunteers. Researcher Marie-Anne Milesi explained, “We wanted to test whether augmenting the body's ability to deal with oxidative species might help a person's ability to resist burnout. The 35 people in our study who received capsules containing superoxide dismutase showed improvement in several signs and symptoms of perceived stress and fatigue.” Since SP2 has more antioxidants than most fruits — eight times the amount of antioxidants than a serving of blueberries! — it’s an easy way to ensure that you’re packing your morning drink with stress-busting antioxidants.