Christchurch (New Zealand): (The Conversation) Daily doses of broad-spectrum vitamins and minerals can significantly reduce severe irritability in teenagers, according to new research led by the University of Canterbury.

The findings are based on the Balancing Emotions of Adolescents with Micronutrients (BEAM) trial involving 132 unmedicated teens aged 12-17 with moderate to severe irritability. Participants were randomly assigned micronutrients or placebo for eight weeks and monitored online by a psychologist.

While improvements were seen in both groups, micronutrients outperformed placebo on measures of irritability, emotional reactivity and overall functioning. Among teens with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, 64 per cent responded to micronutrients compared with 12.5 per cent on placebo.

Researchers said benefits were particularly strong among adolescents from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Side effects were mild, with temporary diarrhoea reported more frequently in the micronutrient group.

The study suggests nutritional supplementation could offer a safe, scalable option for managing severe irritability in youth. (The Conversation)