More than vitamins: Unveiling the role of vitamins in teen development
Introduction
Adolescence is a critical developmental stage marked by a rollercoaster of emotions and hormonal changes. During this time, the ability to form meaningful connections, often known as sociability, becomes increasingly prevalent in teenagers. While pre-existing literature has explored how environmental and biological factors take part in social behavior, it lacks how nutrient consumption may be associated with psychological development. Specifically, vitamin B plays a vital role in regulating mood, motivation, and social bonding. However, the extent to which vitamin B consumption and neurotransmitter activity correlate to adolescent sociability development has yet to be fully understood in depth.
Furthermore, this question can be answered using a correlational research method as it analyzes pre-existing, longitudinal data from U.S. high school students aged ten to nineteen years old between 2013 and 2023 to compare dietary patterns with mental health indicators. A range of quantitative sources, including CDC surveys and neurotransmitter foundational research were analyzed to identify patterns between nutrition, biochemical responses, and behavior outcomes using an evolutionary lens. Additionally, initial hypotheses predicted a direct relationship between vitamin B intake and an influx of sociability qualities; however, the results revealed a notable inverse relationship, where lower vitamin B intake was associated with increased emotional withdrawal and a spike in negative social engagement.
This prompts the question: To what extent do vitamin B levels and neurotransmitter production correlate to adolescents’ sociability development?