Why Chronic Stress Depletes Your Body’s Nutrients – And What to Do About It

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Why Chronic Stress Depletes Your Body’s Nutrients – And What to Do About It

By Oleh Kozik, Head of Strategy, Orthomol Ukraine

We talk a lot about stress management: meditation, sleep hygiene, exercise, and therapy. But there is a physiological dimension of chronic stress that rarely makes it into mainstream wellness conversations: stress does not just affect your mood and energy. It can affect the body’s micronutrient stores, creating a cycle that may make recovery harder over time.

I’ve spent the last several years working in the pharmaceutical wellness space, leading strategy for a premium micronutrient brand in Ukraine. In that time, I’ve watched what happens to public health when people are placed under sustained, severe stress. The patterns we observed were not just anecdotal. They aligned closely with what science has been telling us for decades.

This article is not about war. It is about something far more universal: the relationship between chronic stress, nutritional depletion, and what people can realistically do to support their health.

The Biology of Stress and Nutrient Depletion

When you experience stress, whether from a difficult work environment, a health crisis, a relationship, or any sustained pressure, your body activates what is known as the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis). This triggers the release of cortisol, your primary stress hormone.

Cortisol is not inherently harmful. In short bursts, it is useful. It sharpens focus, mobilizes energy, and prepares the body to respond to a threat. The problem begins when cortisol remains elevated for weeks or months, which is the reality for millions of people living with chronic stress.

Here is what sustained cortisol elevation does to your nutritional status:

Vitamin C is rapidly consumed. The adrenal glands, which produce cortisol, contain the highest concentration of vitamin C in the human body. During a stress response, these stores are heavily drawn upon. Research published in nutritional science journals has consistently shown that individuals under chronic stress have measurably lower plasma vitamin C levels than their non-stressed counterparts.

Magnesium is lost through urine. Stress increases the excretion of magnesium, a mineral involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body, including those governing sleep quality, muscle function, and mood regulation. Magnesium deficiency, in turn, increases the sensitivity of the nervous system to stress, creating a reinforcing loop.

B vitamins are burned through faster. The B vitamin complex, particularly B6, B9 (folate), and B12, plays a central role in the methylation cycle, which governs everything from neurotransmitter production to DNA repair. Under chronic stress, demand for these vitamins increases significantly, often outpacing what the diet alone can supply.

Zinc levels fall. Zinc is critical for immune function, wound healing, and cognitive performance. Chronic psychological stress has been associated with reduced zinc absorption and increased zinc excretion. This partially explains why people under prolonged stress become more susceptible to illness.

Vitamin D is affected indirectly. While stress does not directly deplete vitamin D, the lifestyle changes that accompany chronic stress, such as reduced outdoor activity, disrupted sleep, and poor dietary choices, consistently correlate with lower vitamin D status. Low vitamin D is also associated with impaired immune response and worsening mood.

The Depletion Cycle and Why It’s Hard to Break

What makes nutritional depletion under stress particularly challenging is that it can become self-reinforcing.

When magnesium falls, sleep quality deteriorates and poor sleep can elevate cortisol the following day. When B vitamins are insufficient, the production of serotonin and dopamine may be impaired, making it harder to feel motivated or resilient. When zinc drops, immune function can decline, meaning the body now has to manage both stress and illness simultaneously.

The result is a downward spiral that many people recognize intuitively: “I’ve been stressed for months and now I’m constantly getting sick, I can’t sleep, and I feel completely depleted.” However, many people do not realize the role nutrition may play in that cycle.

This is precisely what we observed in the Ukrainian market during the early period of the full-scale war. As I worked on the communication and positioning strategy for our micronutrient brand, data from our pharmacy network of more than 650 partners pointed in a consistent direction. Demand for immune support, energy, and stress-related supplements increased dramatically, not because people were suddenly more health-conscious, but because their bodies were sending clear signals of depletion.

What Actually Helps: A Practical Framework

The good news is that the science here is relatively clear and the interventions are accessible. Here is what research and clinical practice consistently support.

1. Prioritize dietary micronutrient density first

Before reaching for supplements, evaluate your diet for micronutrient density. Foods richest in the nutrients most commonly affected by stress include:

• Magnesium: dark leafy greens (spinach, chard), pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, legumes
• Vitamin C: bell peppers, citrus fruits, kiwi, strawberries, broccoli
• B vitamins: eggs, meat, fish, fortified cereals, legumes, leafy greens
• Zinc: oysters, beef, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, cashews
• Vitamin D: fatty fish (salmon, mackerel), egg yolks, fortified dairy products, and appropriate sun exposure

The challenge is that during periods of chronic stress, appetite often becomes dysregulated. People may undereat or gravitate toward calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods. This is when dietary micronutrient density becomes especially important.

2. Consider targeted supplementation when appropriate

For some individuals, dietary intake alone may not be sufficient to maintain optimal micronutrient levels. This can be particularly relevant for magnesium, vitamin D, and certain B vitamins.

When choosing supplements, quality and bioavailability matter. Magnesium glycinate or magnesium malate, for example, are often better absorbed than magnesium oxide. Likewise, methylated forms of B vitamins may be beneficial for individuals with certain genetic variations that affect nutrient metabolism.

Working with a healthcare provider to evaluate nutrient status before supplementing is generally recommended, particularly for fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin D.

3. Address the stress itself

Nutritional support is not a substitute for stress management. It is a complement to it. Evidence-based approaches to stress reduction include regular aerobic exercise, adequate sleep, social connection, and mindfulness-based practices.

One insight that emerged from our work at Orthomol Ukraine was that people under sustained stress often respond best to wellness messaging that feels supportive rather than prescriptive. Helping people understand what is happening in their bodies and providing realistic options can be more effective than simply telling them what they should do.

A Note on Micronutrient Therapy vs. General Supplementation

It is worth distinguishing between general supplementation and what is sometimes called micronutrient therapy, the targeted use of specific nutrients to address identified deficiencies or nutritional needs.

A standard multivitamin may contain 100% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for a nutrient, but the RDA represents the minimum amount needed to prevent deficiency, not necessarily the amount that is optimal for every individual.

Some formulations are designed for specific health conditions, age groups, or life stages and may contain higher levels of certain nutrients in forms selected for absorption and utilization.

The global micronutrient supplement market has grown significantly in recent years, and quality can vary considerably between products. Reading ingredient labels, looking for third-party testing, and consulting a qualified healthcare provider can help consumers make informed decisions.

The Takeaway

Chronic stress is not just a psychological experience. It is a physiological process that can affect the nutrients your body needs to function, recover, and resist illness. Understanding this connection and taking practical steps to support overall health may help improve resilience over time.

As someone who has spent years working at the intersection of wellness strategy and public health, I have seen this dynamic play out repeatedly. The individuals and populations that fared best under sustained stress were often those who supported their bodies nutritionally while also addressing the sources of stress in their lives.

Your body’s resilience is not unlimited, but it can be supported.

Oleh Kozik is Head of Strategy at Orthomol Ukraine, a premium German pharmaceutical wellness brand present in more than 50 countries. He has over 15 years of experience in health and wellness marketing, pharmaceutical brand strategy, and consumer behavior. He is based in London and advises brands on wellness market development across Europe and APAC. Connect with him on LinkedIn.