With more and more people suffering from anxiety disorders it is not surprising that more and more people are starting to look for natural remedies for anxiety.
It should come as no surprise then, the association between anxiety and food being widely accepted, that vitamins are now being considered as an aid to anxiety sufferers.
It is now widely accepted that the healthier your lifestyle the easier you will find it to cope with or even overcome anxiety. With so many people leading busy, hectic lives in which our diet is often the first thing to suffer, it makes sense that some vitamin supplements or a change in diet to help our day to day intake of vitamins is bound to help with anxiety. So which vitamins for anxiety are best?
Omega 3 comes from fish oil and is known to help with anxiety and depression. Described by some as "brain food" it is good for adults and children alike as it helps to maintain the health of brain cells and improve how chemical messages move around the brain. Research has shown that people who have a lack of Omega 3 in their diet are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression than those who don't.
As well as being in oily fish Omega 3 is also in things such as flax oil and flax seed. Omega 3 supplements are also available.
B Vitamins are a group of vitamins that are associated with general good health. A deficiency can lead to, amongst other things, insomnia and mood changes, not really the type of symptoms that you want to have alongside an anxiety disorder. Vitamin B is also thought to have a beneficial effect on people suffering from depression.
Vitamin B3 which is also known as niacin helps the body to produce serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter which is linked to mood. High levels of serotonin lead to a happy,feel good state of mind while low levels can lead to feelings of low self esteem and anxiety. A number of drugs used to treat anxiety target serotonin. Vitamins B12 and B6 also help in the production of neurotransmitters within the brain and are key ingredients in any diet for anxiety. These are found naturally in beans,green peas, poultry, fish and grain cereals. Vitamin B capsules which contains the entire vitamin B group can also be taken. Vitamin C which is found in most fresh fruit and vegetables boosts the immune system helping to keep us healthy and free from minor infections, colds and coughs. This can only possibly help our general state of mind.
Vitamin E is thought to help act as an oxidant for our brain helping the brain to take in oxygen and reducing the damage done to the brain cells by free radicals in the environment that can happen we are stressed.
There are also certain minerals that you should consider taking supplements for: A deficiency in magnesium has long been related to anxiety symptoms such as depression, irritability, fear, confusion and restlessness and insomnia.
Amino acids help the body to produce neurotransmitters which are key to a healthy nervous system.
In general terms, if you lead a healthy lifestyle, take regular exercise and have a well balanced diet which contains the right minerals and vitamins you will cope with anxiety much better.
If you feel that your diet is missing some of these essential anxiety beating vitamins then it could be worth looking at taking some vitamin supplements.
Before taking any vitamin or mineral supplements it is essential to seek the advice of your doctor.
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