Vitamins are essential nutrients increasingly recognized for their importance in day-to-day well-being and long-term maintenance of health. Vitamins B, C and E appear to be particularly important for improving symptoms of anxiety; however, they do not replace conventional anti-anxiety treatments. If you suffer from anxiety and consider taking vitamin supplements, you should first talk to your health care provider.
Antioxidant Vitamins C and E
Research into the use of vitamins for anxiety has been positive but not extensive. A study published in the January 2011 issue of "Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior" measured parameters of anxiety in animal subjects after prolonged administration of vitamins C and E, both separately and together. Results showed decreased anxiety, due to the antioxidant effects of these vitamins and their ability to decrease the levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
B-Complex
B-vitamins are essential for optimal function of the brain, and all of them are depleted during stress and anxiety, writes Edmund Bourne in "The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook." A deficiency in B-vitamins, particularly B-1, B-2, B-6 and B-12, may lead with symptoms of anxiety, irritability, mood swings and fatigue. Since B-vitamins work well together, you should take a B-complex formula, and if anxiety levels are high, you may add extra vitamin B-5 for quick symptom relief, recommends Bourne.
Sources
Vitamin C is available in a variety of foods, particularly red pepper, kiwi, citrus fruits and broccoli. Nuts, seeds and wheat germ are important sources of vitamin E. B-vitamins can be found in meat, fish, beans, dark green leafy vegetables and milk. Vitamins are also available as over-the-counter supplements in liquid form, tablets or capsules.
Dosage
For anxiety sufferers, Edmund Bourne suggests 50 to 100 mg of B-complex twice a day, with an additional 1,000 mg of vitamin B-5 during extremely stressful periods. He also recommends 1,000 mg of vitamin C twice daily. The daily recommended dose of vitamin E is 400 IU. A health care provider will adjust the daily dosage of vitamins based on your symptoms, the drugs you take and any other medical conditions you may have.
Considerations
Consult a qualified health care provider to learn the optimal dosage of vitamins that may help your condition. Keep in mind that vitamins do not replace any anti-anxiety medications you are currently taking. Vitamins are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat anxiety.
References
- PubMed.gov: Prolonged treatment with vitamins C and E Separately and Together Decreases Anxiety-related Open-field Behavior and Acoustic Startle in Hooded Rats
- "The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, Fourth Edition"; Edmund J. Bourne; 2005
- National Institutes of Health: Vitamin E
- National Institute of Mental Health: Vitamin C
- BodyBuildingForYou: B complex
