Anxiety is a disorder that has been found in the scientific literature to relate to dysfunctions in the brain. Specifically, insoitol is required for brain health and when brain levels of this nutrient are deficient, conditions such as anxiety can occur. Supplementation with inositol may help, but consult with your doctor before trying to prevent, treat or cure anxiety with inositol.
Neurotransmission
Inositol plays an important role in brain health. Studies have found inositol to have a beneficial impact on anxiety, according to a study published in April 2007 in "Genes, Brain and Behavior." Inositol helps regulate the brain chemicals serotonin, noradrenaline and acetylcholine, as the researchers mention.
Brain Areas
The hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of the brain have both been identified in relation to anxiety disorders. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for executive functions such as planning and decision-making. The hippocampus is involved with memory and spatial navigation. When inositol levels in these two areas of the brain were lowered by clinical experimental methods, rats were more likely to exhibit anxiety-related behaviors, according to findings of the study in "Genes, Brain and Behavior."
Supplementation
Websites claim that several vitamins are effective in reducing anxiety, however, inositol stands alone when it comes to scientific evidence to support these claims, according to an article published in August 2007 in the journal "American Family Physician." Studies have found the effects of inositol to be superior to placebo, as the authors mention. Also, they discuss that its effects have been found to be close to that of fluvoxamine, a pharmaceutical SSRI.
Panic Disorder
If you suffer from panic disorder, you may want to give consideration to inositol. Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder. It is marked by abrupt onset of panic attacks that are periods of fear or worry, typically short in duration. Inositol has been found to moderately help people who have panic attacks, according to "American Family Physician."
References
- "Genes, Brain and Behavior"; Behavioral Phenotyping of Sodium-Myo-Inositol Cotransporter Heterozygous Knockout Mice With Reduced Brain Inositol; A. Shaldubina, et al.; April 2007
- "American Family Physician"; Herbal and Dietary Supplements for Treatment of Anxiety Disorders; Sy Atezaz Saeed, et al.; August 2007
