Vitamin Dosage For Chronic Stress

Your body needs more nutrients when you are under stress. Stress depletes certain vitamins by increasing your body's metabolism, write Michele Grodner, Sara Long and Bonnie Walkingshaw, in their book "Foundations and Clinical Applications of Nutrition," published in 2007. Stress makes demands on your immune system and hormones, they say. It also causes your body temperature to increase. If you are under stress, you should take a vitamin supplement or include more of certain foods in your diet. Antioxidant vitamins can help the body heal when you are under stress.

Illness

Dealing with an illness is stressful and the illness itself takes its own toll on your body. For a chronic or critical illness or acute injury, you need the daily recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, of antioxidants. Cell-protecting antioxidants are vitamins A, C and E. The RDA for vitamin C is 90 mg for men and 75 mg for women. If you are a smoker, you will need an extra 35 mg of vitamin C each day, says the National Institutes of Health. Adults need 22.4 IUs of vitamin E daily. To ward off infections and keep your immune system strong, you need vitamin A. The RDA of vitamin A for adult men is 3,000 IUs and for women it is 2,310 IUs. A study by Spanish researchers in "Critical Care" October 2006, found that intensive care patients must have the RDA of these antioxidants, to protect their organs and other tissues.

Physical Exertion

If you are an athlete, or if you have a job which puts you under chronic physical stress, you need to replenish the antioxidant vitamins. Research from the University of Memphis published in "Dynamic Medicine" January 2009, found that a moderate amount of physical activity is good for you. However, too much exertion may tip that balance in your body, causing cellular damage.

Mood Changes

If chronic stress is affecting your mood, make sure you get enough antioxidant vitamins and vitamin D. Psychological stress can damage your body over time. According to the NIH, the RDA for vitamin D for adults aged 19 to 71 is 600 IUs, but for adults over age 71, it is 800 IUs. To ease stress and to get some vitamin D through your skin, try outdoor exercise on a sunny day. For depression, Elizabeth R. Bertone-Johnson from the School of Public Health and Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts, says you may need 1,000 to 2,000 IUs of vitamin D daily. Also, make sure you get enough vitamin A. This vitamin may play a role in maintaining brain chemicals, such as serotonin. Depression brought on by stress, can also decrease your appetite. Try not to skip meals and make sure you are eating enough healthy food.

Recommendations

You should always eat a balanced diet. When you are under stress you may not eat healthy food, say researchers in "Psychosomatic Medicine" 2000. Avoid eating too many fatty or sweet foods. Instead, choose foods that are nutritious and make sure you are getting the RDAs for all vitamins. Speak to your doctor if you plan to take higher amounts of vitamin D. Fat soluble vitamins such as A, D and E can be toxic in large amounts, as your body stores them in fat cells. See your doctor for advice on how to cope with your stress, illness or depression.

Sources

Vitamin A is plentiful in carrots, yams and other green vegetables. For adequate vitamin C, drink fruit juice and eat a variety of fruits as snacks, or for dessert. Your body makes vitamin D from sun exposure. Otherwise, vitamin D is available in fish and fortified dairy. You can get vitamin E by including nuts and grains in your diet.