Social anxiety, also called social phobia or social anxiety disorder, produces overwhelming anxiety and self-consciousness in social situations. People with social anxiety may fear speaking in public or being around other people because of irrational fears about being watched or judged by others. Therapy and medication usually provide successful treatment. A healthy diet also helps. Tryptophan, an amino acid from certain foods, may relieve anxiety symptoms.
Serotonin
People with social anxiety benefit from professional counseling. Doctors often prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. The medication prevents the brain from reabsorbing serotonin after the neurotransmitter performs a function. This leaves more serotonin in the brain to help improve mood. Serotonin provides calming effects and improves sleep to ease or prevent anxiety.
Tryptophan Foods
Tryptophan converts to serotonin when it reaches the brain. MayoClinic.com recommends foods with tryptophan and carbohydrate foods, which improve the activity of tryptophan in the body, to combat anxiety. Carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables and whole grains, such as bread, high-fiber cereal, pasta, brown rice and oatmeal. You can also consume foods that contain tryptophan, including poultry, nuts, peanut butter, bananas, oats, milk, soy and cheese.
Energy and Anxiety
Amino acids break down from proteins in food during digestion. The amino acids that make it to the brain affect neurotransmitters that determine your mood and behavior. High-protein foods release energy-inducing amino acids that often overpower tryptophan in the process. These amino acids travel from the bloodstream to the brain where they help manufacture dopamine and epinephrine, neurotransmitters that send signals to boost your energy and mental alertness. This process may intensify anxiety, including social anxiety.
Helping Tryptophan
To help tryptophan cross the barrier from the bloodstream to the brain, eat carbohydrate-rich meals. Carbohydrates release insulin into your bloodstream. Insulin clears other amino acids from the blood but leaves tryptophan alone. Tryptophan then has a clear pathway to the brain, where it converts to serotonin. Eating foods with tryptophan also provides your body with more of the amino acids to help increase serotonin levels.
Treatment
L-tryptophan, the supplemental form of tryptophan, may also help improve serotonin levels to reduce anxiety and depression. Foods and supplements play a role in relieving anxiety, but social anxiety is a serious disorder that often requires therapy and prescribed medication. Tryptophan in the diet helps during treatment. Although social anxiety can disrupt lives, professional treatment enables patients to understand their thoughts and actions so they can overcome irrational fears and lead normal lives.
References
- National Institute of Mental Health: Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder)
- MayoClinic.com; Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs); December 2010
- National Institute of Mental Health: Treatment of Anxiety Disorders
- Middle Tennessee State University: Food, Mood and Neurotransmitters
- MayoClinic.com; Coping with Anxiety -- Can Diet Make a Difference?; May 2009
- Integrative Psychiatry: Anxiety Disorders
