Everyone experiences anxiety at some point in their lives -- it is the normal reaction you have to a stressful situation. When anxiety increases to levels that interfere with your daily life, you may need to see a physician. Your doctor may prescribe natural supplements, such as methionine or selenium, to help fight your anxiety. However, never take these supplements for this purpose without consulting your health care provider.
About Methionine
Methionine is an essential amino acid, or an amino acid your body requires but does not produce. You can get this amino acid in dairy products as well as meat, fish, whole grains and beans. Physicians may prescribe a methionine supplement to treat a range of diseases, including anxiety, although the form of this amino acid usually prescribed for this purpose is called S-Adenosyl methionine, or SAMe. Methionine converts to SAMe when the amino acid reaches your liver.
About Selenium
Like methionine, your body requires selenium to function. Only small amounts of this mineral are found in your body, so you must eat selenium-rich foods such as oysters, lobsters, halibut, herring, mackerel, butter, garlic, sunflower seeds and whole grains to get the quantity you require each day. Note that the selenium in these foods may vary depending on where they are grown; to get a more exact amount of this mineral, you may wish to take a selenium supplement. The selenium in your diet is critical for a range of health functions and disease prevention, anxiety being among them.
Evidence
Taking SAMe supplements or eating foods high in methionine may support the effectiveness of anxiety drugs because it improves methylation pathways. This may speed the journey that anxiety medications take to get your brain, according to Richard N. Podell, M.D., M.P.H., medical director of the department of family medicine at UMDNJ – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Ensuring you get adequate amounts of selenium may also help with anxiety, because a study published in the April 2008 issue of the journal "Minerva Pediatrcia" indicates that selenium deficiency may play a role in anxiety and depression, especially when paired with alcohol abuse.
Considerations
Large doses of SAMe and selenium may trigger neurological problems. The University of Maryland Medical Center suggests a dosage of 800 to 1,600 milligrams of SAMe per day for anxiety, but taking in more than this may cause mania. Temple University researchers who carried out a study in 2009 that looked at high doses of selenium warn that taking too much of this mineral may increase your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Adults require 55 micrograms of selenium daily.
References
- DrLam.com: Methionine
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Selenium
- DrPodell.org: Alternative Treatments for Anxiety, Depression, and Stress-Related Disorders: Dr. Podell’s Perspective on Brain, Mind, and Mood
- Minerva Pediatricia; Depression and Suicidal Behavior in Alcohol Abusing Adolescents; L. Sher
- University of Maryland Medical Center: S-adenosylmethionine
- ScienceDaily: Diet High in Methionine Could Increase Risk of Alzheimer's
