Anxiety is a mental health condition that can result in persistent worrying,
fear, and uneasiness about daily situations,
usually resulting in a fast heart rate, heavy breathing, and even sweating.
Over 30% of people will face an anxiety disorder during their lifetime,
sometimes even developing phobias, a panic disorder, separation anxiety disorder,
a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), or a social anxiety disorder (SAD).
Anxiety treatment generally involves cognitive behavior therapy, psychological therapies, or
medication. However, many types of research show that dietary changes that include more vitamins
and minerals can benefit you if you develop any anxiety disorders. So without further delay,
in today’s video, we will discuss the best vitamins and minerals to help ease anxiety.
Let’s start with magnesium.
Studies suggest magnesium supplements may be beneficial if you are living with anxiety
and are generally safe and well-received by your body. This mineral regulates biochemical reactions
throughout your body, including protein synthesis, muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control,
and blood pressure regulation. Particularly when it comes to soothing anxiety, magnesium helps
convert the amino acid tryptophan into serotonin, a crucial mood-boosting neurotransmitter.
A study of a little over 100 people with depression noted that taking
248 milligrams (mg) of elemental magnesium supplements every day
for 6 weeks significantly improved symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Apart from supplements, you can obtain magnesium by eating spinach, pumpkin seeds,
bananas, avocados, cashews, and dark chocolate.
Second on our list is GABA.
GABA, the short form of Gamma-aminobutyric acid, is an amino acid that is an inhibitory
neurotransmitter for your central nervous system. It can send messages
between cells that affect your serotonin and dopamine levels, affecting your mood.
Research shows that GABA impacts your mood and may play a role in reducing anxiety
symptoms because it halts some activity in the brain, making you feel relaxed and calm.
Another study found that GABA, already present in the brain,
often reduces intrusive thoughts, a common symptom of anxiety.
Research shows that taking GABA supplements has positive results, but no conclusive
evidence exists. Still, you can always consume foods containing GABA, like spinach, tomatoes,
mushroom, cruciferous vegetables, sweet potato, oats, rice, wheat, and barley.
Zinc
Zinc might be a tiny mineral, but it has a significant role in your body,
like maintaining eye and prostate health to promote new cells.
Did you know that zinc is concentrated in your brain? That’s right! It helps
to control GABA while playing a role in producing serotonin too.
You will encounter poor wound healing, low immune function, hair loss, and low mood
if zinc deficient. The best way to determine if you are zinc deficient is to look at your nails:
if you see small white spots on them, it could be a sign that you need more zinc in your diet.
How much should you consume in a day? Zinc is a minor nutrient and is best consumed in small
amounts. If you have a zinc deficiency, It's because your body is not absorbing it properly.
Generally, zinc in meat-based sources is more likely to be readily absorbed than in plant-based
sources, which can create issues for vegans and vegetarians. You can get zinc from lentils,
shellfish, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, potatoes, and eggs. Now, let’s hop into vitamins.
Vitamin D
This fat-soluble vitamin helps the body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus, the building
blocks of healthy bones. Not only is Vitamin d essential for your bones, muscles, and nerves but
it also can determine your mood, and low levels of vitamin d can cause anxiety and depression.
Those with a regular anxiety disorder who had low
vitamin D levels found that weekly doses of vitamin D for three months
reduced the intensity of their anxiety symptoms and enhanced serotonin levels.
Vitamin D is different from other nutrients because your body relies on your exposure
to sunlight to absorb it. At the same time, you can also source vitamin D
from foods like fortified milk, salmon, mackerel, tofu, and shiitake mushrooms.
If you're deficient in vitamin d, you should
consider taking supplements as they are generally safe.
Vitamin B-complex is essential.
Vitamin B-complex is a collection of eight different B vitamins. B vitamins play a
significant role in physiological processes, including breaking down food for energy,
maintaining brain function, and producing red blood cells.
Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, converts carbohydrates into energy your body can utilize
as a fuel source. It's also believed that B1 can help maintain your blood glucose levels,
which can positively affect anxiety symptoms.
Vitamin B3 or niacin helps metabolize glucose, alcohol, and fats, but more than dealing with
these tricky substances, this nutrient supports the production of serotonin.
Vitamins B12 or cobalamin help create red blood cells and are
speculated to be good for low mood issues like depression.
A combination B-complex supplement can
help anxiety and help reduce stress and improve depression.
Besides supplements, natural B-complex sources are milk,
cheese, and meat, such as chicken, red meat, liver, fish, and eggs.
Are you struggling to keep track of your vitamin and mineral intake? Try NATURELO One Daily
Multivitamin for Men - with Vitamins & Minerals. This multivitamin is packed with 23 essential
vitamins and minerals to support men’s health. Picture this: organic fruits and vegetables for
whole food nutrition and antioxidant support, all in one daily multivitamin. It Includes
most of the vitamin B-complex, Vitamin K2, and minerals. AND is super easy to take on the go.
Also, for women, check out NATURELO One Daily Multivitamin. This daily multivitamin is packed
with essential vitamins and minerals to keep you looking and feeling your best. Why not boost your
natural energy and vitality and support your heart, brain, eye, and overall immune health?
Are you interested in these products? Of course,
you are! Check out the link in the description below now!
Next on our list, Vitamin C.
Vitamin C is an essential antioxidant in your body. It helps form blood vessels,
cartilage, muscle, and collagen in bones. It can also help fight damage
caused by oxidative stress in people with neuropsychological disorders and anxiety.
A study on roughly 40 high school students noted that taking 500 mg of the vitamin daily
for 14 days increased their blood vitamin C levels and lowered their anxiety levels.
You can obtain vitamin C from oranges, orange juice, kiwi, tomatoes, grapefruit,
strawberries, spinach, and other green, leafy vegetables.
Apart from food, Vitamin C supplements are also effective in reducing anxiety
symptoms in women and those with diabetes.
Next is L-theanine
L-theanine is an amino acid that impacts GABA,
dopamine, and serotonin levels, all of which determine anxiety.
You can use this amino acid to help improve mental operations, impairment, and stress.
A study observed healthy individuals who took 200 mg of L-theanine tablets for four weeks. During
the four weeks, most of participants had reduced depression and anxiety symptoms, and slept better.
You can obtain L-theanine from black, green, oolong,
or white tea. Black tea contains a lot of L-theanine, around 24 mg per cup,
and green tea has the least, about 8 mg in a cup. Unless advised by a medical professional
to up you L-theanine intake, which would be around 200 mg, you can opt for a supplement.
L-theanine supplements can also help reduce anxiety symptoms in people
with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and severe depressive disorder.
Last on our list is Omega-3 fatty acids.
Fish and fish oils are widely known for their amazing health benefits,
which are attributed to their high omega-3 contents.
Omega-3s have numerous health benefits,
one of which is that they can help decrease cortisol levels.
Cortisol is the stress hormone that can cause anxiety when its levels are chronically high.
You’d have to be consistently under high bouts of stress for your cortisol rise drastically.
By managing stress and consuming enough omega-3s you can reduce cortisol levels and manage anxiety.
An extensive review that included over 1200 people noted that those who took more than
2,000 mg/day of an omega-3 supplement showed improvement in their anxiety
in comparison to those who took less than 2,000 mg/day.
It's also important to note that the supplements used in this study combined eicosatetraenoic
acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). What is EPA and DHA? Well,
there are three types of omega-3 fatty acids: EPA, DHA, and alpha-linolenic acid ALA.
When discussing omega-3's effects on cortisol and anxiety,
EPA and DHA are typically the acids you should consume more of if you have anxiety.
The best Source for obtaining EPA and DHA are through eating
more fish or taking a fish oil supplement.
Apart from all these vitamins and minerals, you can reduce anxiety
by getting enough exercise and practicing mindfulness activities such as meditation
and yoga. If your anxiety symptoms persist, you should consider talking to a therapist.
Remember, vitamins and minerals are not cures for anxiety;
Talk to your doctor and find out what is the cause of your anxiety before taking any further steps.
Anxiety can also be a side effect of medications you are on or a symptom
of underlying medical conditions such as hormonal imbalances, neurological conditions,
and depression. If you struggle or know someone struggling with anxiety,
know that there is help out there and you are not alone. Care to learn more?
Watch 5 Foods To Avoid If You Have Anxiety
Or
12 Things You Are Doing Because Of High Functioning Anxiety
Click one? Or why not watch both and keep the conversation going. Shall we? Did you
know about these vitamins and minerals for anxiety before? Let us know in the comments.