Vitamins For Anxiety
About 40 million Americans suffer from some kind of anxiety disorder. For those of us who choose not to take the prescribed medications, vitamins for anxiety is a great alternative. Remember as a kid being told “take your vitamins”? Well they were right. Vitamins can play a big part in helping reduce the symptoms most of us suffer from. There are quite a few effective vitamins out there but the most common is the B vitamins.
The six B vitamins for anxiety are listed below:
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) - Not getting enough of this supplement will leave you tired and irritable. Thiamine is an important vitamin that the body does not produce on its own. Most of us get it in certain foods like breads, cereals, whole grains, fish and lean meats. Taking this supplement can help the heart and nervous system function normally. It helps in converting carbohydrates into energy. For those who are prone to anxiety attacks taking 50mg to 100mg per day of this vitamin will help.
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) – Like Thiamine your body does not produce this vitamin. Usually we get it from eating soy beans, whole grains, wheat germ, mushrooms, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and spinach. It is essential in growth development and in the healing of tissue. Not getting enough of it can affect your immune system. The recommended dosage of Riboflavin for woman is 1.1 mg daily and for men is 1.3 mg daily.
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin) – Since we are unable to produce Niacin on our own, some good sources of getting it are from eating nuts, legumes, leafy green veggies, wholegrain breads and cereals. Not getting enough of this supplement can produce symptoms of diarrhea and mental instability. The recommended dosage for woman is 13-15mg and for men is 15-20mg.
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) – This nutrient helps with the formation of neurotransmitters, red blood cells and hormones. Being another nutrient that our body doesn’t produce itself, we can get this from eating green leafy veggies, legumes, nuts, whole grains, eggs and fish. Not getting enough of this nutrient you might experience anxiety, depression and insomnia. The recommended dosage for females is 1.4-1.6 mg daily and men should have 1.7-2.0 mg daily.
- Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) – This is needed for producing red blood cells. This is another nutrient our body doesn’t produce. We can obtain this from dairy foods, eggs, fish, poultry and fortified breads and cereals. Lack of this vitamin may result in fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite and weight, depressed mood and confusion. The recommended dosage for both men and woman is 2.0 mcg (micrograms). Note: 1000 micrograms = 1 milligram, and 1000 milligrams = 1 gram
- Folic Acid - This vitamin helps with red blood cell formation and produces enzymes and proteins in the body. Our bodies don’t produce this but we can get it from legumes, whole grains, seeds, dark green leafy veggies and citrus fruit. Lack of this in our system may result in tiredness, excess bleeding from wounds and poor digestion. The recommended dosage for females is 145-190 mcg daily and for males 150-220 mcg daily.
Other vitamins for anxiety are Calcium and Magnesium which are both muscle relaxants and can help in calming you down from an anxious period. Vitamin C which helps in the functioning of the immune system and Zinc which provides a calming effect and promotes mental alertness.
As always before taking any of these supplements you should ask your doctor before use. Also the RDA or recommended dosage can vary depending on age and sex of the individual along with if the individual is pregnant or breast feeding.
Where To Get Vitamins For Anxiety
The number one place I have come across is called Vitamin Emporium. They carry all the B Vitamins that I mentioned above and also the Folic Acid. They also have many other vitamins and carry many other things besides vitamins like herbs, foods, bath & beauty products and many more supplements and all natural, healthy things for your whole household. If interested, click here to go straight to their vitamins and minerals page.
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