Vitamin Deficiencies That Cause Anxiety
May 26, 20213 min read
If you struggle with anxiety, you are not alone. Approximately 40 million adults struggle with anxiety in the U.S. every year.
Anxiety is a serious condition. To properly cope with anxiety, you should consult a doctor or therapist. But there may be other things you can also do to help along the way.
Do you know one of the worst side effects of vitamin deficiencies? Anxiety. The following is a list of seven vitamin deficiencies that may be causing you additional or unnecessary anxiety.
Can Vitamin D Cause Anxiety Symptoms
There is some evidence that vitamin D deficiency can cause anxiety symptoms. A study published in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience found that people with vitamin D deficiency were more likely to have anxiety disorders. Another study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, found that vitamin D supplementation could reduce anxiety levels.
If youre feeling anxious, its worth getting your vitamin D levels checked by a doctor. Its important to note that anxiety can also be caused by many other factors, including stress, genetics, and medical conditions. If youre feeling anxious, its important to talk to a doctor to rule out any other possible causes.
Vitamin D deficiency can also cause other health problems, such as depression, osteoporosis, and heart disease. If you think you might be vitamin D deficient, its important to talk to a doctor. Vitamin D supplements are available over the counter, but its important to talk to a doctor before taking any supplements.
Best B12 Vitamins To Use As A Supplement
According to Dr. Edward Group, there are four types of B12 supplements.
Methylcobalamin or the most active B12 in the body, protects the cardiovascular or nervous systems.
Cyanocobalamin is a synthetic version of the vitamin.
Hydroxocobalamin is created by bacteria, and is most often found if food sources of B12. It converts to methylcobalamin in the body.
Adenosylcobalamin is the least stable of all four forms.
Because vitamin B12 is often not absorbed from food sources, when taking the supplement, it is best to choose the most absorbable kind, which is methylcobalamin.
One natural, non-GMO B12 supplement is affordably sold by MegaFoods. If you are interested in a liquid kind instead, there is also vegan methylcobalamin B12 by the Garden of Life.
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Stress Worry Vitamin Deficiency And Anxiety The Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse
We all know we should stop worrying, learn to manage stress, and adopt a healthy diet. So, why are we increasingly plagued with stress-related conditions such as adrenal fatigue, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune disorders?
The answer is simple all of these conditions are related to diet. Numerous studies confirm that vitamin deficiency and anxiety, as well as many other mental health disorders, can easily and safely be treated with a change of diet. Taking more vitamins can help us manage stress better. Also, the less we worry, the less our nutrients are being depleted. On the other hand, the lower our nutrient levels, the more anxious we’re likely to be. Many people are chronic worriers and more evidence is emerging that vitamin deficiency and anxiety go hand in hand.
Can A Vitamin B12 Deficiency Cause Anxiety And Depression
Vitamin B12 is critical for the function of the nervous system, so its natural to wonder if it plays a role in mental illness like anxiety or depression.
But anxiety is tough to study, because you cant do interventional studies in most cases. Instead, most research focuses on observational studies to find correlations, which has limitations.
Im going to summarize the several studies on vitamin B12 deficiency and anxiety that Ive read in this short post. If you just want a short answer, Ive basically seen that:
- Vitamin B12 deficiency doesnt directly cause anxiety
- However, a vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to high serum levels of homocysteine, which is highly linked to both anxiety and depression.
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What Foods Have Vitamin D
Even if Vitamin D wont fix your depression on its own, its still important to incorporate more Vitamin D into your diet if you have a deficiency.
Vitamin D is found in few foods naturally, and in relatively small amounts. The best sources include:
- Salmon and other fatty fish
Some foods are also fortified with vitamin D, meaning that more is added in. These commonly include:
- Breakfast cereals
Moreover, if youre interested in taking a vitamin D supplement, your doctor can check your vitamin D levels and determine the proper dose you may need.
Impact Of Vitamins On Mental Health
Various mental health conditions could have adverse effects on your lifestyle. Among them is depression, a condition that is associated with a lack of some vitamins. It is the most common mental health condition. Statistics show that more than 19 million Americans â nearly 8% of the U.S. population â have experienced depression. It affects people of all ages, races, socioeconomic backgrounds, and ethnicities.
A diet that includes vitamin B complex helps boost mental health. Vitamin B deficiency could negatively influence your memory function, and cause cognitive impairment and dementia. Vitamin B contributes to the complexity of depressive symptoms.
Low levels of folate have been linked to depression. Vitamins supplements such as folic acid combined with antidepressants can boost relief in women. Folic acid helps the body make healthy red blood cells.
Where to find folic acid. Folic acid can be found in green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, beans, fortified bread, and cereals. Because vitamin supplements do not work as a standalone solution for mental health issues, it’s important to include these foods in your daily diet. With folic acid, you should only consume around 1 milligram daily.
Where to get vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 can be found in plenty in animal products such as fish, lean meat, poultry, eggs, and low-fat and fat-free milk. Fortified breakfast cereals also are a good source of B-12 and other B vitamins.
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How To Cope With Depression
Its amazing to me how most psychiatrists fail to appreciate the role of nutrition in mental health, including the connection between nutrition and depression.
Its not only common sense, but its backed up by research . No amount of medication can make up for a crappy diet.
There is no biological or physiological need for common mood stabilizers such as Pristiq, Cymbalta, Wellbutrin, etc.
There is however, a biological need for nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, essentially fats & antioxidants for both overall health and mental health.
Its naive and unreasonable for anyone, doctor or patient, to think that they can be their best self, or have optimal psychological and emotional well-being without addressing their underlying biology.
Whether youre using talk therapy, medication, or both to manage your depression, youll get more for your efforts if you tend to your physical health as well. This includes the health of your brain and your brain needs lots of nutritional TLC too.
If anyone thinks Im saying that medications dont have a time and place in mental health management is dead wrong. They do, but its important not to lose sight of the big picture
No amount of Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro or Viibryd will make up for an inadequate intake of vitamins and minerals.
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Can Vitamins Be Dangerous To A Fetus
It can even cause birth defects. For example, excessive amounts of vitamin A during pregnancy has been shown to cause congenital birth abnormalities. Between prenatal vitamins and foods, you should be able to get enough vitamin A, and additional supplementation outside of your prenatal vitamins is not advised.
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Are You At Risk Of Vitamin D Deficiency
Did you know that according to national surveys taken out across the UK, approximately 1 in 5 of the population has low vitamin D levels?
It isnt surprising really when you think about it. Our bodies can only make vitamin D when exposed to direct sunlight, which may be possible in summer for some people, but becomes difficult for everyone during the darker winter months.
You can also get vitamin D from animal produce like meat, fish dairy and eggs, which are either naturally high in vitamin D or have been fortified with vitamin D .
Other foods like breakfast cereals, fruit juices, faux meat, plant milks are often fortified . Wild mushrooms and those grown under a UV light are also great sources of vitamin D2.
People who do not get outside much, have dark skin, like to cover up, or do not eat animal products are naturally at more of a risk of vitamin D deficiency.
This is why the government now advise that everybody should think about taking a vitamin D supplement, particularly in the Autumn and Winter months.
Why Vitamin D Actually Helps You Feel Calmer As Long As You Make Sure That Your Body Has Enough Magnesium Available
As it turns out, vitamin D helps your body regulate the chemicals involved in anxiety and depression, like adrenaline, serotonin, and even dopamine.
In Vitamin D and Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Comparing Studies with and Without Biological Flaws, a group of researchers got together to make an analysis of the many scientific studies examining the relationship between vitamin D and depression.
What was their conclusion?
When these researchers focused on properly conducted studies, their conclusion was:
âMeta-analysis of studies without biological flaws demonstrates that improving Vitamin D levels improves depressionâ and:
âthe effect size of Vitamin D demonstrated in our meta-analysis may be comparable with that of anti-depressant medication. Should these results be verified by future research, these findings may have important clinical and public health implications.â
âImproving Vitamin D levels improves depression.â
What dose of vitamin D did they use?
In fact, vitamin D besides being potentially as effective at treating depression as some antidepressants, it can even enhance the antidepressant effect of fluoxetine.
Itâs as if, without enough vitamin D, your body would get confused, finding it troublesome to properly regulate the production of these hormones and neurotransmitters.
This means that, as long as you provide your body with enough magnesium, vitamin D will help your nervous system work better.
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Study Selection And Data Extraction
The initial search yielded 879 hits. We included only English language articles published in peer-reviewed journals. Editorials and commentaries were not included in the main review but only to support some recommendations, we make at the end. We also included systematic reviews and meta-analyses addressing focused research questions related to the focus areas, and the original articles included in these reviews were not examined separately. Based on these criteria and after eliminating duplicates, 148 articles were identified for potential inclusion, and after their full texts were examined, 61 papers were included in the present review after elimination of articles other than original research papers or those not relevant to the focus areas of the present review. All the three authors participated in study selection and reached a consensus regarding the papers to be included in the review. We neither performed a risk of bias assessment for individual studies nor computed effect estimates, as this was meant to be a narrative review.
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Yes, VitaminD deficiency can cause anxiety because it has psychological impacts. It has a direct interlink between depression and anxiety. Q. Can vitaminD cause cognitive impairment? A. Yes, a deficiency in vitaminD can lead to cognitive impairment. However, this is usually treatable. In addition, an increased intake of vitaminD usually.
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Jul 11, 2022 · Can low vitaminDcause panic attacks? There is some evidence that vitaminD deficiency may be a risk factor for panic attacks. One study found that people with panic disorder were more likely to have low levels of vitaminD. Another study found that people with panic disorder who took vitaminDsupplements had fewer symptoms of anxiety and ….
Last updated on 13 August 2019 by devaneyad. I took vitamin D3 for 2 weeks, but after just a few days, I started to experience depression and by the end of the two weeks, I was having suicidal thoughts – I took 1000 units per day with a meal – also, the metallic taste was unbearable – other meds I take daily are Hydrochlorothiazide – 25mg.
It also promotes cranial development, and helps maintain cognitive function. Insufficient Vitamin D is associated with Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, which is depression during the winter months. Vitamin D deficiency can also lead to chronic depression and panic disorder. ADVERTISEMENT.
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About 3 weeks ago, a blood test showed a vitamin D deficiency, and his doctor started him on 50000iu vitamin D3 per week. Over the 3 weeks since starting the vitamin D, he has had extreme anxiety which is much worse upon awakening in the mornings, although it does go on all day.
b12 or Vitamin D3 supplements causing anxiety? … The fact your B12 and vitamin D are low suggests your under treated . Reply Report. Joesmum in reply to SlowDragon. My last blood results 2 weeks ago were . TSH – < 0.01 – 0.27 – 4.2 . FT4 – 16.5. 12-22. FT3- 5.9.
Regardless, multiple studies find that a vitaminD deficiency may increase anxiety. One study gave participants with vitaminD deficiencies supplements for six months. They used a test called the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale14 to rate participants’ level of anxiety. One group didn’t receive any vitaminDsupplements.
A supplement that contains a wide range of vitamins and minerals may benefit people with anxiety. A 2019 study reports that a supplement that contained B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium.
Dec 03, 2020 · Another study of 60 adults with depression showed that 60 days of taking a B complex vitamin led to reduced depression and anxietysymptoms. The B complex vitamins include thiamine , riboflavin , niacin , pantothenic acid , pyridoxine , biotin , inositol , folic acid , and cobalamin . 3..
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Vitamin A For Anxiety
Vitamin A is an antioxidant and an essential nutrient that helps support the nervous system and promote normal muscle function and relaxation. The nervous system in turn helps to soothe anxiety and stress in the body and brain, reducing the chances of a panic attack, meaning that its an important vitamin for anxiety.
Vitamin A has also been seen in scientific studies to reduce the risk of anxiety in perimenopausal women, with an inversely associated relationship. Another study also suggested that vitamin A, along with other carotenoids, may help lower the risk of depressive symptoms.
However, if you take vitamin A for anxiety, be careful not to take more than the NRV. As a fat-soluble vitamin, it can build up in your body and potentially cause health issues later on.
NRV for vitamin A
-
Omega 3 DHA and EPA
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Healing B12 Folate And B6 Deficiencies
Folate and B vitamins can be consumed in dark leafy greens, grass-fed meats, and wild-caught fish.
In my clinic, we use methylated B12 and folate in combination with B vitamins such as B6 to avoid problems with conversion that can cause build up of homocysteine and inflammation. One of my favorite ways to supplement these nutrients is a high quality multivitamin.
How To Figure Out If You Have A Deficiency And What To Do About It
Before we go any further, one important note we want to reiterate: This all isnt to say overhauling your diet or taking vitamin supplements on your own will completely cure any mood-related symptoms. Other interventions like talk therapy and medication are the best-known ways to improve mental health issues.
You should look at nutrition as an important adjunctive treatment to maintain health and prevent relapse, or use lower doses of pharmaceutical interventions, Kraker said.
There are several physical signs that can clue you into whether theres a potential deficiency brewing, Beurkens said. These can include frequent headaches, GI symptoms , weak nails, dry skin or eczema, hair loss and many others.
High stress levels also often accompany … symptoms and can negatively impact nutrient levels, Beurkens added.
Similarly, adjusting to a new set of life stressors can impact how you take care of yourself and deplete nutrient stores in the process say, a recent move has you eating differently, a new job has upended your go-to lunch habits, or a newly diagnosed autoimmune condition has you adjusting to a whole new way of functioning.
Getting a comprehensive workup of your nutritional status can be helpful in getting to the root cause of whats going on.
Physical and mental health are interconnected, so nutrition should always be a part of the discussion when mental health symptoms are raised as a concern, Beurkens said. Unfortunately, this rarely happens.
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12 What vitamindeficiency causes anxiety and depression? 13 Does zinc interfere with antidepressants? 14 Can you take vitaminD while taking sertraline? 15 Does B12 affect serotonin? 16 What is the 3 3 3 rule for anxiety? 17 What is the healthiest antidepressant?. More research is needed before experts know specific ways to prevent Alzheimer’s. But here are some steps that promote good overall brain health: Avoid smoking. Control vascular risk factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Eat a balanced diet â such as the Mediterranean diet â that’s rich in vegetables, fruits. Deficiency of vitaminD can lead to: Fatigue 7 Bone Deformities 7 Bone and or Joint Pain 7 Reduced Bone Mineral Density 7 Muscle Weakness, Aches, or Cramps 7 Mood Changes 7 Heart Disease & High Blood Pressure 7 Infections & Immune System Disorders 7 Falls in the Elderly 7. VitaminD has been linked to a large number of neurological disorders, such as peripheral neuropathy, Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, and the list goes on. What has become truly amazing is that the new research has uncovered that vitaminDdeficiency is directly linked to insulin resistance and ultimately Type 2 Diabetes.