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B vitamins and vitamin C are often associated with anxiety management. A well-rounded diet can provide sufficient amounts, but supplementing may be necessary for those under chronic stress. B vitamins work by different mechanisms, while vitamin C helps adrenal glands function properly.
There are a multitude of different anxiety vitamins that help prevent and treat an episode or disorder. The vitamins most often associated with anxiety management are the B vitamins and vitamin C. Many times, people find that starting a simple multi-vitamin regimen is all that is needed to calm anxiety. However, if a person is under chronic stress and anxiety, the body depletes essential nutrients that protect the functioning of the nervous system more quickly. In this case, it is sometimes recommended to supplement with additional amounts of B and C complex.
B vitamins for anxiety are found in abundance in a well-rounded diet. Most are found in meat, dairy, and whole grain products. Most vegetables contain significant amounts of B vitamins as well. Processed foods and refined grains are often deficient in B vitamins because blanching and refining processes remove the vitamin from the product.
If supplementing the B vitamins for anxiety is deemed necessary, experts generally recommend that all 11 B vitamins be taken together because they work synergistically with each other. A typical daily dose of B vitamins is 50 to 100 mg once or twice a day, but higher doses can sometimes be more effective, and because B vitamins are water soluble, their upper limit of intake is significantly high.
B vitamins for anxiety work by slightly different mechanisms. Vitamin B1, or thiamine, facilitates the synthesis of several mood neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. Vitamin B6, pyridoxal phosphate, is involved in the synthesis of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Synthetic GABAergic medications, such as benzodiazepines, increase this neurotransmitter at the nerve synapse to calm the body’s stress reaction, and supplementing with B6 is thought to work in the same way. Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, maintains the health and lining of actual nerve cells, facilitating proper nerve transmission, preventing many physical manifestations of anxiety.
Vitamin C exhibits its anti-anxiety action by helping the adrenal glands function properly, which prevents the body’s “fight or flight” response from becoming too exaggerated. It is also the main precursor for many hormones involved with the stress response, such as cortisol. Maintaining adequate levels of vitamin C ensures that these hormones stay balanced. Like the B complex vitamins, vitamin C is water soluble, which means that it is generally non-toxic at high levels. A typical dose of vitamin C for anxiety is 1,000 mg once or twice a day.
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