If you feel anxious, consider checking your intake of the following nutrients. Remember, you should always check with a doctor before adding supplements to your diet, and follow dosage recommendations carefully because some minerals, like magnesium, can cause toxicity if taken in too high a dose.
B-Complex Vitamins
Stress and anxiety can cause the body to eat through its supply of B-complex vitamins, which boost the function of the nervous system. When you become vitamin B-deficient, you can develop signs of anxiety, irritability, restlessness or fatigue. One study conducted on patients with panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and depression found that up to 18 grams of a B vitamin (inositol) taken daily, was just as effective and did not cause as many side effects as an anti-anxiety drug.
Among the B vitamins you need for proper nervous system function are B2, B6, B5, B12, and more; however, you can add all 11 B vitamins to your diet with a B-complex supplement. B vitamins need to work together in balance to be most effective. Vitamin B1 also helps control blood sugar and has been shown to have an impact on anxiety, while vitamin B3 plays a significant role in the creation of serotonin. Taking 1,000 to 3,000 mg per day may help reduce anxiety. Folic acid and vitamin B12 may help bust depression symptoms.
You can get your B vitamins from eating pork, poultry, whole grains, potatoes, fish, legumes, certain vegetables and eggs.