Anxiety Relief Tips & Strategies

Researchers have mixed opinions about Vitamin B and its affects on depression. While some claim that taking Vitamin B-12 has been shown to have no effect on people suffering from depression and anxiety, others have made the link between a lack of Vitamin B with anxiety, depression and insomnia.

If your Vitamin B-12 level is just a little bit low, you might not have any symptoms, but if it’s considerably low, you can experience depression and other conditions.
For instance, some people with low vitamin B-12 also have high levels a certain amino acid in the blood. If you have a high level of the amino acid, homocysteine, as well as low Vitamin B-12, you might be at higher risk of developing heart disease and stroke.

So what is Vitamin B-12?

Vitamin B-12 is an important vitamin that is mainly found in meat and dairy products. It helps make red blood cells and keeps your nervous system working properly.

True vegetarians who avoid meat and dairy products are at risk for low vitamin B-12. Most people with low vitamin B-12 levels generally have trouble absorbing vitamin B-12 from their stomach or small intestines.

There are several things that can cause problems absorbing Vitamin B-12, including people with pernicious anemia that can destroy cells in the stomach that helps absorb the vitamin. Another contributor is the excessive long-term use of heartburn and ulcer medications.

As well, lack of magnesium and insufficient intake of Vitamin B and Calcium can contribute to anxiety, depression and insomnia.

To combat these shortfalls, make sure you add to your diet foods that are rich in these substances such as wholegrain cereals, leafy-green vegetables and low fat diary products. Fresh, unprocessed foods are best.

Avoid nicotine, caffeine, salt, and artificial additives such as preservatives as these trigger the adrenal glands which is one of the main stress chemicals.

Vitamin B6 as a Contributor

People who consume large amounts of alcohol can be at risk of Vitamin B6 deficiency, generally because they tend to have a low intake and poor metabolism of this vitamin.

People who are under-nourished and who have poor diets will also have a Vitamin B6 deficiency. While severe Vitamin B6 deficiency is relatively rare, the symptoms include irritability, depression and confusion.

Once again, researchers are in conflict. While some believe there is evidence to suggest that Vitamin B-6 deficiency may lead to depression, clinical trials have not provided evidence that an increase in vitamin B-6 is effective in the treatment of depression.

As a layperson who has experienced great improvement with regular supplements of a Vitamin B complex, I can assert that they do, in fact, have a positive effect on depression, anxiety and overall well-being.

I question the tests that do not detail the length of the studies done. In my case, the supplements were taken for an extended period of time before the improvement was noticeable. It took approximately 2-3 months of All-B and Calcium (high-level Stress Formula vitamins) before I began to feel better. Consequently, I wonder whether their tests were given adequate time since they seem to have been conducted over several weeks, not months.

Keep in mind, too, that all people are different. They have different variables that contribute to their depression and anxiety. For some, it’s an inherited trait and is locked into their genes. For others, it’s contributable to other general health issues. In still others, it’s about lifestyle, how they feel about themselves, and what problems they have to deal with. Also, other medications can affect how your body reacts both to events and to how vitamins and minerals are absorbed and used.

Clearly, no one answer will benefit everyone. That’s why it’s important to understand yourself and your own condition.

The important thing is that we all can be helped. Vitamin B is a relatively safe vitamin to take. Plus there are other steps that are proven beneficial that you can take to relieve your condition.