Anxiety antioxidants: 4 best vitamins for anxiety, stress and mental health
Anxiety rates are at an all-time high. Support your braincare with nutrition to ease stress and reduce anxiety.
If you’re feeling anxious today, you’re not alone. Mental Health First Aid England reports that anxiety and other mental health concerns are at an all-time high, and one of the main drivers for this sharp increase has been our collective health and safety worries during a global pandemic.
You’ve likely heard the stereotypical de-stressing advice recommended by wellness experts ad nauseum (e.g., get more sleep, hit the gym, etc.). But many people are missing one essential step: providing the right vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to support a healthy mind and a balanced nervous system.
With a smart nutritional approach to braincare, you can face your day’s challenges and opportunities with less anxiety, less stress and more confidence.
What’s the difference between stress and anxiety?
Because the symptoms of stress and anxiety are so similar, many people use the terms interchangeably. Shared symptoms between the two conditions include:
Difficulty sleeping
A hard time concentrating on tasks, conversations, etc.
Mood swings or mood changes, such as irritability
Chronic fatigue and loss of motivation
However, while stress is a response to a short-term trigger (such as a demanding email from your boss, your toddler’s morning tantrum, etc.), anxiety is a persistent feeling that never goes away.
Whether you’re experiencing long-term anxiety or short-term stress, psychologists point out that both are emotional responses within your brain and nervous system. And an ever-expanding body of research is investigating how the foods you eat affect how you feel, and whether specific vitamins and minerals can help your brain to better moderate your emotional responses to life’s difficulties.
This is your brain on food: a growing interest in nutritional psychiatry
Nutritional psychiatry is one of the newer fields of dietary and mental health science. It investigates the mind-body connection between nutrition and mental health concerns like anxiety.
The premise is simple:
Your brain is always on 24/7/365 and requires a lot of fuel to operate efficiently
Your brain plays a direct role in your emotions, your mood and your nervous system's response to stress triggers (i.e., your body's natural fight-or-flight response)
Specific vitamins, minerals and antioxidants can help protect the brain from damage
Specific nutrients play a role in healthy nervous system functions and communication between your brain’s neurons
A lack of these essential vitamins and minerals can hamper your brain’s ability to respond appropriately, leading to mental illness and mental health concerns
Think of it as fuel in your vehicle. Don’t let your mental gas tank run empty. Start paying attention to the foods you eat and the supplements you take, and you’ll start to see how your daily nutrition habits impact your mood and anxiety.
4 vitamins and minerals to reduce anxiety and improve your mental health
If you’re feeling anxious or stressed, or want to take proactive steps today to prevent problems down the road, start with these four natural vitamins that can help with anxiety, depression and panic attacks.
1. B vitamins
Your body needs eight B vitamins for optimal health:
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
Vitamin B7 (Biotin)
Vitamin B9 (Folate)
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamins)
All B vitamins play a beneficial role in reducing anxiety and improving your mood. For instance, a study published in the Journal of Functional Foods found that people who ate B vitamin-rich foods saw significant improvements in their anxiety and stress scores compared to those who didn't eat B vitamin-rich foods.
However, when it comes to vitamin B for anxiety, vitamin B12 is especially powerful for managing your mood. For instance, there's a strong correlation between low levels of B12 and increased rates of anxiety and depression. B12 also offers additional braincare benefits, such as increasing your ability to focus and remember information.
Daily nutrient reference values (NRV) for vitamin B12:
Adults: 2.4 μg/day
Pregnant individuals: 2.6 μg/day
Breastfeeding individuals: 2.8 μg/day
Top food sources for vitamin B12:
Shellfish like clams, mussels and crab
Fish, especially Atlantic mackerel and salmon
Lean poultry, such as turkey or chicken
Plant-based eaters need to pay special attention to B12, as aside from nutritional yeast—it’s pretty tough to come by
2. Vitamin C
You might think of vitamin C as an immune booster, but it’s also a brain booster and one of the best vitamins for anxiety.
This antioxidant plays a vital role in maintaining homeostasis (i.e., balance) in your central nervous system. A study in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry declared that "vitamin C deficiency is widely associated with stress-related diseases” and notes that taking a vitamin C supplement may improve your mood and reduce anxiety.
Plus, chronic anxiety leads to elevated levels of cortisol (a stress hormone linked with a higher risk of diabetes and many other diseases). Vitamin C can help your body to better manage its cortisol levels.
NRV for vitamin C:
Adult males: 90 mg/day
Adult females: 75 mg/day
Top food sources for vitamin C:
Citrus fruits
Colourful vegetables, such as red bell peppers
Tomatoes
3. Vitamin D
Approximately 40% of Europeans don’t get enough vitamin D.
And while it’s unclear if a vitamin D deficiency causes anxiety and depression, there’s a correlation between low vitamin D levels and higher rates of anxiety and other mood disorders. One study even found that taking a vitamin D supplement helped improve symptoms of depression.
NRV for vitamin D:
Adults: 600 IU/day
Adults over the age of 70: 800 IU/day
Top food sources for vitamin D:
Fish, such as salmon or sardines
Egg yolks
Fortified foods, such as milk or cereal
4. Magnesium
This anti-anxiety mineral is often referred to as nature’s chill pill. A systematic review analyzing nearly 20 different studies found that taking a magnesium supplement improved all measures of anxiety. Besides benefiting your stress and anxiety symptoms, magnesium has even been linked to improving symptoms of depression.
That may be because your brain and nervous system need magnesium for proper brain function and to regulate neurotransmitters.
An estimated 75% of people don’t get enough magnesium. If you choose to try magnesium supplements for anxiety, take them several hours before or after taking any other supplement. The mineral may reduce how well your body absorbs other nutrients.
NRV for magnesium:
Adult males age 30 or younger: 400 mg/day
Adult females age 30 or younger: 310 mg/day
Adult males age 31 or older: 420 mg/day
Adult females age 31 or older: 320 mg/day
Top food sources for magnesium
Nuts, such as cashews or peanuts
Beans
Whole grain brown rice
Avocados
Get the nutrients you need for better mental health with the Heights Smart Supplement.