Anxiety is an unpleasant emotional state of mind developed due to any personal uncertainties, misfortune, fear, apprehension and worry. The most common symptoms of anxiety are sweating, dizziness, headaches, uptight feeling, inability to relax, feeling restless, keyed up, reduced concentration, insomnia, heart palpitations, rapid heartbeat and fatigue. In such cases it is very essential to reduce the anxiety level.
The major factor contributing to the causes of anxiety is deficiency of Vitamin B complex. Certain foods like dairy products, chocolate, wheat, salt, commercial salad dressings, sugar, alcohol, coffee, black tea, and red meat worsen anxiety whereas foods like vegetables, brown rice, fruits, poultry, fish, olive oil, and whole grains, seeds and nuts, helps to prevent anxiety.
Vitamin B complex and anxiety are inter-related. Vitamin B1 or Thiamine is beneficial for reducing anxiety and has a calming effect on the nerves. Symptom of prolonged deficiency of Vitamin B1 is fearfulness or anxiety, eventually leading to emotional instability and psychosomatic complaints.
Riboflavin of Vitamin B 2 is also one of the major B vitamin that aids in relieving causes of anxiety. It also strengthens the immune and nervous system.
Niacin helps the human body to metabolize fatty acids and release energy. It also plays a vital role in promoting healthy neurons, controlling blood sugar and lowering cholesterol level.
Inhibitory neurotransmitter such as serotonin, synthesized by Vitamin B6, is involved in the regulation of anxiety. Thus, a deficiency of this vitamin can result in heightened anxiety. It also helps in improving the immune and the nervous system during heightened anxiety.
Folic Acid or Vitamin B9 also helps in preventing anxiety, a deficiency of which vitamin leads to psychiatric disturbances.
Anxiety may be part of the neuropsychiatric syndrome, advanced case of pernicious anemia. This is caused by deficiency of Vitamin B 12. If adequate amount of this vitamin is consumed it helps in controlling levels of the amino acid homocysteine, produced during protein metabolism and eventually prevents anxiety.