Vitamin B Rich Foods To Help Alleviate Anxiety

In the past year, we have seen a lot of talk in the scientific community regarding the advantages of including vitamin B in your diet to help control anxiety levels. But exactly what kind of vitamin B are they talking about and what are the foods that you should be eating to achieve this advantage?

If you eat a good diet, odds are that you will get enough vitamin B in your diet through existing meals. The diets of most people in the country, however, are relatively poor. In this case, you will probably need to take supplements to ensure that you are getting all of the vitamin B that you need.

There are a number of different types of vitamin B. In experiments, however, the type that has been shown to have a positive effect on anxiety is Vitamin B1, or thiamine. For those who desire a natural source for the vitamin, you will find it in beef and other meats, milk and other dairy products, oats, and nuts and seeds.

Not only that, but a number of foods that we consume day after day such as breakfast cereals,muffins, and other breads are fortified with the vitamin. An excellent supplement to use if your body has a deficiency in thiamine is brewer's yeast. And, for those who love fruits, oranges have an above average amount of thiamine in them.

A recurring theme in many cases of anxiety is the person having a lack of thiamine in their body. When tested, people that show signs of agitation, fear of closed or open spaces, as well as many types of psychosomatic problems - seem to have below normal levels of vitamin B.

Now, in no way does this imply that a lack of this vitamin is the underlying reason for the anxiety that the person may be feeling. Rather, it simply means that, in some way, there is a correlation between the two things. The most likely explanation is that certain people are, by nature, more prone to anxiety attacks. In these people, Thiamine, in a way, acts as a drug and helps to moderate and lessen those feelings of anxiousness.

Another B vitamin that has shown signs of having a positive effect in reducing anxiety is vitamin B8 or inositol. Unfortunately, although it has shown much promise, there have not been enough studies on this vitamin to conclusively conclude one way or another if it can be an effective, dependable treatment. Foods that have high levels of inositol include organ meats like liver, fruits such as bananas and raisins, and supplements such as wheat germ and brewer's yeast.

When tested, many people seem to have a deficiency in vitamin B. One of the reasons is that we eat so many refined foods where this nutritional resource has been stripped from the food. To counteract this, as much as possible, try to change your diet to include more whole foods and unprocessed foods.

By: Karen Larsen

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Please visit Karen's website for more anxiety and manic depressive articles such as anxiety panic disorders and treatment for depression and anxiety.