Vitamins and supplements for anxiety?

[jessed03]

Guess people are going to read this in the future, so I'll try and break down a few supplements for you. This is just my opinion from either taking them or studying them. I'm not a doctor. I only tell cute girls that I am.

B-vitamins are hit or miss. Some find them relaxing, others find them too stimulating. Personally they were too stimulating for me, so I don't take them. If you take them and find you're really riled up, throw them in the bin.

Vitamin D is essential... if you're low. Get a blood test and check your levels. It's easy to do, and can be a game changer. If you're borderline, you can take a maintenance dose of 1000ug and get extra sunlight. If you're low, your doctor will advise supplementation.

Magnesium is something everyone should take. Given the garbage in our diets and the depletion of minerals in the soil, virtually everybody will be low in it. If you're stressed, which I assume you are, take the RDI of quality magnesium every day. Unless you have reason not to.

Omega-3 can be useful. Most people never check their levels, so unless you eat lots of organic fish, you may need more. Most physicians recommend supplementing, so you can try if you want to. Krill oil is one of the best types to take.

Valerian is ok. It may help you sleep. It may not. It made me dream funny.

Chamomile tea is helpful. People have been drinking this for centuries. Stay within limits and you'll find there are no side-effects. The taste isn't great, but you'll get used to it. Green tea can be helpful too, what with all the Theanine. Some find it stimulating though. If you do, don't take it.

Vitamin C is very good, but only take it for 3-months. And only when your anxiety is better. Your adrenal gland takes a colossal beating when you have anxiety. When feeling better, takes steps to help it recover. Don't wing it though. Get somebody qualified to help you.

Passionflower is effective, but it has side-effects. It can make you feel sick, make your heart race and make you drowsy. If you want to try it, it's up to you. Avoid it if pregnant. It's probably safe, but there's not enough research.

GABA/Amino Acids are one of the most interesting anxiety supplements as they affect the way your brain communicates with itself. That said, they need to be held in the correct balance. Try to take a blood test before taking any so you can know where you stand. Some people's live transform when taking these. You'll almost certainly screw it up if you just guess, though.

Vitamin E is another supplement that gets recommended, and is another a fair few people are deficient in. Personally, I don't believe you need to supplement it though. There are so many great foods with vitamin E inside them. Avocados, olive oil and nuts are just a few. Why take a supplement when you can just eat better?

Calcium gets talked about a lot. I'm not sure why. Unless you add up your daily diet and find you're not getting enough calcium, I don't see the point in supplementing it. That goes for most other trace metals too. Your body is in fine balance, and changing one mineral level can just screw up that balance. Ratios are much more important than amount (unless you're seriously low). Check your body's metal levels first before trying any of these supplements. Some of that can be done cheaply using only the hair.

Milk thistle is recommended by PanicCured in his sticky thread. It has some scientific backing behind it, and is said to have profound detoxification benefits. But you know what else does? Lemon and warm water. Drink that upon waking and save yourself 10 bucks.

Acidophilus is something I love. It's the good bacteria found in the gut. The supplements are expensive to buy and give you side-effects of nausea and stomach aches for a few days. Lots of research is now suggesting good gut flora can help aid in the expulsion of mental illness. To take a short cut, simply eat more ORGANIC greek yoghurt. You'll find if you do, your immune system will go up a notch, too.

5HTP and St. John's are two of the closest supplements to SSRIs on the market. In fact, you should never take either if you are taking a real anti-depressant. For both, results seem to cut down the middle. Some find they take the edge off their disorder, others find them worthless. These supplements are fairly serious, so don't take them lightly. Read the instructions carefully if you do decide to try them and stay within recommended doses. Avoid alcohol at all times, and contact your doctor if you notice anything serious. If you don't want to take SSRIs, it's worth talking to your doctor or naturopath about these before starting one.

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So, that's my take on most of the popular supplements on the market. I've tried most of them, but now only take magnesium and vitamin D (I live in a cold climate). Getting some numbers back from a proper lab will take the guess work out of a lot of this stuff. I've taken supplements before, only to find out my levels of said vitamin were high. Not only was it a waste of money, but also potentially harmful.

I'd say for the majority of people, diet will be more important than taking a pill. A lot of people respond well to the diabetic diet (a diet designed for balancing blood sugar). That should be something you talk to a pro about though before embarking on, at least if you're inexperienced.

A great way to see what your current nutritional levels are like is to visit Fitday.com and input your daily meals. Here, you can find out what you're not eating enough of, and try to fix the problem.

Supplements will only make a major difference if you're depleted. So rather than search for a miracle cure, get a blood test and do a little meditation/mind work instead. You'll find that a lot more useful, and find your wallet is a little heavier too.