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Does Vitamin B12 Help With Anxiety

Increases Red Blood Cells

Vitamin B12 for Anxiety Relief and Depression!

Vitamin B12 is necessary for producing red blood cells, which work to carry oxygen and nutrients around the body. If someone is deficient in B12, they may suffer from anemia. This leads to fatigue, dizziness, and many other symptoms.

A B12 injection can boost your health and prevent anemia. Energy levels will be raised due to the greater production of red blood cells. The cells in your body will receive oxygen and nutrients far more effectively.

Overhyped Benefits Of Vitamin B1: Energy Weight Loss And Memory

Lastly, heres a look at some supposed benefits of B12 that are more hype than reality.

Billions of dollars are spent every year on supplements and energy drinks that claim to improve memory, boost energy, or aid weight loss due, at least in part, to their vitamin B12 content.

Energy

The idea that B12 can increase energy originated from the observation that it works quite remarkably to increase energy in people who are B12-deficient.

But if you arent deficient, taking more wont increase your energy level one bit.

According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, the energy boost received from energy drinks has been clearly proven to come from caffeine and sugar not from any other ingredients, including vitamin B12.

Weight Loss

Theres also no credible evidence that taking extra vitamin B12 can help you lose weight.

Ironically, people with B12 deficiency who are underweight often gain weight when they take supplemental B12.

This is because B12 addresses a common symptom of deficiency poor appetite.

Memory

A low level can definitely adversely affect your memory and other cognitive functions.

If you have experienced memory loss, make sure youre getting adequate amounts of vitamin B12 from either your diet or supplements, or both.

But that does not make B12 a miracle memory nutrient that works for everyone.

Even mega-doses of vitamin B12 do not benefit healthy adults with normal B12 levels.

Getting Help For Anxiety Disorders

If you or a loved one currently live with co-occurring substance use and anxiety disorders, professional help is available at specialized treatment centers like The Recovery Village. With locations across the country and a multifaceted approach to mental health care that includes nutritional therapy, The Recovery Village can provide hope and healing to individuals with co-occurring substance use and anxiety disorders. If youre ready to take the first step toward treatment, reach out to a representative today.

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How Homocysteine May Affect Depression

Previously, we mentioned a connection between high levels of homocysteine and the development of cerebral vascular disease and/or neurotransmitter deficiency, which cause depression.

Lets dive deeper into that.

The dangers of high levels of homocysteine come from its toxicity to blood vessels and neurons. Additionally, homocysteine may lead to breakage of DNA strands, as well as oxidative stress and apoptosis, which is programmed cell death.

But where does homocysteine come from?

SAMe is an intermediary of the methionine-homocysteine metabolic pathway. It is along this pathway that methyl groups are produced for the synthesis of catecholamines and DNA.

For reference:

Catecholamines help the body respond to stress or fright, prepare it for fight-or-flight reactions, and regulate the heartbeat, breathing rate, as well as other physiological functions. Epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine are catecholamines.

Back to homocysteine:

This amino acid is synthesized from methionine obtained through your diet using the process of demethylation, or the removal of a methyl group from a molecule. Homocysteine can be re-methylated back to methionine, in which folate and Vitamin B12 act as cofactors of the process. It can also go through the process of transsulfuration to become cysteine and glutathione, which requires Vitamins B6 and B12 to act as cofactors.

Now:

Natural Vitamins For Anxiety

Vitamin B12 50mcg Tablets

Its a well-established, scientific fact that what you eat can dramatically impact your mood. Nutritional deficiencies can exacerbate mental health disorders, while a nutritionally complete diet can help alleviate symptoms. Certain natural vitamins or vitamins obtained by consuming whole foods are thought to positively affect anxiety. While most natural vitamins also exist in supplement form, theyre more effectively absorbed by the body when ingested by eating whole foods.

Some of the most common natural vitamins for anxiety include:

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How Might It Work

The evidence suggests B12 could improve our mental health. But how might it do this? Or, to use the technical term, what might be the mechanism of action ?

The research from McGill1 provides a possible explanation:

“In most, but not all, studies on patients with neuropsychiatric disorders, folate deficiency was associated with low levels of the serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in the cerebrospinal fluid . In one study, supplementation with folate restored CSF 5-HIAA levels to normal.”

If B12 is vital to regulating our levels of serotonin, and serotonin is key to a healthy brain, this could provide an explanation.

Slows Down Memory Loss

Weve already touched upon the importance of B12 when it comes to brain function. A deficiencyhas been strongly linkedto impaired cognition and memory loss in older adults.

Vitamin B12 has been linked to improved brain processes, helping your neurons to regenerate the nerve fiber sheaths that work to protect the neuron.

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We Need More Vitamin B12 Than Usual In Stressful Situations

Those who have to deal with highly stressful situations or are in a serious crisis need more vitamin B12 than usual. These situations can be high mental or physical stress such as important exams or difficult tests. Also, life situations that strongly weigh down on the mind and soul and trigger strong, long-lasting negative emotions are accompanied by higher stress if, for example:

  • the decisive examination was not passed after all,
  • there is intense lovesickness,
  • there is worry and grief over a close person.

There are several reasons why we use up more vitamin B12 in such extreme mental situations. On the one hand, the absorption and utilization of biofactors like vitamin B12 is affected because our body supplies less to our digestive organs and the composition of our stomach acid changes adversely. On the other hand, a lot of vitamin B12 is used up for producing neurotransmitters and hormones due to the constantly circling thoughts and strong feelings. The production of hormones like serotonin, adrenalin, and noradrenalin, in particular, significantly increases vitamin B12 consumption. The unusually high consumption of vitamin B12 can lead to an insufficient supply of it and a vicious cycle starts.

Vitamin B12 Supplement Dosage

Why vitamin B12 may cure social anxiety

The Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin B12 for adults is 2.4 micrograms .

If youve ever read B12 supplement labels, youve noticed that supplements often contain much more than this.

For example, heres the label of one that contains a whopping 83,330% of the RDA.

This high number seems more reasonable once you realize that only about 2% of the B12 in supplements is absorbed.

If your level is very low, your doctor may want to give you injectable vitamin B12 to increase it quickly, especially if you have pernicious anemia, permanent nerve damage, or ongoing digestive problems.

However, research has found that taking an oral supplement is as effective at raising blood levels of B12 as injections, so you may want to discuss trying mega-doses of oral B12 first.

An intriguing alternative for overcoming malabsorption is the use of a transdermal vitamin B12 patch.

According to one study the use of the B12 patch shows promise.

Vitamin B12 supplements are considered very safe and no tolerable upper intake level has been determined.

Doses as high as 2 mg per day do not cause any side effects.

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Helps Against Anxiety And Depression

All the B vitamins, and especially B12, are crucial for your brain function. A deficiency can lead to depression and anxiety. B12 shots can be a powerful tool to help manage your mood and mental health.

Low levels of B12 can affect the synthesizing process of mood-regulating neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. These are the brain chemicals that deal with your mood. Boosting your B12 can boost your mood.

B Vitamins That Actually Work For Anxiety

  • B-Vitamins are often marketed as a natural treatment for anxiety.
  • These vitamins should not be confused for medicine. Anxiety medications are more effective.
  • Only some B-vitamins may have an anxiolytic effect.
  • Be careful about taking any supplements that have not been substantially researched.
  • Other methods of reducing anxiety are likely far more effective.

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What Time Of Day Should You Take B12

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When should vitamin b12 be taken?

The usual dose for pernicious anemia-associated vitamin B12 deficiency is 100 mcg given as an injection into the muscle or under the skin once daily for 6-7 days. Then the dose may be given every other day for 7 doses followed by every 3-4 days for around 3 weeks.

is it OK to take 1000 mcg of b12 a day?safeB12be taken1,000 mcg

Contents

Does Vitamin B Help With Anxiety Its A Tool

Vitamin B Complex with lipotropes injection

If you are interested in knowing what kind of B complex my friend and I use then you can on Amazon, but be sure to read the article as well

to start with let me be clear that if you suffer from extreme levels of anxiety and are having issues that is severely debilitating it is important that you seek professional help. That said I also recommend that you gather as many anxiety tools and tricks that you can, until you have a whole arsenal of anxiety weapons handy

for me, one of the tools, is using a good quality vitamin B complex for my anxiety.

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Why You Should Consider A Vitamin B12 Supplement

Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that serves several crucial roles in the body, including improving your mood and decreasing your symptoms of anxiety and depression.

You should take the necessary steps to keep your levels of Vitamin B12 within a normal range to boost your mood and may help your depression.

Testing For Vitamin B12 Deficiency

It is very simple to test for a vitamin B12 deficiency with basic bloodwork, although sometimes it is not requested on a standard panel, especially if you are not vegetarian. Also important to note is that some labs do not flag vitamin B12 as deficient until it is very extreme. I would consider anything under 220 pmol/L to be deficient, and under 160 pmol/L to be very low. Another blood marker that can suggest a vitamin B12 deficiency is part of the CBC called the MCV or mean corpuscular volume. This reflects the size of the red blood cells, and a high value for MCV can indicate either a vitamin B12 or folate deficiency.

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How Vitamin B12 Benefits The Brain

Last updated September 23, 2021.Edited and medically reviewed by Patrick Alban, DC. Written by Deane Alban.

Vitamin B12 has critical benefits for the brain and nervous system, yet many are deficient in B12 because they cannot absorb it. Learn how to remedy this.

Vitamin B12 is one of eight essential B vitamins.

It is essential for overall health, but plays an especially important role in keeping the brain and nervous system working properly.

Vitamin B12 deficiency, however, is surprisingly common, affecting nearly half of all adults.

Find out if you may be at risk for deficiency and how to effectively raise your B12 level to improve your mental health and brain function.

How Does It Affect Mental Health

ANXIETY (And How I Healed It) ~ Symptoms & How to Heal Vitamin B12 Deficiency, Pernicious Anemia

Could a lack of B12 be a source of mental health problems? It certainly sounds plausible. Given its roll in regulating the brain and nervous system, it sounds like a prime candidate.

But what does the evidence say?

In 2007, McGill University published a paper reviewing the evidence1.

They noted there is decades of evidence showing that B12 deficiency correlated with mental health issues2. However, this is not proof in itself, as it could be that the effect that anxiety and depression have on our appetite leads to a diet that is poor in vitamins.

However, more recent evidence has suggested there may be a stronger link. A meta-analysis by Oxford University found that there was evidence that B12 supplements improved mental health3.

What remains unclear is whether it could help everyone, or whether it only helps people who are already folate deficient.

Not all studies agree. A 2003 meta-analysis by the Cochrane Collaboration looked at whether B12 could improve the mental health of people with dementia4. They concluded:

“From the three studies involving people with dementia or cognitive impairment and low blood levels of vitamin B12 eligible for inclusion in this review there was no statistically significant effect of vitamin B12 supplementation on cognition.”

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Liposomal Vitamin B12 Technology

If youre looking for ways to keep your Vitamin B12 levels within a healthy range, then you should consider a Vitamin B12 supplement. More specifically, you may want to consider Liposomal Vitamin B12.

But what is Liposomal Technology anyway?

Liposomal Technology uses micro sized fluid filled liposomes to protect and deliver nutrients directly into the cells and tissues of the body. These liposomes are very similar to human cells, which makes it easier for them to be transported within the body. As a result, nutrient absorption is greatly increased, and there is less intestinal discomfort than with using standard oral supplements.

  • Micro-sized encapsulation that protects against the harsh acidity of the gastrointestinal tract
  • Increased delivery to cells, tissues, and organs
  • Higher absorption rates and bioavailability than other standard oral supplements
  • Noninvasive compared to intravenous supplementation
  • Lower doses provide the same effects as high-dose standard oral supplements
  • Helps put nutrients to use by the body faster
  • Prevents gastrointestinal distress usually experienced with standard oral supplements
  • One study published in the Global Drugs and Therapeutics journal in 2018 investigated how liposomal B12 supplementation affected B12 levels in the bloodstream, and whether the effect could be reproduced regardless of medication, basic biometric differences, and lifestyle choices.

    The results?

    Whats The Difference Between Stress And Anxiety

    Because the symptoms of stress and anxiety are so similar, many people use the terms interchangeably. It is useful to understand the difference as many vitamins help both but the definition is different. 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 , anxiety is a persistent feeling that never goes away.

    Whether youre 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 lifes difficulties.

    Get the nutrients you need to help feel less anxious with the Heights Smart Supplement.

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    Vitamins And Treatment Of Mental Illnesses

    Healthcare practitioners support the therapeutic value of dietary intervention in addressing depression and other psychological disorders. Although vitamin deficiency has been linked to mental health problems, it is important to note that vitamin supplements cannot replace mental illness treatment medication.

    Maintaining a healthy diet may help you avoid nutritional deficiencies that cause mental health problems. It can be quite hard trying to stay on a healthy diet plan. Reducing or avoiding alcohol intake, cigarette smoking, refined sugars, and caffeine may help to maintain good mental health. Consult with a professional before taking vitamin supplements if you are concerned with your mental health.

    You should consult your doctor before taking any dietary supplements. If you have any mental health issues, seek help from a professional. Always check with your doctor about the supplements you can take along with prescribed medication for your condition. This can minimize the risk of developing other health issues.

    Show Sources

    Best Vitamins For Anxiety Stress And Mental Health

    Stress Formula with Vitamin C

    Anxiety rates are at an all-time high. Support your braincare with nutrition to ease stress and reduce anxiety.

    If youre feeling anxious today, youre 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.

    Youve likely heard the stereotypical de-stressing advice recommended by wellness experts ad nauseam . But many people are missing one essential step: providing the right vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to reduce anxiety levels and support a healthy mind and a balanced nervous system. These essential vitamins include:

    With a smart nutritional approach to braincare, you can face your days challenges and opportunities with less anxiety, less stress, and more confidence.

    If youre feeling anxious or stressed, or want to take proactive steps today to prevent problems down the road, start with these five natural vitamins that can help with anxiety, depression and panic attacks. We’ve also included all of these nutrients in the Smart Supplement to help relieve anxiety and soothe stress:

    Get the nutrients you need to help feel less anxious with the Heights Smart Supplement.

    Daily nutrient reference values for vitamin B12:

    • Adults: 2.4 g/day

    Top food sources for vitamin B12:

    Recommended Reading: What Vitamins Does The Human Body Need

    Best Supplements For Anxiety

    Taking supplements and vitamins for anxiety relief can address the three most significant biological factors that contribute to anxiety and panic attacks:

    • Low serotonin levels: While the role of serotonin in the brain is not completely understood, it has been found to play an important part in regulating mood and anxiety.
    • Low vitamin B6 levels: Vitamin B6 is an important component required for the body to make serotonin. Low vitamin B6 levels ultimately lead to low serotonin.
    • Low iron levels: Like vitamin B6, iron is a necessary part of making serotonin. Building iron levels helps to avoid a serotonin deficiency.

    When combined with methods like talk therapy, building a strong social support system, meditation, journaling and prescription medications , supplements can improve or correct biological factors affecting anxiety and provide relief from many of the most severe anxiety symptoms.

    Some of the best supplements and vitamins for anxiety for most people include:

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