Vitamin Supplements - A Natural Approach to Fighting Anxiety

For most anxiety suffers, traditional treatmentsthe brain due to poor diet or stress, the nerves
(including drug therapy and psychotherapy) servetend to "over-fire," thus causing anxiety, panic and
as a Band-Aid, but never fully correct thestress.
physiological imbalance that causes anxiety in theThe simple way to correct this condition is by
first place. Fortunately, natural approaches exist totaking GABA supplements found at any health
fight stress by replenishing the body of essentialfood store or vitamin supplier. In addition, research
vitamins and supplements missing from the brainshows that replenishing GABA to the brain can
or nervous system.also help fight depression, insomnia or other
Anxiety may surface in a variety of forms,neurological conditions.
ranging from brief discomfort and uneasiness toB Vitamins
full-blown panic disorder. Depending on theSupplementing the body with B-vitamins is
patient's condition, sufferers will generally beessential for any person suffering with anxiety on
prescribed SSRI's (selective serotonin-reuptakea regular basis. Research shows that low levels of
inhibitors) such as Zoloft or Lexapro, in addition toB-vitamins such as B-9 and B-12 are directly linked
a tranquilizer such as Xanax or Ativan to controlto mood changes and depression.
attacks.Furthermore, B-vitamins enhance and support the
Unfortunately, the side effects that accompanyneurotransmitters in the brain such as serotonin,
these treatments can be just as life altering asnorepinephrine and dopamine - all which have a
the disorder itself. Anti-anxiety medicine has beendirect effect on stress.
known to cause drowsiness, short-term memoryComplete B-vitamin supplements can be
loss, severe weight gain and nausea. Furthermore,purchased at your local health food store or
tranquilizers such as Xanax or Ativan are onlyobtained naturally by eating whole-grain cereals,
temporary fixes for intense periods of panic.bread, red meat, egg yolks, green leafy
These drugs have no impact on the essentialvegetables, legumes, sweet corn, brown rice,
vitamins and minerals naturally found in the bodyberries and yeast.
that can cause anxiety when depleted.Calcium and Magnesium
Fortunately, there are a variety of naturalCalcium and Magnesium are natural remedies for
vitamins and anxiety supplements that can bebrining the body back to a calm and de-stressed
utilized to restore the body to optimalstate. Calcium is a natural tranquilizer, while low
performance. Each vitamin or supplement listedlevels of magnesium in the body is have been
below is a safe and natural alternative tolinked to increased stress, tension, nervousness
traditional SSRI treatment or tranquilizers utilizedand intense periods of anxiety and panic.
for stress disorders:Because calcium and magnesium promote
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)relaxation and calmness, supplements should be
GABA is naturally occurring amino acid that istaken before bed to avoid drowsiness. Likewise,
produced by the brain and acts as acalcium and magnesium can be naturally added to
neurotransmitter (the same way SSRI's arethe body by consuming dairy products, green
intended to do by blocking nerve impulses relatedleafy vegetables and whole-grain cereals.
to stress and anxiety). When GABA is depleted in