The Ultimate Guide of Nutritional Deficiencies that Cause Anxiety

If your diet is a quick fast-food breakfast, vending machine lunch, and a tv dinner before bed, then your diet is probably lacking some essential vitamins and minerals. There is a long list of deficiencies that cause anxiety, so I broke it down for you, by the nutrient and some deficiency symptoms that can be prevalent.

How do nutritional deficiencies cause anxiety?

There are many nutrient deficiencies that cause anxiety, however we will focus on the main ones here. You will get a quick overview of the nutrient and the deficiency symptoms that you may see, in order to be able to recognize some deficiencies if you are unable to get blood work done.

The more common ones are magnesium, vitamin d and vitamin b, there are other vitamins and mineral deficiencies that cause anxiety.

However, I highly recommend getting blood work done. I have even seen some companies that offer a pee stick that tells you about your nutritional deficiencies, I don’t have any names but I have seen some commercials for it. Might be something worth trying if your doctor doesn’t do a comprehensive panel.

Vitamin supplementation is only used to supplement, it does not replace a bad diet or counteract a poor lifestyle (sleep deprivation, stress, high technology use, radiation exposure, etc.) Vitamins are great to help someone who has deficiencies and it supplements the nutrients that may be lacking in a healthy diet, due to soil that is not nutrient dense as it once was.

What nutritional deficiencies cause anxiety?

Food is not merely for just taste, getting enough food or calories in our bodies or even impacting our body mass. Those are part of what food is, but the pounds of food we consume can be even more powerful than the micro doses from pills.

“Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food.”- Hippocrates

This is a common phrase but it is so true! Food is our medicine, in combination with sunshine, a positive mindset, exercise and great conversations.

Understanding this statement can make it more clear nutritional deficiencies that cause anxiety. Not just bad thoughts or stress or trauma, however those do play a large role in it.

My goal once I am licensed as a Mental Health Counselor is to really help people understand how we have to have our bodies chemically balanced in order to be able to have the best results from our counseling!

“Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food.”- Hippocrates

Vitamin C Deficiency Symptoms

In managing mental disorders, like anxiety, vitamin C is a compulsory element in manufacturing medicines for anxiety disorder. Vitamin C has its tremendous ability to control our levels of stress, also it has the ability to repair our body and increase our collagen production.

Vitamin C has played a significant role in neurotransmitter chemistry, hormonal balance, the effective communication between inter-neurons. Above that, it has a vital role in improving immunity.

Vitamin C has been found to have a therapeutic effect on many psychological problems like Anxiety, Depression, Schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s disease. (Maxfield & Crane, 2019).

People who are more prone to develop vitamin C deficiencies are those who are consuming alcohol for a longer period. Children who are drinking only cow milk only, but sugary juices are not the answer to this, fresh fruit juices, peppers and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Senior citizens who are eating a limited diet.

Chain smokers, individuals who are suffering from any kind of eating disorder like bulimia nervosa, anoxia Nervosa, in type 1 diabetes patients could develop the vitamin C deficiency that is why doctors prescribed it with the other medication. (Han, Shen, Wang, Wu & Chen, 2018).

Individuals who are on a high iron diet could develop vitamin C deficiency because the excess of iron results in wastage of vitamins by the kidneys, as this kind of nutritional deficiency can cause anxiety. (Russo, 2011).

Disorders Caused By Vitamin C Deficiency

Vitamin C Deficiency Symptoms

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin which means that when it is taken orally, you body will use it up rather quickly and pee out the excess it does not need. Versus fat-soluble vitamins like D, E & K stay in your system longer and do not have to be taken as frequently.

There is a catch to this though, there is this wonderful creation called a Liposomal Vitamin C and it is fat soluble so it stays in your system longer. It is typically pricier but is worth it.

If you want to take a pill because the idea of drinking your vitamins doesn’t sit well with you, then a Buffered Vitamin C with bioflavonoids would be my next recommendation. The vitamin c being buffered will help protect your stomach if you have a sensitive stomach, or if other vitamin Cs have given you diarrhea very easily in the past.

Vitamin D

Like other micro nutrients, vitamin D is also an important and significant nutrient required by the body. This is a very common nutrient deficiency that causes anxiety, because over 1 billion people are deficient in vitamin D. Therefore I would say, there is a HIGH chance you are vitamin D deficient. Even people who spend tons of time out in the sun can STILL be vitamin D deficient. This is because you may be wearing sunscreens or clothing that block your skin from absorbing the sunlight.

In order to get enough vitamin D you should look at increasing the amount of vitamin D rich foods in your diet as well as vitamin D supplementation.

Vitamin D deficiency in the body could lead to problems like:

Best Vitamin Ds

Bluebonnet Liquid Vitamin D 5,000ius per drop

I highly recommend this if you know you have gut issues, if you have a lot of allergies, food sensitivities, get very anxious, have kids, or have taken other vitamin Ds and not had luck. I take this vitamin D sublingual, which means under the tongue. I let it sit there for a minute or two before swallowing.

I also give the liquid vitamin d to my children ( 4 and 10 months) a few times per week directly in their mouths or in their cups of milk. It has a light orange taste, but no weird flavors or aftertastes.

Furthermore…

If you really want a high dose pill and you are not as concerned with your absorption, this pill you take once a week until your blood work comes back looking great (in the 50-80 ng/ul). Then a maintenance dose is recommended, but check with your (Naturopathic) Doctor. Not everyone has access to a naturopath, but there are other doctors and practitioners that could discuss your blood work and supplementation with you.

This is the vitamin D I personally take a few times per week, however you shouldn’t do more than once per week without speaking to your doctor.

Biotech Pharmacal – D3-50 (50,000iu)

Last, But Not Least

This company I have actually worked for as a Health Advisor, the role name has changed since I was there. They create amazing products, truly backed by science. You can find a research study supporting every single product they put out.

Since it is soft gels, it has a liquid center and this allows for faster and increased absorption as well.

Plus it’s SUPER cheap, you can’t afford NOT to buy it. Taking 1-2 softgels per day (depending on your blood work) will help you minimize your risk for these common nutrient deficiencies that cause anxiety.

Life Extension Vitamin D3, 5000 IU

If you are concerned about your vitamin k levels and you have had a less than great result on your DEXA scans or you have concerns for bone health. Then you could get a vitamin D with K, but it will not be very high in K, it will just help you increase your levels some. You do need to consume other minerals including magnesium, which I recommend some great magnesiums below.

According to the research, anxiety is the most prevalent disorder in the United States. The core reason for anxiety is stress, also nutritional deficiency can cause anxiety. When individuals are unable to handle stress due to these nutritional deficiencies, it can develop disorders such as anxiety, depression, etc.

Magnesium

Since our bodies can not make magnesium on their own, it is required to obtain the magnesium from diet and supplementation. These trace amounts of magnesium bind with the other elements to reach the central nervous system.

Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms

Deficiency of magnesium in blood results in:

(Anjom-Shoae, Sadeghi, Keshteli, Afshar, Esmaillzadeh & Adibi, 2018)

Hypomagnesemia (a condition caused by the low levels of magnesium in the blood). Low levels of magnesium could lead to Nausea, vomiting, weakness, decreased appetite.

If the situation gets worsen then it could lead to numbness, tingling, muscle cramps, Seizures, muscle spasticity, personality changes abnormal heart rhythms. (Serefko, Szopa, & Poleszak, 2016).

A research study conducted in Iran showed people who have scored high on anxiety, consumed low levels of magnesium in their diet. Compared to participants who scored low on the anxiety test, consumed optimal levels of magnesium in their diet. So magnesium has a significant role in lowering the level of anxiety in women. (Masalha, Rudoy, Volkov, Yusuf, Wirguin & Herishana, 2002).

Dietary habits and the type of food consume significantly predict psychological disorders like anxiety, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder. Anxiety has been treated through multiple medications but sometimes not just the medication the psychological symptoms are treated with the therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy. As when the therapy couldn’t give the desired response in planned time then the nutrition would be taken into consideration. (Lambrinakou, Katsa, Zyga, Ioannidis, Sachlas, Panoutsopoulos & Gil, 2017).

The Best Magnesium for Anxiety

There are many great magnesiums on the market, the question is which one is best for anxiety. Some will base it purely off of the absorption, which yes this plays a role. However, when you have anxiety, you need something that works FAST!

This is why I have a whole article about the Best Magnesium for Anxiety, giving you a thorough breakdown of each form of Magnesium and what they are best known for!

Read more about this magnesium in the link above, it is a little tart, however it works REALLY fast. That’s what we need as anxiety sufferers, isn’t it?

If you need more specific guidance on figuring out what triggers your anxiety and how to pinpoint what works, check out my Holistic Anxiety Relief Guide. I am a psychology major and an anxiety sufferer myself. I have worked in the natural health industry for 8+ years. I will be adding to my course and increasing the price as time goes on. This does not replace your doctor or mental health counselor. It is only an aid to help you figure out what works for you and what doesn’t and it’s ALL Natural! It is also very affordable right now, and I update it every so often as I test out things that work for me, in addition to adding psychological techniques to help you the best I can at a next to nothing cost.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 or methylcobalamin deficiency results in making an individual anemic and can lead to neurological disorders. Mild deficiency will not cause any discernible symptoms, but as the deficiency levels increased in the body symptoms of anemia becomes apparent. Not as many people are aware of these nutritional deficiencies that cause anxiety and many don’t even know what symptoms of anxiety look like. Here is some information about the detrimental effects of anxiety.

Deficiency symptoms include:

Vitamin B12 requires an intrinsic factor for the absorption of vitamins, which are produced in stomach cells.

If an individual is consuming a healthy diet in the right amount, then he shouldn’t be worried about vitamin deficiency. (Oh, & Brown, 2003). However, if someone has gut issues such as leaky gut, then they may have difficulty absorbing nutrients. Since we know nutritional deficiencies cause anxiety and our gut plays a HUGE role in our mental health, then focusing on healing our gut is critical.

To get the most absorption when taking your vitamins you should use liquid vitamins or receive vitamin supplementation through an I.V or through injection. An injection is an effective way to absorb vitamins because it can go directly into your body, I am no expert on this so I recommend liquids since that’s what I take.

Nutrients should come from our diets but will be supplemented with supplements that only have clean ingredients. Clean ingredients like ones that come from the ground, or have a mother and that you can pronounce.

Furthermore the next one may be a little surprising, it was to me when I was researching it.

Iron deficiency

The iron deficiency in the blood makes the individual anemic. Pregnant women, children, cancer patients, and women with heavy periods are at the highest risk for iron deficiency. (Office of Dietary Supplements – Iron)

“Approximately 60% of patients with chronic heart failure have iron deficiency and 17% have IDA (iron deficiency anemia)”. (Office of Dietary Supplements – Iron) Nutritional deficiencies cause anxiety and can therefore also lead to chronic heart failure. I can’t stress this enough, how critical it is to really pay attention to these vitamins and minerals you are lacking.

An anemic person will feel the following symptoms:

Anemia can also be from B-12 or a folate deficiency so make sure you are consuming all three.

Iron deficiency is correlated to anxiety and depression, from increased migraines in those who have IDA. (Pamuk et al., 2015)

Omega 3 fatty acids deficiency

Omega 3s are found typically in fish, flax seeds, and chia seeds, and other fatty foods. Fish oils you find on the market are comprised of DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) and EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid).

People often say “well I just eat more fish in order to get enough omega 3s”. Although fish can be very helpful at minimizing the nutritional deficiencies that cause anxiety, they can also be high in mercury. Especially if they are not wild-caught, always always always get wild-caught fish whenever you can.

And still consuming a ton of fish would still increase the amount of mercury you would consume. Fish oil is filtered and it is a concentrated source of Omega 3s so you can get the benefits of these brain inflammation-fighting nutrients without the mercury.

Eating a diet high in Omega 6s (vegetable oils) and not enough Omega 3s, can lead to:

A 12-week long study was done on medical students where they were given 2.5g of fish oil or (2,500mg), in the study participants were given 2,085mg of EPA and 348mg DHA. These students reported a 20% decrease in anxiety and 14% reduction of inflammatory markers (IL-6) interleukin 6. (Kiecolt-Glaser, Belury, Andridge, Malarkey, & Glaser, 2011)

This fish oil is a little pricier but 3 soft gels provide you with 2,700mg of Omega 3s and 3,000 I.Us of Vitamin D. This is a very high amount of Omega 3s per soft gel, many other fish oils contain only a combined 500mg of Omegas per soft gel.

Copper deficiency

Low levels of copper in the blood could lead to a condition called anemia. Studies have shown copper’s effects on anxiety and depression in addition to a positive association with BDNF ( brain-derived neurotrophic factor). (Percival, 1998)

Copper deficiency can lead to:

You can increase your copper consumption by using copper pans and bakeware. In addition, increasing your copper supplementation if you take zinc, so it is not depleted is highly recommended.

This liquid copper will be absorbed quickly and is a 30 day supply, so you only have to replace it once a month. Boost your immune system and your mental health with this copper supplement.

Zinc deficiency

Zinc is another trace mineral that plays a key role in our immune function and mental health, it has been shown to decrease depressive symptoms. (Wang, Um, Dickerman, & Liu, 2018)

Zinc deficiency can lead to:

Conclusion:

For proper functioning of the body, we need to focus on our nutritional deficiencies that cause anxiety. Proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices can help us heal our minds and bodies.

If you feel like this was helpful and you want a more specific guide to analyzing your anxiety attacks and learning how to cope with them naturally, then check out my Holistic Anxiety Relief course. Using psychology and other helpful methods to help you feel less anxious and more in control of your health.


 


References:

Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., Belury, M. A., Andridge, R., Malarkey, W. B., & Glaser, R. (2011). Omega-3 supplementation lowers inflammation and anxiety in medical students: A randomized controlled trial. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 25(8), 1725-1734. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2011.07.229

Muhamed, P. K., & Vadstrup, S. (2014). Ugeskrift for laeger, 176(5), V11120654.

Office of Dietary Supplements – Iron. (n.d.). Retrieved January 27, 2021, from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/#h5

Pamuk, G. E., Top, M. ?, Uyan?k, M. ?, Köker, H., Akker, M., Ak, R., . . . Çelik, Y. (2015). Is iron-deficiency anemia associated with migraine? Is there a role for anxiety and depression? Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift, 128(S8), 576-580. doi:10.1007/s00508-015-0740-8

Percival, S. S. (1998). Copper and immunity. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 67(5). doi:10.1093/ajcn/67.5.1064s

Wang, J., Um, P., Dickerman, B., & Liu, J. (2018). Zinc, Magnesium, Selenium and Depression: A Review of the Evidence, Potential Mechanisms and Implications. Nutrients, 10(5), 584. doi:10.3390/nu10050584

Originally posted 2021-01-28 21:27:36.