For many people, this past year or so has pushed them out of their mental health comfort zone. Spiking rates of anxiety over getting sick, the loss of a job, isolation, homeschooling, working from home, the loss of a loved one, and now reopening are all taking a toll on mental health, and even making it difficult to find a therapist. Studies show that there are consistent upticks in depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance abuse, and suicidal tendencies following natural disasters and economic crisis.1 The COVID-19 pandemic is no different.

According to the Mayo Clinic,2 the symptoms of anxiety can be very recognizable:

Feeling nervous, restless or tense
Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom
Having an increased heart rate
Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
Sweating
Trembling
Feeling weak or tired
Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
Having trouble sleeping
Experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems
Having difficulty controlling worry
Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety

Children experience anxiety similarly to adults but they may express their anxiety as:3

Clingyness/Shyness
Startling easily
Crying or having tantrums
Trouble sleeping
Headaches
Stomachaches

A multitude of factors can contribute to developing anxiety and many can be addressed through therapy, and other means of emotional support and self care. However, emerging research is also finding a correlation between certain nutrients and positive mental health outcomes.4 If you are experiencing anxiety, supporting your mental health with nutrients found in common foods, in addition to therapy and self-care, may be just what you need!

Learn how Valerian can help reduce anxiety here.

The Following Are Some Anxiolytic Nutrients That Support A Healthy Nervous System:

Magnesium: is an important nutrient when addressing anxiety. Not only has magnesium deficiency been associated with an increased risk for migraine headaches but deficiency can lead to a number of cognitive symptoms such as personality changes (mood), seizures, fatigue and weakness. This may be attributed to magnesium’s role in serotonin receptor function (whether the receptor recognizes serotonin) and influence over the neurotransmission of various neurotransmitters.

Therefore deficiency can lead to anxiety and depression

B6: is a required coenzyme for the neurotransmitters: GABA, dopamine, serotonin, glutamate, and norepinephrine. Furthermore, a clinical trial found that combined supplementation of magnesium and B6 provided benefit for people experiencing severe stress.5 Neurocognitive symptoms of B6 deficiency are irritability, confusion, and depression.

Zinc: is stored in the brain synapses and helps to regulate the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters. Too many excitatory neurotransmitters can lead to “excitotoxicity” in the brain, which has been associated with anxiety, bi-polar disorder, and other neuropsychiatric disorders.

Omega-3s (n-3): studies have correlated omega-3 fatty acids with a variety of neruoprotective effects, and have found that people with anxiety disorder have lower n-3 (anti-inflammatory) and higher n-6 (pro-inflammatory) polyunsaturated fatty acids in their blood and brains.6 Research has associated the regulatory effects of omega-3s on the endocannabinoid system, by regulating the release of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters, with their role in reducing anxiety.6

Vitamin C: although vitamin C has not been widely studied in relation to anxiety, the studies that do exist show promise for the anxiolytic effects of this nutrient. Research aknowledges that inflammation has deleterious effects on the nervous system, and it is believed that the antioxidant role of vitamin C prevents neuroinflammation. A systematic review found that vitamin C was not only anxiolytic but also helped to reduce stress induced hypertension.8

Good Food Sources Of These Nutrients:

Magnesium: pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, almonds, spinach (boiled), cashews, peanuts, shredded wheat cereal, soy milk, black beans

B6: chickpeas, beef liver, yellowfin tuna, sockeye salmon, chicken breast, fortified breakfast cereals, potato, turkey, banana, bulgar, cottage cheese, winter squash

Zinc: oysters, beef, crab (Alaska king), lobster, pork chop, baked beans (canned), fortified cereals, chicken (dark meat), pumpkin seeds

Omega-3s: Wild: salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel, rainbow trout, oysters, sea bass, kelp (think ocean)

Vitamin C: red sweet pepper, orange, grapefruit, kiwi, green pepper, broccoli (cooked), strawberries, brussels sprouts, tomato juice, cantaloupe, cabbage, baked potato

1. Hossain MM, Tasnim S, Sultana A, et al. Epidemiology of mental health problems in COVID-19: a review. F1000Res. 2020;9:636. Published 2020 Jun 23. doi:10.12688/f1000research.24457.1

2. Anxiety Disorders. Mayo Clinic Website. May 4, 2018. Retrieved from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961

3. Coltera F. Anxiety in Children. Harvard Health Publishing; Harvard Medical School. Aug. 14, 2018. Retrieved from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/anxiety-in-children-2018081414532

4. Bremner JD, Moazzami K, Wittbrodt MT, et al. Diet, Stress and Mental Health. Nutrients. 2020;12(8):2428. Published 2020 Aug 13. doi:10.3390/nu12082428

5. Pouteau E, Kabir-Ahmadi M, Noah L, et al. Superiority of magnesium and vitamin B6 over magnesium alone on severe stress in healthy adults with low magnesemia: A randomized, single-blind clinical trial. PLoS One. 2018;13(12):e0208454. Published 2018 Dec 18. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0208454

6. Larrieu T, Layé S. Food for Mood: Relevance of Nutritional Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Depression and Anxiety. Front Physiol. 2018;9:1047. Published 2018 Aug 6. doi:10.3389/fphys.2018.01047

7. Lach G, Schellekens H, Dinan TG, Cryan JF. Anxiety, Depression, and the Microbiome: A Role for Gut Peptides. Neurotherapeutics. 2018;15(1):36-59. doi:10.1007/s13311-017-0585-0

8. Kocot J, Luchowska-Kocot D, Kiełczykowska M, Musik I, Kurzepa J. Does Vitamin C Influence Neurodegenerative Diseases and Psychiatric Disorders?. Nutrients. 2017;9(7):659. Published 2017 Jun 27. doi:10.3390/nu9070659

5 Nutrients That Reduce Anxiety