Anxiety
Updated Oct. 07th, 2019
Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. In most cases, anxiety is due to thoughts or emotions. It starts with our perception of a situation. Our body reacts to a perceived threat the same way it would if there was an actual threat. It becomes pathological when it becomes constant and/or when it prevents us from our normal activities of daily living. At this point, it is most often referred to as an anxiety disorder. How anxiety manifests in the body, and the severity with which it manifests, varies significantly between individuals.
What does anxiety look like?
Anxiety symptoms can be mild, such as sweaty palms, a flushed face or a mildly increased heart rate. More intense bouts of anxiety are often referred to as panic attacks. Individuals are often overwhelmed with both physical and emotional sensations of impending death. For some, these attacks are unpredictable, while for others they are situational (public speaking, heights, crowds, etc). Avoidance of these situations can often prevent their occurrence. Common symptoms include sweating, shaking, heart pounding, dizziness, shortness of breath, numbness/tingling, intense heat or chills and chest pain.
The Many Causes of Anxiety
The causes of anxiety are just as varied and individualized as the symptoms. Stress can both predispose us to attacks, as well as decrease our ability to cope with anxiety when it happens in acute situations.
For some individuals there is a clear genetic component, some studies have shown that specific areas in the brain, the amygdala and hippocampus. Sleeping and eating habits, as well as availability or a lack of social support, can also greatly impact our ability to cope effectively with difficult challenges. There are also theories that relate anxiety to "chemical imbalances in the brain", more specifically, serotonin imbalances. Medical conditions such as hypoglycemia, hyperthyroidism, strokes, mitral valve prolapse, iron deficiency anemia or adrenal tumours cause the nervous system to respond with anxiety symptoms.
Conventional Treatment
Anxiety and depression often go hand in hand. For many, anxiety becomes so severe that they feel confined and limited by their symptoms and this, in itself, causes secondary depression. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for anxiety disorders to be treated with benzodiazepines and other popular anti-depressants, the only problem being that for some, this treatment helps with depression but worsens their anxiety. Many commonly used anti-anxiety medications can cause side effects including drowsiness, light-headedness, fatigue, weight gain, decreased libido and dependency. These treatments also fail to address the root cause of the anxiety.
Looking for a more natural approach?
GABA
Gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an amino acid that acts as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Its function is to inhibit nerve cells from over firing. Studies have shown that it works very well with specific B-vitamins, preventing anxiety and stress related messages from occupying cell receptor sites in our brain. It has been used as a safe and natural alternative to diazepam and other tranquilizers, with an equally effective calming result. There is no fear of addiction and will not effect libido. Excess intake can actually cause anxiety. It is generally recommended to keep intake below 1000 mg/day. Check out our article on GABA.
Beautiful B's
B vitamins are essential for nervous system function. Deficiencies are often correlated to anxiety, as well as depression and poor stress management. There are many B combinations that include 50-100 mg/day of all the essential B vitamins.
L-Theanine
Suntheanine is a component of green tea. For individuals worried about the effects that caffeine can have in terms of exacerbating anxiety symptoms, it is important to know that this is an extract of theanine, an amino acid present in green tea, and contains no caffeine itself. It has been shown to promote calm and relaxation without drowsiness. View more on the health benefits of L-Theanine.
Relax with Relora
Relora is a combination of the herbs magnolia and phellodendron. It is effective in reducing stress-induced anxiety, by regulating cortisol levels and ensuring a natural pattern of cortisol secretion.
Herbal remedies - alone or in combination
Homeopathics are a very gentle and effective way to help lower anxiety, without the worry of interfering with current pharmaceutical medications. Valerian, hops, passionflower, scutellaria are all herbs that can be used as herbal remedies, or commonly in homeopathic doses and combinations, to effectively relieve anxiety. Valerian can be more sleep promoting, so it is best taken before bed, and by those who have trouble sleeping due to anxiety. View more information on Valerian.
Take a deep breath
Breathing exercises that incorporate deep breathing and relaxation have proven effective in easing anxiety symptoms and as a prevention for panic attacks. There are many lifestyle changes and activities that can decrease anxiety which include: exercise, yoga, getting enough sleep, acupuncture and meditation. Having support from friends and family and a healthy social life, whatever that means for the individual, can go a long way in coping with anxiety.
Talking to a professional can help those who suffer from anxiety. Treatments like counselling and behavioural therapy have proven effective as well as biofeedback, colour and music therapy. To complement treatments, be sure to limit alcohol, caffeine and refined sugar consumption.
Dietary treatment of anxiety begins with an assessment of nutritional status. Nutritional deficiencies can alter the functioning of the nervous system. Balancing blood sugar is important because fluctuations cause anxiety symptoms. Avoid caffeinated drinks, alcohol, tobacco, ephedra and refined flour and sugar products. Eat a whole foods diet including fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole grains (especially oats), nutritional yeast, eggs and fish.
From my personal experience, anxiety is a health condition that is really hard to deal with. I have tried many different supplements, herbs, plants, essential oils, etc. None of them can really cure anxiety, but they surely can help support the system while making the internal progress and introspection that are necessary to find the source of our anxiety and finding the tools that help us dealing with it. Finding the right supplements is quite difficult as well, since the source of the anxiety is different for everybody and since everyone has a different metabolism. I had help from NN who suggested some supplements and with time, I did find some that support my nervous system and my mental health more than others.
Hello Jace,
Thank you for sharing your experience. Correct, the root cause of anxiety is different for everyone and sometimes it's beneficial to use other therapies in conjunction with supplements that support each individuals specific underlying symptoms. If you need any further assistance, please reach out, we are always happy to help.
Stay healthy & well!
This is a great article. Really enjoyed reading it. I have used homeopathic remedies along with herbs mentioned herein and must say they have helped me. Passionflower is a good option and so is valerian, both available at National Nutrition my favorite store. I always buy good products from NN that I can trust to have available.
I can not believe how accurate this article is. I wish I had found and read this a very long time ago. It is incredibly thorough, and not at all what I would expect from a website like this! I thought this was just for buying items like natural products and supplements, but there is just so much more here! The supplement suggestions are very good and I will certainly be trying many of them. Thank you for sharing such well written and scientifically based resources!
This article is very interesting. It led me down a very pleasant rabbit hole of so many other articles provide here on NN. Read up on GABA, Theanine and so much more! I didn’t know NN had such a wealth of information available. Very greatly appreciated.
I’ve had problems controlling anxiety for years and only recently started actively trying natural supplements to help with this. I’ve mostly been drinking teas to help. Green tea and herbal teas like passionflower and valerian have helped and are tasty to boot. After having read up on other articles here though, I may start to explore supplementing with GABA for those extra anxious moments in my life. Thanks for the great info NN!
Hello Andria,
We're happy that you wandered down the rabbit hole and have learned so much about taking care of your health naturally. We work hard to provide you with this information so you can take better care of yourself. Yes, there are many great supplements and nutrients that can support feelings of anxiety, overwhelm, stress and low mood. Frankincense is a great essential oil that has grounding effects that you may enjoy diffusing. We also have a youtube channel we think you'd like.
https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/supplements/frankincense-essential-oil/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClBjYPog9j0VY0gcIt-Tq2Q
Stay healthy & well
This article has really great tips on how to combat anxiety and what causes anxiety. I also like how it discusses how anxiety can limit someone which I personally have experienced and know how hard it can be to tough it out and push through the anxiety in order to complete tasks. Thank you for the suggestions and the different vitamins and supplements that can be taken to help alleviate anxiety, I already take B vitamins but will look into the others!
Hello,
Indeed, anxiety can be difficult to cope with and at times can be debilitating. Milder cases may be able to support symptoms with supplementation or if a sudden onset of anxiety presents itself, checking your vitamin and mineral levels is a good place to start to see if the two are linked. We're glad this article has helped you discover new ways to support your well-being.
Stay healthy & well!
Great introductory article. I have lived with anxiety from a very young age. Of the supplements suggested I’ve used valerian with great results. Stops the mind racing in endless circles and definitely provides a more restful sleep with no residual brain fog hangover in the morning. Based on the article I will be trying some of the others recommended. I’m particularly interested in something appropriate to use during the day that does not induce drowsiness and is not contraindicated with thyroid prescription drugs.
Hello Cathy,
Thank you for sharing about your experience with Valerian, we are happy to hear this article has helped you find some new supplements to try during the day. If you'd like to learn more about the supplements recommended in this article, check out our supplement articles as well:
https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/supplements/
Have a healthy day!
I really enjoyed this article as I suffer from anxiety. I'm happy to know I'm taking many of the nutrients recommended already and will look into taking the ones I see here that I haven't started yet.
Anxiety is such a vast symptom that can be caused by so many different things, and I find nutrient imbalance to play a major role in the severity of my anxiety.
The quick facts are definitely accurate to how I feel often.
Hello Sarah,
We're glad you enjoyed this article, it's always great to learn about new and natural ways to help support your health. If you'd like to learn more about each supplement, check out our supplement articles as well:
https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/supplements/
Stay healthy & well!
This is a great article! I'm always looking for new product to use. It has been a few months that I have stopped with with prescription medication and chose to use supplements. It has been great so far.
Hello Elvircia,
Thank you for sharing. We're glad you've found a natural protocol that is helping you. If you'd like to learn more about each supplement you're taking or ones in this article, be sure to check out our supplement articles as well:
https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/supplements/
Stay healthy & well!
Anxiety is something we all struggle with. Lots of the anxiety results in tightened muscles . I found that I recently started taking magnesium citrate and it has helped me a lot. It has calmed my body but hasn't made me feel sluggish. Its supposed to help relax the tense muscles. I would highly recommend this.
Hello Paul,
Thank you for sharing your experience. Magnesium is a great supplement that can relax muscles and help with sleep if taken before bed, especially if anxiety interrupts your sleep. If you'd like to learn more about magnesium benefits, have a read through our article:
https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/supplements/magnesium/
Stay healthy & well!
Very interesting article. Helpful to know many of the listed supplements I already take and find the supplement brands have been very helpful. Interestingly enough, more helpful than prescription medication I have taken. Nice to see a scientific connection to anxiety, proof that it is not just in my head and to shake it off. Agree with others that state that anxiety is really difficult to deal with. Hard to find something that works, on top of feeling anxious about trying new supplements or prescription medication. Article also provides some helpful tips on lifestyle changes that aid in the control of anxiety.
Hello Jodi,
Thank you for sharing and we are happy that you enjoyed our article and learned more about some of the supplements you're already taking. If you'd like to learn more about any supplements you're taking, check out our supplement articles too:
https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/supplements/
Have a healthy day!
I am so glad that I came upon this article, it has so much useful information that I was definitely unaware of previously. I always thought and was quite frankly told by doctors that meds would be needed to calm down anxiety/depression symptoms, I am so happy that this article shares natural alternative methods and supplements that can be used instead! I had no idea how important B vitamins were when it comes to anxiety and in general for a lot of other conditions as well, it was very helpful to get a list of alternatives that could be used in place of meds to help with anxious feelings. Thank you so much for this!
Hello RoseWithThorns,
You're welcome and thank you for sharing. We love to hear how our articles help and hope some of these tips work for you. Check out our supplement articles to learn more about the supplements listed in this article:
https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/supplements/
Have a healthy day!
I always enjoy ready information on anxiety. Very interesting article. Many of the listed supplements I already take. I have found some to have a noticeable change, while others no change noted. Additionally, not sure I have found the correct prescription medication that works well. Enjoyed the scientific evidence related to anxiety. Wish others would read up and understand anxiety isn't just something to immediately stop on your own. It is a real thing and can be debilitating. Life really can be a struggle with anxiety.
Hello, Jody,
Thank you for sharing. We're glad this article helped you find natural supplements that have offered support and that you enjoyed the scientific evidence. Indeed, anxiety can be tough to live and cope with, thankfully you found natural ways to help. We have more information on our YouTube channel as well that you may enjoy, check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UClBjYPog9j0VY0gcIt-Tq2Q
Stay healthy & well!
I am an MIT graduate and current PhD scholar who has read a significant amount of literature on the topic and with firsthand experience of depression. Treatments for depression have high variablilty of effectiveness between individuals and, generally, it's a small subset that responds well to the therapy/treatment. You will likely have to try a lot of things and I know that this is difficult to do when in a low mood, but be persistant!! For me, a 400mg DHA omega 3 essential fatty acid every other day essentially cured my depression. Life does get better. The world is better with you in it. Keep searching. Things will get better.
Hello, Rachel,
Thank you for your comment. We are happy you enjoyed this article. Indeed anxiety and depression or mood disorders are difficult to live with and we wish you well too. Thank you for sharing what has worked well for you. You can read more about each supplement outlined in this article here: https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/supplements/
Stay well.
The article on anxiety provided a comprehensive and insightful exploration of this prevalent mental health issue. The author adeptly delved into the causes, symptoms, and potential treatments for anxiety, ensuring a well-rounded understanding for readers. The writing was clear, engaging, and backed by credible sources, fostering trust and credibility. The article's strength lay in its empathetic tone, acknowledging the struggles faced by individuals with anxiety while offering practical coping strategies. Additionally, the inclusion of personal anecdotes added a human touch, making it relatable and relaying a sense of solidarity. Overall, this article served as an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to comprehend and address anxiety in their lives.
Hello, Nathaniel,
Thank you for your thoughtful and insightful comment. We are so glad to hear you enjoyed this article, both the information and tone. We hope some of these methods work well for you and wish you a healthy day!
Since you enjoyed this article so much, we think you will like our Youtube channel too: https://www.youtube.com/@NTLnutrition
Anxiety is a complex and often overwhelming experience that affects millions of people worldwide. It's important to recognize that anxiety is not simply a matter of being overly worried or stressed; it is a genuine mental health condition that can have a profound impact on a person's well-being.
Living with anxiety can be incredibly challenging. The constant worry, fear, and unease can make even the simplest tasks feel daunting. Anxiety can manifest in various ways, from physical symptoms like rapid heartbeat and shortness of breath to persistent thoughts and a sense of impending doom. It can disrupt sleep, relationships, and daily functioning, making it difficult to enjoy life to the fullest.
It's crucial to foster a supportive and empathetic environment for individuals experiencing anxiety. People with anxiety often face stigma and misunderstanding, which can further exacerbate their struggles. Offering compassion, understanding, and patience can go a long way in helping someone with anxiety feel validated and supported.
Fortunately, there are various strategies and treatments available to manage anxiety. Seeking professional help from mental health practitioners, such as therapists or psychiatrists, can provide invaluable guidance and support. Additionally, self-care practices like exercise, meditation, and engaging in activities that bring joy and relaxation can contribute to anxiety management.
If you or someone you know is dealing with anxiety, remember that you are not alone. Reach out to a trusted individual, a support group, or a mental health professional. With the right resources and support, it is possible to manage anxiety and lead a fulfilling life. Remember, healing takes time, and there is hope for a brighter future.
Hello, Anh Tuan,
Thank you for sharing. Indeed, anxiety does affect many people, it's difficult to live with and can affect one's life in many ways. No matter how anxiety manifests for you, there are ways to help cope and lessen the severity of symptoms. Taking supplements to support energy, mood, sleep and cognitive health are all great places to start. Altering your lifestyle to incorporate healthy, relaxing exercises can also be beneficial. You can learn more about these supplements in our supplement article section here: https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/supplements/
Have a healthy day.