Nutritional reasons for your anxiety

Anxiety is the emotional translation of an internal stress. This internal stress can be caused by several nutritional imbalances:

Choline deficiency. Although few people know the importance of Choline, scientific research suggests that everybody would benefit of having more choline in the diet. It is one of my favourite supplements for a variety of reasons. Choline is a major nutrient for brain’s health, liver’s health but also overall health and longevity. Among other things, choline is a precursor for acetylcholine (neurotransmitter) and membrane phosphatidylcholine. In one study, low choline levels have been associated with anxiety symptoms (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19656836/ ). Animal studies have also shown that choline supplementation during pregnancy can prevent or dramatically reduce the chance of offspring developing anxiety disorders (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25300468 ).
Choline deficiency does not only cause anxiety in a direct manner, but also in an indirect manner by weakening Liver and Gallbladder’s functions. When these organs are weak or sick, there can be a lack of nervous energy, energy flow and mind flexibility, leading to anxiety, irritability, anger and depression.
The best choline supplements are Citicoline (also known as CDP-Choline) and Alpha-GPC.
However, if you have a low-budget, you can still get positive results with choline bitartrate.

Vitamin B12 deficiency. It is an essential vitamin for the nervous system but is very rare in nature. Vegans are often said to be at risk of lacking B12, but omnivores should also feel concerned. Even if you eat meat regularly, you can experience B12 deficiency.

Magnesium deficiency and/or Calcium excess. Magnesium and Potassium are two minerals that the body always craves for. In fact, the body can retain very effectively salt and calcium, but very poorly magnesium and potassium.
A great number of studies confirmed the role of magnesium in brain’s health, relaxation and anxiety prevention.
Magnesium and Calcium forms a “yin/yang” couple. The more calcium you have, the more magnesium you need in order to balance the calcium. So excess calcium can induce magnesium deficiency and anxiety.

Potassium deficiency and/or Sodium excess. Similarly to Magnesium, Potassium is a relaxing minerals. When you lack either magnesium or potassium, you feel rigid, confused, hyperactive and unable to relax.
Potassium and Sodium form a “yin/yang couple”. The more sodium (salt) you have, the more potassium you need in order to balance the sodium. So excess sodium can induce potassium deficiency and anxiety. Besides, a lot of relaxing essential oils such as Lavender essential oils acts via the inhibition of sodium expression in cells.
A lack of potassium is also a major cause of oedema (water retention, swelling) and “phlegm” (as presented in TCM/Traditional Chinese Medicine). Phlegm refers to any accumulation of toxicity that gets stuck in the body. Phlegm in the brain is a major cause of anxiety and mental fatigue.

Omega 3 deficiency and/or Omega 6 excess. Omega 3 fatty acids are a category of fatty acids that are essential of nerves and brain’s health. People with the lowest levels of omega-3 fatty acids tend to have most severe anxiety.
Omega 3 lower anxiety via different mechanisms: by lowering inflammation, by improving blood circulation, by reducing the effect of Omega 6, by improving brain’s function, by lowering cortisol, by increasing the expression of the endocannabinoid system, by increasing anabolism.
Omega 3 and omega 6 forms a “yin/yang” couple. The more omega 6 you have (from different seeds and oils), the more omega 3 you need to balance the omega 6. Omega 6 are essential too but, when in excess, they tend to increase inflammation, “heat” (TCM term), “dampness” (TCM term) and anxiety/agitation.
To best way to supplement with Omega 3 is to buy purified Fish oil or Krill oil. Fish oil has a high content of EPA and DHA (the two most important forms of omega 3).

Proteins deficiency. Anxiety is common in thin people and anorexics. In fact, these people have usually a low activity of what I call “yin genes”, due to the fact that they don’t eat enough and that they lack of nutrition. “Yin genes” are genes that activates yin pathways such as anabolic pathways and mechanisms that induce relaxation (the endocannabinoid system is an example). The production of mTOR is a classic example of “yin gene” expression. mTOR is mainly activated by proteins consumptions because it allows anabolic processes (muscle building).
Some “yin genes” such as PPARgamma also require fat in order to be activated. Fat in another thing that anorexic people try to avoid, increasing their anxiety (which increases their anorexic behaviour…).
Proteins (especially the amino acid histidine) also enhance the absorption of zinc (another anti-anxiety element) and stimulates blood production (preventing anaemia-induced anxiety).

Excess fat and/or sugar. Consuming fat and carbs increase your need in vitamins and minerals. If you don’t have enough vitamins and minerals to balance your caloric intake, then the calories start to behave as toxins. So, here the mechanism that leads to internal stress and anxiety, is two-fold:
1) vitamins/mineral deficiencies
2) toxic calories.
Good to know: supplementing with vitamin C can reduce sugar-induced anxiety.

Vitamin C deficiency. Several studies show that high dose Vitamin C decreases anxiety (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12208645 ; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27932080 ; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26353411 ; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24511708 ). The effect is even synergistic with vitamin E.
Vitamin C enhances the absorption of Zinc and Iron.

Vitamin B6 deficiency. B6 is synergistic with magnesium and zinc. It improves the absorption and utilization of zinc and magnesium. It also helps increasing GABA and serotonin levels which have an anti-anxiety effect.
People who eat a lot of proteins are especially at risk of developing B6 deficiency, because you need a lot of B6 to digest proteins.
Avoid classic B6 supplements which can be ineffective and toxic. If you want to supplement with B6, you should choose the P5P form.

Zinc deficiency and/or Copper excess. Like magnesium, it supports neurotransmitter production and nervous system functioning, and research shows that having a zinc deficiency can worsen your anxiety. Zinc also supports the production of androgens (male sexual hormones) which have themselves a strong anti-anxiety effect.
For many people, trying to eat zinc-rich food is not enough to solve a deficiency because of the large amounts of copper found in every plant-based food we eat. In fact, zinc and copper compete with one another for absorption and receptor channels. When your body doesn’t absorb enough zinc, copper rises.
Therefore, I generally advised to supplement with 25–50mg of zinc glycinate each day.
The accumulation of excess copper in the brain enhances the production of stimulatory neurotransmitters (epinephrine and norepinephrine), which can further promote anxiety. Copper also causes anxiety by inhibiting and blocking the neurotransmission of GABA, one of the main calming neurotransmitters in the central nervous system. Conversely, Zinc enhances GABA activity.
Zinc and copper form a “yin/yang” couple. The more copper you have, the more zinc you need in order to balance the copper. That said, women need a lower ratio “Zinc/Copper” than men, and so are less likely to suffer from a zinc deficiency.
In one study (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3738454/ ), researchers found that individuals with chronic anxiety had significantly higher plasma levels of copper and very low levels of zinc, and their anxiety improved significantly with zinc supplementation.

Selenium deficiency. Selenium deficiency is another deficiency that is quite common, especially when you follow a ketogenic diet and when you don’t live in South America (in South America, soils are rich in selenium).
Several studies show that low-levels of selenium induce anxiety (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1873372 ; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4884624/ ).
Brazil nuts are a reliable source of selenium: eating one to three Brazil nuts can be enough. However, Brazil nuts can be too expensive for some people. A ‘Selenium-methionine’ supplement is a cheaper alternative.

Iron deficiency or Iron excess. Iron levels are significantly lower in individuals with panic disorder. The way iron deficiency induces anxiety and fatigue, is mainly by inducing a lack of blood (anemia). When you don’t have enough blood cells, you also get low-oxygen levels which creates a state of panic in your body.
Since iron supplements can be toxic and increase “heat” and infections, I advise using spirulina tablets. Spirulina contains organic iron as well as other nutrients that helps the absorption of iron and the production of blood.
Even when using spirulina, one should be careful of not taking too much iron. Excess iron can also cause anxiety and fatigue!

Boron deficiency. Boron is a microelement necessary for many metabolic processes in the body. It affects memory, cognitive functions, anxiety level, sleep, mood, regulates calcium and magnesium exchange, metabolism of vitamin D and sex steroids. It has been shown that some cases of treatment resistance to standard therapy, for example in epilepsy, anxiety and depression, are related to boron deficiency. (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327877815_BORON_PREPARATIONS_IN_PSYCHIATRY_AND_NEUROLOGY_THEIR_RISE_FALL_AND_RENEWED_INTEREST )
Boron can prevent or stop anxiety by improving calcium and magnesium metabolism, as well as increasing the production of sex hormones (sex hormones have a strong anti-anxiety effect).

Vitamin D3 deficiency. Vitamin D3 has a hormone-like action in the body. As any other hormone, it supports nerves and brain health. Researchers have discovered significantly lower levels of Vitamin D in individuals with anxiety.
If you don’t live in a tropical country or if you rarely expose yourself to the sun, you should supplement with vitamin D3.
For people living in a non-tropical country: even if you expose yourself to the sun during Winter, your skin cannot transform the sunlight into vitamin D3, because sun’s radiation is not strong enough in Winter.