According To Research, Anxiety And Panic Attacks Might Be Linked To Low Vitamin B6 And Iron Levels

Nov 14, 2018

Anxiety plagues over 40 million American adults each year. Its widespread occurrence has led those in the scientific community to dedicate much of their research to try and find ways to understand and treat this condition.

Despite the successes, we are still not entirely clear on what causes anxiety to develop and recur.

The condition is characterized by overwhelming feelings of restlessness, nervousness, and panic. Physically, the body presents by hyperventilating, increasing your heart rate, trembling/shaking, sweating, and losing the ability to focus and concentrate. Anxiety can severely impact every aspect of your life, preventing you from completing even the most mundane, everyday tasks.

Psychologists, as well as physicians, have many theories about the root causes of the condition. To date, environmental factors, brain chemistry, genetics, and even certain medical diseases have been implicated, but thus far nothing has been definitively proven.

One Japanese study found an important connection between nutritional deficits- specifically, iron and vitamin B6 deficiencies- and poor mental health. It suggested that low levels of these crucial nutrients can trigger neurochemical changes in the brain, causing an onset of panic and hyperventilation.

21 participants who presented with varying levels of anxiety-related episodes were assessed by the research team, who analyzed their nutritional levels. The anxiety levels within the group varied, with some experiencing fairly minor attacks and others warranting a trip to the hospital emergency room.

They simultaneously examined the same nutritional values in a control group. Data analysis revealed that those who experienced anxiety had lower levels of iron and B6 compared to the control group.

So what's the connection? Many theorists agree that serotonin, a powerful neurotransmitter, plays a huge role in anxiety. Known as the 'happiness hormone', depletions in serotonin are thought to trigger anxious and nervous responses in the brain.

Both iron and B6 are known to play a vital role in the synthesis of serotonin, leading researchers to conclude that an absence of these nutrients could reasonably be one of the culprits behind anxiety and panic. In fact, many of the antidepressants prescribed today are formulated based on this theory, working to boost serotonin levels in the brain in order to balance out its chemistry.

Do you or someone you love suffer from anxiety? Let us know in the comments and don't forget to spread the word: the key might be in your diet. 

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation by your doctor. Your health is important to us!