One of those vitamins was the B vitamins. How I figured it out? Well I started taking a B complex and within 2 hours was feeling much better mentally. My energy, which has been very bad, went up and was wonderfull. My mood became much better. All with one vitamin! I kept taking it daily and the way I felt continued! Conclusion.... I was deficient in B vitamins.
Since beginning a simple B complex vitamin I have noticed a major improvement in mood, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and energy.
Needless to say this is a very important nutrient if you look at what even a slight deficiency can do. I now also keep a stock of B complex vitamins in my emergency supplies because this is such and important vitamin for mental health in stressful situations.
Here are excerpts from several papers on B vitamins. Honestly I could post pages and pages of the research on it, but if you still have questions just google it.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that one out of 10 adults in the U.S. suffers from
depression. Several studies have researched the possible relationship of vitamin B-12 with depression alone.
In a study published in the December 2002 issue of the "American Journal of Psychiatry," 806 elderly
people, some randomly selected and some with depressive symptoms or disorders, were evaluated for a
relationship between depression and vitamin B-12. The findings revealed that B-12 deficiency was not only
related to depression but may also be a causal factor.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/363331-vitamin-b12-mental-health/#ixzz2M6
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Depression is a common symptom of multiple B vitamin deficiencies.1 Deficiencies of vitamin B1, thiamine, cause beri-beri. Early signs include symptoms like increased irritability, difficulty concentrating, depression and fatigue. B2, riboflavin, is an essential part of the process that builds neurotransmitters. It’s also involved in making thyroid hormones. In some inpatient populations B2 deficiency has been linked with a trend toward unipolar depression and riboflavin supplementation with improvement.2
Raising serotonin levels helps calm anxiety. Serotonin is made in the brain from tryptophan. B3 (nicotinic acid/niacinamide) and B6 (pyridoxine) are critical parts of the enzymatic pathways that make serotonin.3,3a
Estrogens can inhibit B6, leading to lower neurotransmitter levels including serotonin.Women on oral contraceptives should take extra B2,6,12 and folic acid4,5 to avoid being grumpy. Women displaying behaviors injurious to themselves and others just before the onset of their menstrual cycles non infrequently consume substantial amounts of dairy and sugar and show positive responses to B6 supplementation.6
But it’s not just a women’s issue. Reports have indicated B6 deficiencies may be a factor in a wide range of psychopathologies including autism, Alzheimer’s hyperactivity, learning disability, anxiety and depressive disorders.7,8
At levels only slightly lower than normal, a range of symptoms such as fatigue, depression, and poor memory may be experienced.[7] However, these symptoms by themselves are too nonspecific to diagnose deficiency of the vitamin.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause symptoms of mania and psychosis, fatigue, memory impairment, irritability, depression and personality changes. In infants symptoms include irritability, failure to thrive, apathy, anorexia, and developmental regression.
Oh, my dear Hearthkeeper, I am so happy to hear that you have that missing link to health! It's amazing how low the body/mind/spirit can sink when we don't have enough nutrients. It happens a bit at a time so you might not even notice it until you have serious symptoms. At that point your Dr. will want to give you a prescription for some pill or other. GET BACK TO BASICS!!!
ReplyDeletePlease allow me to bore you with a few details: I have suffered from Ulcerative Colitis for 24 years. All during that time I was losing vital nutrients every day since my guts simply wouldn't absorb them. There were no outward signs for many years and then slowly the bad stuff began. I seemed to have arthritis in way too many joints for my age, for no reason. My hair was falling out. I was depressed and had no energy whatsoever. My skin was too fragile and dry. All of my muscles ached. My fingernails were too thin and looked 'pitted'. I thanked God every day that I didn't have children that needed me. The list is endless. I lost the ability to eat fresh fruits and veggies since they tore through my guts like a brillo pad but I was so sick at that point that it didn't really dawn on me how BAD this really was. Also, OTC vitmains also made me sick.
A year or so ago, I was walking through the grocery store and went through the Produce section were I saw all of the lovely God-given veggies and fruits of all colors and I LITERALLY began to drool. I also began to cry. I couldn't believe it! I wiped my mouth and eyes, thinking how foolish this all was, and then it hit me.... I was dying because I wasn't getting any nutrients and my body was crying out for them. I told a friend about this and he recommended I watch "Fat Sick and Nearly Dead", a DVD about juicing. I don't like 'juice' (or so I thought) but I couldn't eat proper produce anymore so I had no choice. The result has been nothing short of amazing. I have since learned TONS about nutrition and I have found a great source for vitamin/mineral supplements that I can easily tolerate.
I now have HOPE for my future. I also have energy, much nicer skin and hair, shiny eyes that look alive, nice fingernails! Here's the money shot: when you are finally getting enough nutrients IN you to feel and look better, and the nutrients get all the way OUT of you to your skin, you are on your way to HEALTH. Nothing is more important (except your Salvation!) and money can't buy it. Here's to your health!
God Bless,
Janet in MA
One more slightly important note about vitamin B-12. Read the label carefully! If your vitamin B-12 is listed as 'cyanocobalamin' your body will have to work harder to actually use this form of B12. This is the cheapest form of B12 and your body actually has to overcome the 'cyano' affects before it can give you B12 results. Look for 'methylcobalamin' instead, if you have a choice. This form of B12 works better with your body's Intrinsic Factor to give you a more natural result.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a doctor and I don't play one on the internet either. I have found this info over and over again in the better nutrition sites and books.
God Bless,
Janet in MA
Wow Janet! Thank you so much for the info and your testimony. I wish more people understood just how important proper nutrition is. With mental issues affecting so many women these days I really think much of it is caused by deficiencies in diet and a misunderstanding in the medical community. Most doctors only spend a month on nutrition in their training!
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