This post is a follow-up from Anxiety & Celiac Disease.
The fact that the B-Complex vitamin calmed my anxiety made me wonder, so I did more research and found that anxiety is rarely a mental issue. In fact, most health-related issues are related to something we’re eating – the gut is our only line of defense against the outside world. Researchers have found that serotonin and dopamine (the happy hormones) are not produced in the brain, but in the stomach and then carried to the brain for release from the hypothalamus. Serotonin is made from processing B vitamins, among other vitamins and minerals, in the small intestines. When you have celiac or autoimmune disorders, you most likely have a leaky gut that small particles of food is allowing to escape into your body. Your body knows it’s not supposed to be there so it goes on attack, causing all kinds of symptoms like bloating, itching, sneezing, allergies, anxiety and panic attacks, fatigue, acne and many others. Upon further research, probiotics are also incredibly important for those with anxiety and GI related disorders.
COULD VITAMINS WORK?
Your doctor may not bring it up as a possible option to you, but you can bring it up to your doctor. I don’t recommend going off prescription dugs without the consult of a doctor, as they can really throw you through a loop and serious issues can occur. I’ve also read that people who are on anti-depressant or anti-anxiety meds can have increased symptoms adding the complex-B vitamins, however I wonder if that isn’t due to the ingredients in the pill or the type of pill it is. I take a whole food B-complex vitamin, however one of the whole food ingredients in the pill, brewer’s yeast, can cause bloating issues in some people. Before doing anything drastic, take stock of your situation. Educate yourself on natural ways to help anxiety, B-vitamins, leaky gut and wherever those things take you. Print out some good articles you find interesting or have questions about and take them to your doctor.
I’m super curious about your experiences with trying to naturally help your anxiety. Have you tried B vitamins, probiotics, Vitamin D, something else? I think it has to be the Complex-B, with all the B vitamins, not just one or two. Adding magnesium helped me a lot as well, Natural Calm plus Calcium has helped the most, but only in conjunction with an additional Calcium/Magnesium pill. What have you found that works?