There are about 40 million people experiencing anxiety each year in this country according to experts.
Anxiety can start as a situational problem that can become a chronic condition that effects the whole body. It is characterized by hyperventilation, increased blood pressure and heart rate, feelings of nervousness, sweating, shallow breathing, trembling, worry and cognition disturbances that result in brain fog.
For decades the scientific community have researched the causes of anxiety. The theories range from genetic, situational, environmental to social factors. Other accepted theories include brain chemistry imbalances and trauma related events.
Based on the type of clients I see on a daily basis. I would say they all these factors can play a part in the role of inducing anxiety. For some clients there are several combinations of underlying factors. I would estimate that 95% of my clients come in with some degree of anxiety. Even the ones who aren’t diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and are being treated for other conditions.
Anxiety seems to accompany every other mental health concern to a greater or lesser degree. But whatever the cause I generally see the body reacting to it in a similar fashion. The symptoms mentioned above, appear to be the body’s way of communicating how it’s doing on the inside. In the only way it knows how to get our attention. Our body alters its most vital systems, like breathing and heart rate because the brain or mind directs it to do so. In reality, the body is just “following orders”. These “orders” travel down brain waves through neural networks that support those maladaptive behaviors.
But now there is other evidence to suggest yet another factor could be added to the growing list of causes of anxiety, nutrient deficiency.
There was a recent small study out of Japan that is connecting nutrient deficiencies with our mental health. In this study they determined that low levels of vitamin B6 and iron could be in part responsible for aspects seen in anxiety. Like panic attacks, hyperventilation and other symptoms associated with anxiety.
The mini study involved only 21 participants who had varying degrees of anxiety from mild to severe. The team of researchers looked into any nutrient deficiencies or abnormalities and ran the tests.
When they compared the data of the anxious subjects with those who were normal, they found the anxiety group had lower levels of iron and vitamin B6. This is relevant because the neurotransmitter, serotonin, is synthesized from the amino acid, tryptophan. Vitamin B 6 and iron both play an important part in this process.
As was stated before, brain chemistry is also seen as a cause of anxiety. Serotonin is the “happiness hormone” that activates the neural centers responsible for the reward and pleasure centers of the brain. So, these findings connect the idea of low vitamin B6 and iron levels to a decrease in serotonin production. This deficit can cause a lack of brain chemistry regulation leading to mental health concerns.
This no doubt will lead to other studies that will look further into the exact mechanisms in play that impair brain performance and contribute to anxiety.
-A Balanced Brain is a Better Brain for a Happier Life-