A team of scientists from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom investigated whether the effect of supplementing vitamins B6 and B12 could reduce anxiety and depression. Feeling anxious or sad on occasion are feelings we have all experienced. For some people, however, these are mental health disorders that require specialist support and sometimes drug therapies.
The results of the study were published in the scientific journal Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental.
Vitamin B6: here are the benefits
Anxiety and mood disorders can affect people of all ages, from children to the elderly. There are several types of disorders that fall into the anxiety disorder bracket, including panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and social anxiety disorder. According to theNational Institute of Mental HealthTrusted source(NIMH), about 31% of adults in the United States experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their life. Also, about the same percentage of young adults (aged 13 to 18) suffer from an anxiety disorder.
The NIMHF said around 8.4% of all adults in the United States experienced a depressive episode in 2020, making depression one of the most common mental distress conditions. Doctors often decide to address anxiety and mood disorders with a combination of therapy and drug therapies. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy are among the two best known therapeutic options.
There are a number of prescribed treatments for anxiety, such as benzodiazepines (Xanax or Ativan) and buspirone. Additionally, some antidepressants can help treat both anxiety and depression, including SSRIs (such as Lexapro or Zoloft) and tricyclics (such as Anafranil or Tofranil). People with anxiety and depression also occasionally try natural treatments to improve their symptoms and use herbal supplements such as ashwagandha and valerian.
The research team wanted to investigate the extent to which vitamins B6 and B12 can affect the processing of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA is a neurotransmitter that can calm the nervous system and can contribute to the development of anxiety or depression: “The functioning of the brain is based on a delicate balance between excitatory neurons that carry information and inhibitory ones, which prevent escape activity. ”Said Professor David Field, lead author of the study and Associate Professor at the University of Reading’s School of Reading Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences.
The balance between inhibition and excitement in the brain has been linked to anxiety, depression, autism and schizophrenia. Additionally, the researchers stated that some people may experience visual and other sensory disturbances in many of these mental health conditions: “And these are thought to be related to excitation-inhibition imbalances in the visual cortex,” Professor Field added. .
According to the group of scholars: “Vitamin B6 is involved in a number of other pathways that can reduce neural excitation.” Vitamin B12, on the other hand, shares two of the same pathways, so the researchers also wanted to test it to see what effect it would have. In order to carry out the research, the team of researchers recruited an initial group of 478 volunteers who reported suffering or having suffered from anxiety and / or depression3. They were randomly chosen to receive vitamin B6, vitamin B12 or a placebo.
The results of the study indicated that vitamin B6 may be helpful in reducing the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Research volunteers who supplemented with vitamin B6 experienced a significant reduction in their SCAARED and MFQ tests compared to the placebo group: “Vitamin B6 helps the body produce a specific chemical messenger that inhibits impulses in the brain, and our study links this calming effect with a reduction in anxiety among participants,” explained Professor Field.
Also, in tests at the end of the study, the group that supplemented vitamin B6 showed an increase in “surround suppression of visual contrast detection”. Scholars stated that this test “supports an underlying mechanism related to inhibitory GABA.”While participants in the vitamin B12 group reported a slight improvement in anxiety and depression symptoms compared to the placebo group, the team of scientists did not find it relevant. The researchers noted that: “It is possible that the 1 month supplementation period in the present study was insufficient for the effects of B12 supplementation.”
The research findings may benefit people with anxiety or depression in a number of ways.First, vitamin B6 supplements are readily available over the counter at most drugstores and other retailers: “This could be a breath of fresh air for people with anxiety disorders who haven’t had new treatment options for a long time.” said Dr. Tom MacLaren a consultant psychiatrist at London-based Re: Cognition Health with Medical News Today: “Vitamins B6 are widely available and many people take them regularly, so it could be an easy way to augment the treatments they’re already taking.”
Another way the study may be helpful for people with anxiety or depression is that the results indicate that vitamin B6 can help with GABA: “The authors highlight the role of vitamin B6 as a coenzyme in the synthesis of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA from glutamate,” said Dr. David A. Merrill, psychiatrist and director of the Pacific Brain Health Center at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California: “This makes sense and becomes an important way of explaining the results to patients and perhaps those who have not sought treatment but are struggling with high anxiety,” he added.
Finally, if some people with anxiety or depression are able to reduce symptoms by using vitamin B6, they may be able to avoid the side effects of prolonged use of certain medications: “Some anxiolytic drugs such as benzodiazepines have potential side effects such as sedation, imbalance or memory loss,” concluded Dr. Merrill. makes it difficult to stop using drugs ”.
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