Does vitamin C help anxiety and depression

Taking a vitamin c supplement can lower anxiety and enhance overall mood.Plasma vitamin c concentration was inversely correlated with total mood disturbance as assessed by poms (r = −0.181, p < 0.05).So, there are mixed results for vitamin c and depression.Antioxidants may play an important therapeutic role in combating the damage caused by oxidative stress in individuals that suffer from anxiety.The researchers divided 52 elderly patients among acute care medical centers into two groups, and gave each either 500 milligrams of vitamin c or 5,000 iu of vitamin d each day for ten days.

Studies have shown that such conditions as fatigue, depression, and poor wound healing are consequences of inadequate levels of vitamin c.Studies have found that folic acid deficiency may lead to anxiety and depression, and some studies claim that folic acid may reduce depression when taken in conjunction with vitamin b12.Although the efficacy of this vitamin in anxiety spectrum disorders is less stablished, several studies showed that ascorbic acid supplementation produces antidepressant effect and improves mood.Vitamins for depression shouldn't be used as a replacement for medical treatment, but they can be used in conjunction with professional treatment to improve its effectiveness.Moreover, prolonged stress can result in high levels of cortisol — a stress hormone.

While depression is a serious medical condition, it is fortunately treatable.The vitamin helps reduce both the physical and psychological effects of stress on people.