Treating anxiety with food/supplements

[Kaloobear]

A few years ago I had a bad spate of anxiety and stress and the GP put me on anti ds. They worked well and I was only on them for a few months. I was having a really bad time at work and put the symptoms down to that.

For the past three months I've been feeling really anxious a lot again, plus massive mood swings and generally low mood. I keep bursting into tears at nothing and generally feel crap. I'm on maternity leave so work stress is not the cause! DD is 7 months and I don't have to go back to work till September, so though I'm a bit worried about it, I don't think it's particularly related to that either. I'm not sure where it's come from.

I'm reluctant to go back on anti ds-I've worked really hard recently to lose weight and don't want to hamper that, plus I feel like they're for more serious conditions while I just feel sad and crap. There's nothing wrong in my life, I just need to cheer up somehow!

I was wondering whether anyone has any experience of addressing mood/stress/anxiety issues with food or supplements. I've heard of 5-HTP as a serotonin supplement, but can't find much about how well it works. I eat pretty healthily already-are there dietary changes people have found useful? I don't drink often and do occasional exercise but am upping it at the mo as I know that's supposed to help.

Any ideas gratefully received, thanks for your help.

I am also anemic. My doctor has me on pre-natal multivites, because its a good dose of iron / B12 / B6 etc, and daily (body cannot retain iron long), combined with Vit C which helps retain the iron a little longer, but not such a huge dose of iron that I get constipated and piles (ug ug horrors!)

So I do recommend those, not the piles, the pre-natal vitamins.

Ah daft me - yes, iron!! Was not oficially low (one point above the low/normal cut off) but goodness, a daily supplement has transformed my life. I have energy these days.

Iron = energy
Vit D = mood

For me anyway. I still take both daily, high-ish doses rather than multi-vit ones too.

Have you considered PND ?

Yes it could be PND but she might still want to go through the natural mood boosters route rather than AD's.
Have just done food shopping and tried to make it as healthy and mood boosting as possible with bananas, salmon (vit D) yoghurt lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. I wanted to sit outside to soak up the rays but it is too cold and now raining. Am feeling on edge as have cut right down to almost nothing on the AD's so lets hope it might help. Oh and just taken an eve primrose tablet. Also ordered the mood boosting book mentioned earlier in the thread. .Please report back anyone else and let me know how you are getting on.

Currently awaiting results of investigations for very low ferritin levels.Got heavy periods and possible fibroids.Hoping it's nothing more sinister and must confess bit worried at mo.But as well as being bone tired at times also very moody and tearful and anxious for at least 1/2 my cycle.Driving me crazy.Really interesting comments about Vit B supplements.And also although I only drink 2/3 coffees a day love proper coffee and strong so sadly may have to stop that!So will keep an eye on this post and try to keep calm wilting for results and generally.

Am trying not to think about the possibility of PND to be honest. I went through a phase shortly after DD was born where I felt like if we were alone in the house together I'd go mad so was constantly out walking round town with her and got a bit obsessive about it. In retrospect I think it was probably linked. I don't feel dreadful now, just way more weepy than is normal.

There's so much interesting stuff on here. I'm going to Boots tomorrow and I think I'm going to try a combination of Iron, Vit D, Evening Primrose Oil and a Vit B complex. I don't think there's any problem with taking them all together so fingers crossed they'll make a difference. If not I'm going to add in St John's Wort and see how that goes. I have to say I did feel amazing when I was pregnant and taking an ante-natal multi-vitamin so that's another option.

Stargazy sorry you're going through a tough time too. Hope your tests come back ASAP and are ok.

kerstina are you exercising much as you're coming off your ADs? I'm finding that quite a help at the mo-I'm trying to go running three times a week and find even if it's not sunny it makes me feel better.

Hi Kaloobear exercise does help me it was saturday when I felt edgy but on school run days I walk briskly for at least one hour a day. Think I felt really tense as it was PMT the other day. Doctor is going to test for anaemia but honestly I think I know more than them about mental health sometimes ! The doctor had not heard of HTP .I wish they had gps more interested in mental health that you could opt to see.

Mood boosting food is dark choclate- but not too much and at least 75% cocoa solids.

The best way to rid yourself of anxiety and stress is exercise- especailly out doors.
It's been shown that this is as effective as ADs for mild-moderate depression. 30 mins 5 x a week. walking or jogging.

I agree about the exercise. Dark chocolate makes me insanely anxious, after an initial and temporary "boost". Sugar and caffiene, yet again.

Haven't read whole thread
Coming off Cerazette biggest thing for me. Taking a good multi vit - costs me £30 a month but worth every penny. Avoiding masses of caffeine and sugar
Exercise - heavy exercise for me!

*Kaloobear, when I did weight watchers I ended up getting dizzy when I stood up too quickly and feeling totally puffed just by walking up the stairs. I also had more than a touch of PND and I am sure the calorie restriction did not help. I'm never going to try food restriction tecniques for wieght loss again because I would much prefer to be mentally robust than try and shift a few extra pounds.
Is your blood pressure useally on the low-side of normal when you have it taken.
And I second the avoid cerazette like the plague.

These are what I take. Link to multi vits has all ingredients I think. Called source of life gold
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B003TMLLQI/ref=redir_mdp_mobile

And paradox omega oil

This is interesting. A few years ago I joined weight watchers and lost a couple of stone. I looked the best I ever had in my life, started to enjoy clothes and going out etc, but I also developed anxiety driven depression and ended up n anti depressants. Life was very stressful at the time but I did wonder if it was linked to my diet, seems it may have been from what others have said on here. Having said that I just rejoined as 2 stone overweight with a 12 week old baby (plus toddler) and I desperately want to feel confident again. Think I'll take pregnacare again, prob should as breast feeding anyway.

Frida that's really interesting. I actually went to the GP yesterday as the dizziness is getting ridiculous-it's several times a day now, when standing up, moving my head quickly etc. I've always had blood pressure on the low side but it was very low yesterday when she tested it, and I have to go back on Thursday for blood tests and an ECG. She said she needs to check my thyroid, iron levels and for a few other things.

I'd not thought about my thyroid before much but looking at the symptoms for hypothyroidism it seems anxiety and depression are on the list, which is interesting.

Dizzyness on standing could possibly be low adrenal function which can be bought on by chronic stress. The GP prob won't recognise this though as 'adrenal fatigue' is not in their text books! Just an idea, I take some adrenal extract at the moment which has seemed to help with the dizzyness.

topsi what is it called? It's strange that problems with adrenal function still are not considered a 'real' thing

the majority of doctors wouldn't agree that it exists but there is alot of info out there on it. It may be worth you searching for some info on Functional Medicine. It treats the causes of disease and ilness in a holistic manner and not just looking at symptoms. For depression this would mean making sure your body has all the building blocks to make seratonin and the other important neuro transmitters, either in diet of supplements. Checking hormone levels and making sure your life style is conducive to your body functioning propperly. Caffine causes a big surge in the adrenal hormones which picks you up for a while but then sends you crashing down and if you are already stressed and your adrenals are 'tired' then you end up feeling completely washed out. Adrenal glands help maintain blood pressure!
End of lecture

or supplements

I can't stress enough the beneficial effects of exercise. I am a researcher and this week have been in contact with MIND about the benefits of exerxise on anxiety and mood.

You need to eat healthily, but TBH it's more important that you exercise and ideally in a green space- park, countryside, etc.

yes exercise is the hardest part, especially in this weather!

Inositol is meant to be good for anxiety. It occurs naturally in the body and we eat about 1gram of it per day in our diet. It helps make serotonin apparently.

Hi again Kaloobear sorry I didn't reply sooner,
I tried St Johns Wort a couple of years ago but didn't find any benefit but I wasn't really depressed just quite stressed out so it probably wasn't right for me then.
I take the evening primrose now to try and help to stabilise my mood throughout my cycle as I have been experiencing very bad PMS recently and it does seem to be helping - I didn't threaten to castrate DH last month
I would agree with a lot of the posters that exercise is very important and probably has the greatest influence on my mood, even in the rain.
Patrik Holford is good on diet but in the book I read of his he did come across as somewhat of a vigilante vegan

Omg I'm do glad I found this thread, seeing GP at the moment for severe fatigue, he thinks I have low mood. He's doing blood tests this week. I'm in remission from cancer (lymphoma) and I know there are connections with long term fatigue and that type of cancer. Anyway , I need to look for ways to up my energy alot, and reduce Low mood, I want to do this naturally. I will refuse AD if he offers them, I've had enough chemicals for life time I think. I stopped caffeine in drinks a year ago but still eat milk chocolate. I'm a life long vegetarian, and eat zero omega three in my diet! Which good quality omega three would you recommend and what dosage? I'm in town tomorrow and want to get on it ASAP!

Hi all and thanks for so much good advice and food for thought. I've been reading the Patrick Holford book and it makes SO much sense. Based on what I've read I'm putting myself on the following supplements:

Omega 3 (1000mg three times a day)
Chromium (200mcg three times a day)
5-HTP (100mcg twice a day)
Vit D (15mcg)
Zinc (20mg)
Vit B6 (20mg)
Vit B12 (10mcg)
Magnesium (300mg)
Folic acid (200mcg)
Evening Primrose Oil (1000mg)

I haven't found all of them yet though-Boots seems to have very, very low doses while Holland & Barrett has super high doses! I've got blood tests tomorrow for low thyroid function so I'm going to start the supplements after the blood tests as I don't want to affect the results by mistake.

PoppyBoo well done on being in remission but sorry you're feeling low. I'd go to H&B for Omega 3-it's in their buy one get the second for a penny deal at the mo.

Thank you Kaloobear ~ have you any idea how long it takes for vitamins to start working?