B Vitamins and Anxiety: Their Role in Stress Management
B vitamins play an essential role in brain health, energy production, and the body’s response to stress. Because they support neurotransmitter production, nerve cells, and adrenal function, these nutrients are often referred to as the body’s anti-stress vitamins.
In this article, we’ll look at what the eight B vitamins are, how they influence anxiety and mood, and what research shows about their potential mental health and well-being benefits.
What's In This Post
| Why Do We Need B Vitamins? |
| The Eight B Vitamins: Numbers and Names |
| How B Vitamins Influence Anxiety and Stress |
| The Eight B Vitamins and Their Roles in the Stress Response |
| B Vitamins and Anxiety Research Results |
| Can B Vitamin Deficiency Cause Anxiety? |
| Supplementing with B Vitamins May Help Psych Meds Work Better |
| More Information About Food and Supplements for Mental Health |
| B Vitamin Frequently Asked Questions |
| References: B Vitamin Mental Health Benefits Research |
Note: This article should not be taken as medical advice. It is always advisable to talk to your personal medical professionals before taking natural remedies.
Why Do We Need B Vitamins?
Let's start by understanding what B vitamins do for you. B vitamins are cofactors or coenzymes in the body’s biochemical reactions. In simple terms, they help your body carry out many essential chemical reactions.
The fact that they are particularly important to your brain cells, adrenal glands, and nerves has earned them the title of anti-stress vitamins.
Some people begin researching B vitamins after experiencing symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, or anxiety that may be linked to vitamin deficiencies.
This post highlights the key roles B vitamins play in processes related to mental health. For a deeper look at how nutrition influences anxiety and stress resilience, see my book Feed Your Calm: Anti-Anxiety Anti-Stress Diet and Supplement Tips for Stress Resilience.
The Eight B Vitamins: Numbers and Names
Here's the number and name match-up for the eight B vitamins:
- B1, Thiamine
- B2, Riboflavin
- B3, Niacin
- B5, Pantothenic acid
- B6, Pyridoxine
- B7, Biotin
- B9, Folate
- B12, Cobalamin
Why There Are Eight B Vitamins, But The Numbering Goes to Twelve
There are gaps in the numbers for B vitamins (there is no 4, 8, 10, or 11) because scientists have changed their minds about what should be included in this category. Some nutrients that were previously designated as B vitamins have lost that designation. For example: Inositol was called B8 but is no longer considered a B vitamin.
How B Vitamins Influence Anxiety and Stress
B vitamins are involved in many biochemical processes that affect mood and stress resilience. They are important for:
- Brain and nerve cell health
- Creation of calming neurotransmitters
- Adrenal gland function
Help for Your Brain and Nerve Cells
How well your brain is functioning impacts your mental health.
B vitamins help you process omega-3 fats used to build the myelin sheath that surrounds nerve cells -- the material that coats your nerve cells so the electrical impulses can pass through efficiently.
They are also important in the production of glucose needed to keep your brain running.
"The B vitamins represent a group of eight essential dietary micronutrients that work closely in concert at a cellular level and which are absolutely essential for every aspect of brain function." [1]
Assist Neurotransmitter Creation
These nutrients are also needed for the chemical reactions that create calming neurotransmitters, such as:
- Serotonin
- GABA
- Dopamine
Help Your Adrenal Glands
The Eight B Vitamins and Their Roles in the Stress Response
Here's a summary of the roles each B vitamin plays in your body's ability to deal with stress:
B1 – Thiamine
Supports glucose metabolism and production of the neurotransmitters serotonin and GABA .
B2 – Riboflavin
Helps other B vitamins do what they need to do.
B3 – Niacin
Supports nerve health through omega-3 fat synthesis and also assists adrenal function.
B5 – Pantothenic Acid
Important for adrenal function, as well as glucose and omega-3 fat synthesis.
B6 – Pyridoxine
Required for production of serotonin, dopamine, and GABA. It also supports the adrenal glands.
B7 – Biotin
Supports omega-3 fat metabolism for nerve health and also glucose metabolism.
B9 – Folate
Important for serotonin and dopamine synthesis. It also helps nerve cell health by assisting in omega-3 fat metabolism.
B12 – Cobalamin
Supports the production of omega-3 fats and the calming neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and GABA. It also plays a supporting role in B9 production.
B Vitamins and Anxiety Research Results
Some studies look for the effect of individual B vitamins, while others research the impact of B-complex supplements alone or in combination with other vitamins and minerals.
Here are a few examples:
Several studies have shown a B6 positive effect on psychological and physical Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) symptoms.[2] In one such study, vitamin B6 supplementation over two months reduced PMS anxiety in patients referred to medical clinics, while a placebo had no effect.[3]
A 2013 review of previous studies found that supplements containing high doses of B vitamins reduced levels of perceived stress and anxiety.[4]
Swedes with celiac disease who had been eating gluten free for at least eight years were given a B-complex supplement for six months. “Those with reduced psychological well-being at entry showed a significant improvement in psychological well-being, notably with Anxiety and Depressed mood and scored normal at six months.”[5]
Many research projects have deomstrated a reduction in stress when people are given a multivitamin/mineral containing vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, zind, and high-dose B vitamins. [6]
Can B Vitamin Deficiency Cause Anxiety?
Low levels of certain B vitamins have been linked with symptoms such as anxiety, fatigue, irritability, and poor stress tolerance. Deficiencies in B6, B9 (folate), and B12 in particular may affect the production of neurotransmitters involved in mood regulation.
Example Research: Blood tests performed on patients who presented at Japanese emergency rooms with panic attacks found that they had low levels of vitamin B6 compared to a control group.[7]
Supplementing with B Vitamins May Help Psych Meds Work Better
B vitamins may help mood-enhancing pharmaceutical medications work better.
Folate (B9) is often low in people with depression, and supplementing with folic acid has been shown to improve outcomes when used in conjunction with the antidepressant fluoxetine.[8]
Similar to those test results on human subjects, but somewhat contrary, mice given B6 along with clomipramine, fluoxetine, or venlafaxine medications had better outcomes for obsessive-compulsive behaviors and depression with the combination of B6 and either clomipramine or venlafaxine (but not with fluoxetine) compared to the medications alone.[9]
More Information About Food and Supplements for Mental Health
Feed Your Calm: Anti-Anxiety Anti-Stress Diet and Supplement Tips for Stress Resilience
In Feed Your Calm, you'll learn:
- What's happening in your body as you try to deal with stress
- How specific vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins, probiotics, and herbs help you deal with stress
- 5 types of foods that add to your stress and hurt your ability to be calm
- 12 anti-anxiety foods for stress resilience
- 10 anti-anxiety supplements for stress resilience
"Anxiety is at epidemic levels today. In Feed Your Calm, Ann Silvers gives readers an approachable antidote to this epidemic."
--Dr. Megan DeBell, MD
B Vitamin Frequently Asked Questions
Are B vitamins water-soluble?
Yes. B vitamins are water-soluble vitamins, which means the body does not store large amounts of them. Any excess is typically excreted through urine.
Because they are not stored in large reserves, B vitamins need to be consumed regularly through food or supplements. This is one reason deficiencies can develop when diet is inadequate, digestion is impaired, or alcohol intake is high.
Water-soluble vitamins are different from fat-soluble vitamins (e.g., A, D, E, and K) which can be stored in the body’s fat tissues.
Do B vitamins build up in the body?
Unlike fat-soluble vitamins, B vitamins generally do not accumulate in large amounts in the body. Because they are water-soluble, excess amounts are usually excreted in urine. However, extremely high supplement doses can still cause side effects, so it’s important to follow recommended guidelines.
What Causes B Vitamin Deficiency?
Because B vitamins are water-soluble and not stored in large amounts in the body, poor diet, processed foods, digestive problems that impair nutrient absorption, alcohol use, or certain medications can contribute to low levels.
Additionally, vegetarian or vegan diets are deficient in vitamin B12 unless supplemented.
Which B vitamins are most important for anxiety?
B6, B9 (folate), and B12 are especially important because they are involved in producing neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and GABA, which influence mood and emotional stability.
References: B Vitamin Mental Health Benefits Research
1. David O. Kennedy, “B Vitamins and the Brain: Mechanisms, Dose and Efficacy—A Review,” Nutrients 8, no. 2 (2016): 86, https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8020068.
2. S. Samieipoor et al., “Effects of Vitamin B6 on Premenstrual Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Science 9, no. 3 (2016): 1346–1353.
3. E. Ebrahimi et al., “Effects of Magnesium and Vitamin B6 on the Severity of Premenstrual Syndrome Symptoms,” Journal of Caring Sciences 1, no. 4 (2012): 183–189, https://doi.org/10.5681/jcs.2012.026.
4. Sara-Jayne Long and David Benton, “Effects of Vitamin and Mineral Supplementation on Stress, Mild Psychiatric Symptoms, and Mood in Nonclinical Samples,” Psychosomatic Medicine 75, no. 2 (2013): 144–153, https://doi.org/10.1097/psy.0b013e31827d5fbd.
5. C. Hallert et al., “Clinical Trial: B Vitamins Improve Health in Patients with Coeliac Disease Living on a Gluten-Free Diet,” Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics 29, no. 8 (2009): 811–816, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2036.2009.03945.x.
6. David O. Kennedy et al., “Effects of High-Dose B Vitamin Complex with Vitamin C and Minerals on Subjective Mood and Performance in Healthy Males,” Psychopharmacology 211, no. 1 (2010): 55–68, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-010-1870-3;
Douglas Carroll et al., “The Effects of an Oral Multivitamin Combination with Calcium, Magnesium, and Zinc on Psychological Well-Being in Healthy Young Male Volunteers: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial,” Psychopharmacology 150, no. 2 (2000): 220–225, https://doi.org/10.1007/s002130000406;
L. Schlebusch et al., “A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Centre Study of the Effects of an Oral Multivitamin-Mineral Combination on Stress,” South African Medical Journal, 90, no. 12 (2000): 1216–1223; Con Stough et al., “The Effect of 90 Day Administration of a High Dose Vitamin B-Complex on Work Stress,” Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental 26, no. 7 (2011): 470–476, https://doi.org/10.1002/hup.1229.
7. K. Morita et al., “Low Serum Concentrations of Vitamin B6 and Iron Are Related to Panic Attack and Hyperventilation Attack,” Acta Medica Okayama 67, no. 2 (2013): 99–104. doi: 10.18926/AMO/49668. PMID: 23603926.
8. A. Coppen and J. Bailey, “Enhancement of the Antidepressant Action of Fluoxetine by Folic Acid: A Randomised, Placebo Controlled Trial,” Journal of Affective Disorders 60, no. 2 (2000): 121–130, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-0327(00)00153-1.
9. A. Mesripour, V. Hajhashemi, and A. Kuchak, “Effect of Concomitant Administration of Three Different Antidepressants with Vitamin B6 on Depression and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in Mice Models,” Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences 12, no. 1 (2017): 46, https://doi.org/10.4103/1735-5362.199046.
- Ann Silvers
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