Getting upset and anxious is normal, but, there are some people who regularly feel these emotions to the point where it starts affecting their lives. Research conducted by the scientists of the University of Reading revealed that taking an overdose of B6 supplementation could decrease feelings of anxiety and depression. According to the reports, there was an improvement in the behaviour of people consuming tablets of vitamin B6 as they started feeling less depressed and anxious.
David Field, the lead author from the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences at The University of Reading said, “Recent theories have connected mood disorders and some other neuropsychiatric conditions with a disturbance of this balance, often in the direction of raised levels of brain activity.”
“Vitamin B6 helps the body produce a specific chemical messenger that inhibits impulses in the brain, and our study links this calming effect with reduced anxiety among the participants,” he added.
The study also revealed that vitamin B12 had comparatively less impact as compared to vitamin B12. Visual tests conducted in the study revealed that the people who consumed vitamin B6 supplements had greater GABA levels, supporting the idea that B6 was the reason for the reduction in anxiety. Meanwhile, minor and safe fluctuations in the visual performance were consistent with controlled levels of brain activation.
As per Dr Field, several meals like tuna, chickpeas as well as other fruits and vegetables, contain vitamin B6. However, the over dosages used in this experiment suggest that additional supplements may be needed to have a mood-improving effect. “It is crucial to understand that this research is in its early stages and that vitamin B6 had significantly less impact on anxiety in our study than one might anticipate from the medicine. Although, given that they have fewer adverse effects than pharmaceuticals, consumers can also decide to use nutrition-based therapies in the future,” he added.
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