Key Vitamins & Minerals for Anxiety and Stress (detailed guide)

Last updated May 8, 2024.
Edited and medically reviewed by Patrick Alban, DC. Written by Deane Alban.

Stress consumes excessive key vitamins and minerals. If you don’t replace them with the right foods and supplements, anxiety and stress can worsen.

B Complex: The Anti-Stress Vitamins

The B complex vitamins are a group of 8 water-soluble vitamins.

These vitamins are especially important for a healthy brain and central nervous system.

But they can help improve your general mood and cope better with stress.

Research has shown that B complex vitamins can be very helpful for on-the-job stress.

When study participants were given a vitamin B complex supplement, they experienced significantly less work-related stress, anxiety, and personal strain. 

They also reported a reduction in depression, dejection, and mental confusion.

B Vitamins Create Feel-Good Neurotransmitters and Stress Hormones

Some of the B vitamins are required for the production of neurotransmitters essential to the ability to relax and maintain a positive state of mind.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is utilized in the synthesis of the stress hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine.

This means that when you’re stressed, there is less B6 available to perform its other important functions.

For instance, vitamin B6 is essential to the formation of the feel-good neurotransmitters GABA, serotonin, and dopamine. 

GABA

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is the brain chemical associated with relaxation.

When levels dip low, you may find yourself anxious, overstimulated, and overwhelmed, and it will be hard to turn off your racing mind.

Vitamin B1

Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is a necessary cofactor for the production of GABA and acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter of memory and learning. 

It also strengthens the immune system, helps regulate blood sugar, and improves the ability to withstand stressful conditions. 

Vitamin B3

Vitamin B3 (niacin) is used in the manufacture of stress hormones, so the body’s supply becomes depleted under stress. 

Niacin also suppresses inflammation.

Inflammation shuts down energy production in brain cells, contributing to stress, anxiety, brain fog, mental fatigue, and depression.

It’s no coincidence that one of the main causes of chronic inflammation throughout the body is stress.

Vitamin B5

Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) is critical to the making of stress hormones produced by the adrenal glands.

Vitamin B Complex Supplements

Eating a well-rounded diet of whole, unprocessed foods is a good start towards getting the B vitamins you need from your diet.

However, if you don’t eat meat or don’t get at least the recommended 9 servings a day of fruits and vegetables, you might be low in one or more of the B vitamins.

One of the most common questions about B vitamin supplementation is whether you should take individual B vitamins or a B complex supplement.

B complex vitamins occur together in nature and work synergistically in food. 

[Discover 25 of the best natural remedies — herbs, vitamins, teas, homeopathic remedies, and essential oils — proven to reduce stress and anxiety.]

So, taking a cue from nature, it’s generally recommended that you take all the B vitamins together in a balanced B complex supplement or a high-quality multivitamin formula.

“Balanced” means a supplement that contains roughly 100% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) or Daily Value (DV) for each vitamin.

This means you want a supplement where the label looks more like this …

… and less like this:

Vitamin B12 Deficiency

One big exception to the “you only need B complex” rule applies to anyone at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency.

Vitamin B12 deficiency is surprisingly common, particularly among vegetarians and the elderly. 

If you are a vegetarian or vegan, are over age 60, or take acid-suppressing or diabetes drugs, you almost certainly could benefit from taking additional B12.

When you read a B12 supplement label, you’ll find that it usually contains much more than this.

Because only about 2% of the B12 in supplements is actually absorbed, the “excess” assures that you’re getting close to the RDA.

Vitamin C for Natural Stress Relief

Vitamin C has earned its place as the single most popular vitamin supplement. 

This versatile vitamin has shown proven benefits for a wide range of diseases, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s.

It’s taken mostly to reduce the symptoms and duration of the common cold (although evidence on this is mixed).

But few people realize the positive effect that vitamin C can have on their mood and brain function.

How Vitamin C Fights Stress

Low levels of vitamin C have been linked to anxiety and depression. 

Vitamin C plays several important roles in counteracting stress.

First, vitamin C is required to produce norepinephrine, a chemical that acts as both a stress hormone and a neurotransmitter.

It also suppresses the formation of the major stress hormone cortisol. 

Those with adequate levels of vitamin C are more resilient to stress; they bounce back faster from stressful situations.

Researchers tested vitamin C’s impact on acute psychological stress by choosing the #1 fear of all, public speaking.

Vitamin C Food Sources

Almost all animals synthesize their own vitamin C, except humans.

So we must get it from food or supplements.

The top vitamin C fruit sources are citrus fruits, strawberries, and the tropical fruits pineapple, papaya, and kiwi.

The best vegetable sources are peppers of all kinds (hot and bell), tomatoes, and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale).

But typically, these foods contain less than 100 mg per serving.

So, you have to regularly eat a lot of these foods to meet the amounts considered therapeutic, generally 500 to 1,000 mg per day.

Vitamin C Supplements

Vitamin C supplements are available in a confusing array of forms — natural, synthetic, with or without bioflavonoids, ester-C, and liposomal vitamin C — but the most common form is ascorbic acid.

There are many claims that one form is better than another, but research shows that there is no difference in bioavailability between natural and synthetic ascorbic acid. 

If you enjoy delving deeply into this sort of thing, you can check out a rundown on the various forms of vitamin C at Oregon State University Linus Pauling Institute.

If you prefer to keep things simple, just take the ascorbic acid form of vitamin C.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin C is 75 to 90 mg per day. 

But this is widely considered an extremely low dose and most studies on vitamin C use much higher amounts.

(But 75-90 mg is the amount needed to prevent scurvy, in case you’re concerned about that.)

If you don’t normally take vitamin C, 400-500 mg per day is a reasonable place to start.

The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for vitamin C is now set at 2,000 mg per day. 

While many people take this much and more, starting with large amounts can cause stomach upset or diarrhea.

Magnesium: Natural Anxiety Reliever

Magnesium has been called “the master mineral” for the role it plays in over 600 metabolic functions in the body. 

It’s also been called “nature’s Valium” because it’s so good at combating stress and promoting relaxation.

There is a direct correlation between low magnesium levels and how easily you get stressed out.

The link between magnesium and anxiety is so strong that researchers can induce anxiety in lab animals at will by depriving them of magnesium. 

Stress causes magnesium to be excreted during urination, thereby depleting body stores. 

One way magnesium neutralizes stress is by binding to and stimulating GABA receptors in the brain. 

GABA is a major neurotransmitter that slows down overstimulated brain activity.

Typical signs of a low GABA level include being easily overwhelmed and laying awake at night with racing thoughts.

When GABA is low, it becomes impossible to relax.

Low GABA is associated with numerous stress-related disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, and irritable bowel syndrome. 

Magnesium not only restricts the release of stress hormones but also acts as a filter to prevent them from entering the brain. 

Other ways magnesium can alleviate anxiety are by reducing chronic brain inflammation, removing heavy metals from the brain, and stabilizing blood sugar levels.

Keeping your magnesium level in the healthy range is one of the best things you can do to become more resilient to stress and anxiety.

Magnesium Food Sources

The top food sources of magnesium read like a shopping list for the health food store — nuts and seeds, soy products, whole grain bread and cereal, spinach, black beans, and avocado. 

However, legumes, seeds, and grains paradoxically contain naturally occurring compounds called phytates that inhibit the absorption of minerals, including magnesium. 

This is one of the reasons it’s hard to get sufficient magnesium from food alone.

Another reason is that food today is often grown in magnesium-depleted soils. 

Also, over 200 medications are known to block magnesium absorption.

Considering that 70% of Americans take one or more prescription medications, this affects a lot of people. 

According to pharmacist Suzy Cohen, author of Drug Muggers: Which Medications Are Robbing Your Body of Essential Nutrients–and Natural Ways to Restore Them, the worst “magnesium muggers” are acid blockers, laxatives, diuretics, and blood pressure medications.

Best Magnesium Supplements for Stress Relief

There are many forms of magnesium supplements to choose from and the one you pick really does matter.

A good general-purpose form is magnesium glycinate.

It has a calming effect and is considered one of the best forms for correcting a magnesium deficiency.

There’s evidence that a relatively new form of magnesium, magnesium l-threonate, could be particularly helpful for anxiety disorders because it more readily enters the brain. 

The RDA for magnesium is 320 mg for women and 420 mg for men. 

However, many people benefit from higher amounts.

It’s fairly easy to determine when you’ve taken too much magnesium since it will generally cause loose stools.

If you have trouble sleeping, taking magnesium before you go to bed can help you relax and sleep better.

Another way to de-stress with magnesium is by soaking in a hot tub of magnesium sulfate, commonly known as Epsom salts.

There’s evidence that a measurable amount of magnesium is absorbed through the skin this way. 

Caution: DO NOT take Epsom salts internally.

Magnesium sulfate is a harsh laxative that can have you running to the bathroom.

There are reports of magnesium sulfate taken internally causing vomiting, mental confusion, kidney failure, and irregular heartbeat. 

Zinc: For a Healthy Nervous System

Zinc is another mineral required for overall health and mental well-being.

It’s found in the highest concentrations in the brain, especially in the hippocampus. 

It plays a vital role in modulating our response to stress.

Zinc is required to synthesize GABA and balance the activity of this calming neurotransmitter. 

Along with vitamin B6, zinc is also a cofactor in the production of serotonin.

In fact, zinc can be taken as either a standalone treatment for depression or in conjunction with antidepressants. 

Zinc enhances the effects of SSRI antidepressants; together, they work better for major depressive disorder than antidepressants alone. 

Zinc deficiency is a well-known factor in central nervous system and mental health disorders.

Low levels of zinc have been linked to anxiety, depression, memory loss, dementia, bipolar disorder, and Alzheimer’s. 

Unfortunately, zinc deficiency is surprisingly common — an estimated 2 billion people are deficient worldwide.

On the other hand, too much zinc can also be problematic.

Zinc intake of 50 mg per day or more can result in copper deficiency. 

How Zinc-Copper Balance Affects Stress and Anxiety

Zinc has an inverse functional relationship with another mineral, copper.

So, it’s not just the absolute amount of zinc you ingest, but the balance between zinc and copper that contributes to stress and anxiety.

People who experience anxiety almost always have elevated levels of copper and low levels of zinc.

Excess copper dials up stress by blocking GABA activity. 

The copper found in food is generally not a problem since it gets processed by the liver.

But the inorganic copper found in drinking water (from copper pipes), copper cookware, medications, and even multivitamin supplements can cause toxic copper overload. 

This copper gets into the bloodstream and crosses the blood-brain barrier to directly enter the brain. 

Restoring Zinc-Copper Balance

The foods highest in zinc are also highest in copper — oysters, crab, beef, legumes, and nuts. 

So eating zinc-rich foods is not the answer to restoring a healthy zinc-copper balance.

If you suspect that your copper level is high, then taking a zinc supplement is the best way to restore balance.

The rule of thumb for total dietary intake is a zinc-to-copper ratio of roughly 10 to 1. 

Zinc Food Sources

Oysters and other non-fish seafood, such as crab and lobster, are indisputably the best dietary sources of zinc. 

One serving of oysters provides a whopping five times the RDA.

Beef, lamb, pork, chicken, cheese, and yogurt are reasonably good sources as well.

And while there are a handful of plant sources (seeds, nuts, legumes) that provide a moderate amount of zinc, keep in mind that the presence of phytates in these foods can interfere with zinc’s absorption. 

This is especially true for plant foods that have not been soaked or cooked. 

Zinc Supplements for Stress

The RDA for zinc is 8 mg for adult women and 11 mg for men per day. 

There are many forms of zinc supplements available, including zinc orotate, zinc gluconate, zinc acetate, zinc oxide, and zinc sulfate.

Zinc picolinate is commonly recommended as the most absorbable form of zinc, but this is based on one small study where it compared favorably to zinc citrate and zinc gluconate. 

Additionally, other studies suggest that any increased absorption is offset by increased elimination. 

So currently, there is no consensus about the form of zinc that is most bioavailable.

Be sure to take any zinc supplement with food so that you don’t get queasy, and don’t exceed the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) of 40 mg daily. 

Multivitamin-Mineral Supplements for Stress and Anxiety

You may be thinking that you’ll have to take a handful of supplements every day for stress and anxiety relief, but that’s usually not necessary.

The simplest way to get started on a regimen of stress-busting vitamins is to take a comprehensive multivitamin-mineral supplement.

With a good multi, you’ll meet the recommended amount of most of the above nutrients.

Research shows that taking a high-quality multivitamin can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression while improving alertness and general well-being. 

People who take a multi have been found to be more resilient to stress than those who don’t.

A multivitamin-mineral supplement can replenish vitamins and minerals depleted by stress and by other nutrient drains such as alcohol, caffeine, smoking, sugar, toxins, and both prescription and recreational drugs.

Other Proven Supplements for Anxiety and Stress

It’s always wise to address the basics first.

That’s why making sure you’re meeting your vitamin and mineral needs is an excellent first step in getting your anxiety and stress under control.

However, there are many other supplements, such as herbs and amino acids, with calming properties.

Some proven natural remedies for anxiety include bacopa, ginseng, kava, taurine, and tryptophan, as well as various teas, essential oils, and homeopathic remedies.