How Anxiety Sucks the Life out of You (literally)

Despite stacks of research to the contrary, anxiety is still mostly considered a mental health issue, or “all in your head.” But anxiety triggers a very real, physiologic response in your body - one that creates more anxiety symptoms and contributes to all kinds of other physical problems over time. One of the many ways that anxiety impacts your health is by quite literally sucking the life out of you - mentally, emotionally, and physically.

If you’ve ever experienced anxiety, you know it is incredibly draining. Yes, you might also feel revved up, overwhelmed by a million racing thoughts, and jittery with adrenaline, but anxiety eventually leads to fatigue - sometimes extreme fatigue or even a sort of post-panic “crash.” This is one of the reasons folks sometimes experience both anxiety and depression symptoms.

Not only does anxiety suck the mental and emotional life out of you, but it also significantly depletes your micronutrients - the ingredients your body needs to perform the super amazing and complicated biochemical functions that literally sustain your life. When you don’t have optimal levels of micronutrients, your body has to ration them to crucial bodily functions, which means that some systems get snubbed. And, to complicate matters, several medications that are commonly prescribed to treat anxiety or depression can cause micronutrient depletions over time - it’s a double-whammy of nutrient depletion!

In this article, I’m sharing some common micronutrients that are impacted by stress and anxiety as well as a few that actively support a healthy stress response. Pro tip: all of these nutrients can be measured via functional labs and corrected with targeted supplementation & nutrition, so if you’re curious about your levels, get in touch! I’d be happy to help you!

Micronutrients depleted by anxiety & stress

• Magnesium - an estimated 50% of the population is magnesium deficient, largely because many of us eat a diet that consists of refined flour, meat, and dairy (none of which contain magnesium). But wait - even if you eat lots of veggies, chronic stress causes you to burn through magnesium at an increased rate. Side note: to properly absorb magnesium you need a lot of it in your diet, PLUS enough vitamin B6, vitamin D, and selenium. It’s a good idea to supplement with magnesium, but I recommend avoiding magnesium carbonate, sulfate, gluconate, and oxide. They are poorly absorbed (and the cheapest and most common forms found in supplements).
• B vitamins, especially B5 and B6 - B vitamins are crucial regulators of the stress response system, and are used to make stress hormones. But they also help the body generate energy, regulate mood, and maintain healthy cholesterol. Vitamin B5 is often called the “anti-stress” vitamin because of its ability to help regulate cortisol. And Vitamin B6 supports production of neurotransmitters that calm the stress response. A recent study reported significant decrease of anxiety after 1 month of high-dose vitamin B6 supplementation. If you happen to have a genetic inefficiency involving methylation, you may need specific B vitamin support!
• Zinc - Stress-induced depletion of zinc is well established by research, even though most of us think of zinc depletion in terms of immune system function. It doesn’t help that most people don’t get enough zinc to start with, since oysters, lamb, and pumpkin seeds aren’t a regular part of folks’ regular diet. Zinc is rapidly used up in times of stress, and since anxiety is both a sign of stress AND triggers stress in the body, it’s a micronutrient we pay attention to.

Micronutrients depleted by medications for anxiety and stress

• Anxiety medications (Xanax, Valium, etc.) - These belong to a class of medications called benzodiazepines, which are a type of sedative used to treat a number of types of anxiety. This type of medication can deplete the following micronutrients: Melatonin, Vitamin B6, B12, and Folate, Vitamin D, and Calcium.
• Antidepressants (Lexapro, Zoloft, etc.) - Because so many folks experience both anxiety and depressive symptoms, and because such a large percentage of the population (especially women) are prescribed antidepressants, it’s important to know which micronutrients are depleted by Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s). This type of medication can deplete CoQ10, Magnesium, Vitamin B2, B3, B6, B12, and Folate, Essential fatty acids, Vitamin C, and Selenium.
• Stimulants (Adderall, Vyvance, Concerta, etc.) - Anxiety and focus problems, even to the extent of ADHD, often go together. And both create stress in their own right! But the medication that helps you focus also depletes essential micronutrients including Magnesium, Vitamin C, and Potassium.

Micronutrients that support a healthy stress response

• Vitamin D3 - the more we learn about this mighty micronutrient (did you know that Vitamin D is both a hormone and a neurotransmitter?), the more obvious its impact becomes on all things relating to mood, stress, and cognition. And, as a native Michigander, I’ve seen a LOT of sub-optimal levels in my clients over the years. Optimizing your levels of Vitamin D (I like to see 75-90 nmol/L on blood testing) makes your brain work better, protects you from infections, reduces overall inflammation, and, of course, helps you stress better and decrease anxiety symptoms.
• Omega Fatty Acids - This family of essential fats performs crucial functions in our brains, protects us against cancer and heart disease, prevents type 2 diabetes, and reduces inflammation throughout the body. They're essential for a reason! Unfortunately, most of us don't get enough Omega-3's in our diet to counteract the inflammatory fats that are so VERY prevalent instead. I mean, are you eating 2-3 servings of "SMASH" fish (wild salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and herring) daily? Didn’t think so. Thankfully, research shows that supplementing with high-quality fish oil can still give you the benefits of a fish-rich diet!
• Adaptogens - ok, so these aren’t technically micronutrients, but they do a bang-up job of buffering chronic stress, encouraging healthy circadian rhythm (that means better sleep!), and of course helping your body adapt and respond to stress in a healthy way. Adaptogenic plants and fungi can be a lifesaver when you’re stuck in a stressed-out state, mentally or physically. I recommend them ALL the time to help manage symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mood concerns!

You’re probably wondering what exactly to do with all of this new information, but never fear, I’ve got a link for that!

If you already know that you’ve got some depletions to address, either because of previous testing or because you’re on some of the meds listed above, you can click HERE to see my recommended nutraceuticals that will help you fill in the micronutrient gaps and help you get optimized.

If you have anxiety, chronic stress, or even depression symptoms, but aren’t sure what depletions are affecting your overall health, there’s a lab test for that - and I’d be happy to help you get ahold of this important data. Click HERE to learn more about working with me, one-on-one, and apply for a consultation!