How B Vitamins Can Improve Your Nerve Health
Do you sometimes have a hard time concentrating on your work, homework, or study? Do you feel exhausted after being indoors for a long period of time? Do you often experience anxiety and stress at home? These are all common signs that your nervous system is not functioning optimally.
Your nervous system controls everything that happens inside and outside your body. It’s responsible for your ability to think, react, and respond appropriately to your environment and other people. Because the functions of the nervous system involve communication between different parts of the body and mind, it is an essential part of how we function as human beings.
However, this system can be negatively impacted by stress, lack of sleep, excessive alcohol consumption, poor diet habits, chronic low-grade inflammation… The list goes on. If you want to keep your nerve health in check throughout life, adding more B vitamins into your diet may be just what you need!
What are B Vitamins?
B vitamins are essential nutrients needed for the nervous system and brain to function properly. They provide the building blocks that allow you to think, react, and process information. These vitamins also support other important organ systems in your body, like the digestive system and heart. Despite these benefits, many people don’t get enough of these nutrients in their diet.
B vitamins are often found in food sources like meat, whole-grain bread, vegetables, and fruits. But they can also be found in fortified foods or supplements (both prescription or over-the-counter). If you struggle with stress or anxiety, talk with your doctor about taking a supplement!
Some of the most common B vitamins we need daily include:
1) Thiamine
2) Niacin
3) Vitamin B6
4) Folic acid
5) Vitamin B12
What are common problems in our nervous system?
Nerve problems can lead to chronic fatigue, inability to concentrate, difficulty sleeping, heart palpitations, anxiety, and more. They occur when the nervous system is over-taxed or not getting the nutrients it needs from food and supplements. One of the most common issues in our nervous system is a deficiency in B vitamins.
B vitamins help maintain nerve health by preventing oxidative stress and increasing brain energy production. But if you’re looking for an easy way to get these vitamins into your diet, adding more B’s into your daily routine may be just what you need!
How vitamin B can impact nerve health
One of the most important vitamins in your diet that can improve nerve health is B12. This vitamin is found in many food sources, including meat, eggs, and dairy products. But where do you get it from? The best sources are fortified cereals, certain brands of plant-based milks, and nutritional yeast.
Vitamin B is also (ironically) found in our body’s nerves. Your nerves contain a substance called myelin which helps with the transmission of electrical impulses throughout your body. Vitamin B helps to build myelin so that we can have better nerve function.
There have been studies done on mice where they showed that giving mice B12 for one week significantly increased their ability to learn new information and remember what they learned. So if you want to be able to concentrate better at work or school or function more effectively when you're feeling anxious, consider adding more vitamin B into your diet!
Other natural ways to support your nervous system
In addition to B vitamin supplementation, there are a few other natural ways to support your nervous system including:
- More water consumption
- Plenty of quality sleep
- Be physically active or do some light exercise, like walking
- Add turmeric and fish oil
- Manage stress
- Eat a variety of healthy foods
The Bottom Line
Your nervous system is responsible for everything that makes you, well, you. From your thoughts and memories to the way you move and feel, this system is in charge of it all. So it's no wonder that keeping your nervous system healthy is important for overall health and well-being. One way to do this is by taking nerve supplements, which can help support and optimize nervous system function.