If you’re stressed and tired, generally you lack some vitamins and minerals and you should consider eating foods that are rich in specific vitamins. They can help you to reduce stress and anxiety.
Actually, stress can get worse if you don’t consume enough nutritious foods that are high in vitamins and minerals, because stress affects you by depleting vitamins which are essential to your body.
Vitamins For Stress Relief
You need to know what are the best vitamins for stress relief. Some studies showed that vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B1 and vitamin B6 can help you to reduce stress.
After my own research on the net, I could say C is the best vitamin for stress relief or maybe one of the best at least and many studies have shown that. I am sure we all know how important for our health is this vitamin.
How can Vitamin C help for Stress Relief?
Do you know that a hormone called cortisol gets released during stress? Both studies below show that vitamin C lowers cortisol levels. If the cortisol levels are decreased, then you can manage stress much better.
Let’s explore these two studies below!
Animal study
Researchers, including P. Samuel Campbell, discovered that vitamin C can help you fight stress. This study was presented at the American Chemical Society (published on Science Daily) in 1999.
Nowadays it’s not news anymore, but a fact that C is a great vitamin for stress relief. I am sure many of you know it but somehow this fact slipped my mind.
Of course, somebody could argue about it (maybe even me) because this research’s test subjects were rats. However, the researchers were certain that this study can be applied to humans and it is entirely true that vitamin C intake can help with stress management.
The researchers found out that with vitamin C, a body can manage stress better. According to these scientists, the body’s natural defense is increased because it has a lot of vitamin C in its system. As stress hormones in your blood are reduced, you can deal with stress more effectively. It is amazing. 
Right? Okay. Let’s go closer to home! 🙂
Human Study
According to Psychopharmacology, there was a human study made by German researchers in 2001 that showed similar results as the animal study. In this study, 120 people participated and scientists subjected them to a stressor that was a public speaking task combined with math problems (there are a lot of people who are struggling with it).
Before the task, researchers gave subjects vitamin C supplement (1,000 mg) or placebo. German scientists discovered that the cortisol levels of people, who didn’t receive vitamin C, were significantly greater and they had more physical and psychological signs of stress than those who got vitamin C intake.
Vitamin C Comes to the Rescue… 🙂
As nowadays we live a very stressful life (I am sure you know what I am talking about), you need to do as much as you could to help yourself manage stress better. Who doesn’t want to feel more peaceful and relaxed? Even if it’s just a little bit.
If you can reduce your stress levels by taking vitamin C supplement, why shouldn’t you? Especially, if some research suggests that this vitamin intake can help you.
In my opinion, we need to get rescued from stress and vitamin C is a good element to do that. Take a great vitamin C supplement and eat more products which are rich in vitamin C. Your body will say “thank you” and I am certain you will feel much, much better and healthier.
Where can you find “this rescuer” from stress?
There are many good sources of vitamin C. Many people think citrus fruits are the richest in vitamin C, but they can’t be further from the truth. As we see on the list below the richest foods in vitamin C are peppers.
- Peppers (especially Yellow Bell Pepper)
- Guavas
- Dark Green Leafy Vegetables (Especially Kale)
- Kiwifruit (Green)
- Broccoli
- Berries (especially Strawberries)
- Citrus fruit (especially Orange)
- Tomatoes (cooked)
- Peas
- Papaya
Conclusion
Now you know that vitamin C is great for stress relief. You should consider eating vitamin C rich foods or taking a supplement. Of course, vitamin C intake wouldn’t eliminate stress, however, it reduces your mental response to events that are stressful.
Did you already know this? Are you consciously taking vitamin C supplement or eating a lot of vegetables and fruits? Are you thinking about your health? Do you feel it is helping you to manage stress?
Feel free to tell your stories about this subject. Let me know below! I will reply as soon as I can.
If you are looking for the best vitamin C supplements, CLICK HERE for more information.
I would like to hear from you, so please leave me a comment below to let me know if this article helped you.
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Stay healthy!
Until next time
Linda
Founder of How To Reduce Stress Naturally
Hi, thankyou for your really interesting article. I really never new that vitamin c was so important until now. Can a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice a day give you enough vitamin c for the day? And can just taking a vitamin c tablet cover you if you don’t eat the right food? Thanks again Joanne
Hi, Joanne!
I am glad you like it. I also didn’t know before that vitamin C can help with stress relief .Thank you for a great comment! Excellent questions too.
According to nutriondata.self.com., one cup (244 g) of lemon juice (raw) has 112 milligrams (mg) of C vitamin. Daily recommended amount for adult women who doesn’t smoke is 75 mg. So it looks like you can get enough vitamin C for one day. But, of course, I would recommend eating vitamin C rich foods. Other foods have more vitamin C than oranges. For example, I love sweet peppers and green vegetables in summer and autumn, cabbages in winter. Usually, I am eating these vegetables fresh, not cooked, in salats etc. When you cook vegetables, they lose a lot of vitamin C. Of course, it depends, how much you do that. So I was surprised that cooked tomatoes become richer with vitamin C. It is strange, maybe it depends on how they are cooked. I am also eating a lot of apples and there are vitamin C too.
In my opinion, always better is to eat vitamin C rich foods than taking supplements. But sometimes you need to do that. I never took Vitamin C supplement except when I was ill. Then I took an ascorbic acid (powder) and drink with water. After research about vitamin C, I think about supplements, maybe I need to take them. So I need to do research to understand which is better for my health.
Eating healthy seems to be getting more and more difficult for me. It’s good to know that there are supplements you can take when you just don’t have the time to eat healthy every moment of the day. Do you have a particular vitamin C supplement in mind? A lot of the ones out here is filled with so much unnecessary stuff. It would be great to get something actually made with food.
Hi, Liz
Yes, I agree it seems it is getting more difficult. I am lucky that I live in a place where I can get more or less healthy and nutritious foods. But I agree that it is difficult to eat healthy every time.
I never took vitamin C supplement, but the times when I get ill, I took ascorbic acid (powder). Now I know how important vitamin C is for stress management, I am also thinking about good vitamin C supplement and want to do my research. Actually, ascorbic acid looks good and is natural.
Thanks for your comment!
HI,
Very interesting,i never knew that vitamin c can manage stress.
I am starting to look at my diet more lately and vitamins need to play a big part in your life so its really good that you have written this information and i have come across it.
Do you think if i was to have freshly squeezed oranges every morning would they upset my stomach?
I really did not know that vitamin c was in these foods.
Thank you for your informative post.
Hi!
Thank you! It is so nice to know that this article was useful to somebody.
I think it depends on you. For some people it will be upsetting to their stomach, but not me. For example, every morning I eat some kind of fruit – apple, orange, banana etc. In my opinion, you just need to try and see. If you have some kind of health problems, then you need to consult with a specialist.
I didn’t know before I wrote this article that C is a vitamin for stress relief. That is great and I always love to learn new things.
Thank you for your comment!