B-Complex

B-COMPLEX VITAMINS PLAY a role in how well or poorly your body responds to the pressures of modern living. For starters, most of the B vitamins are involved in a well - functioning nervous system; a B-complex supplement can help to ensure that the nervous system is up to the challenge of life's ups and downs. Since nutritional surveys suggest that many American diets are short on several B vitamins, a balanced B-complex supplement can be a form of general nutritional insurance as well as a way to boost resistance to the effects of stress.

Of the B-complex vitamins, vitamin B3 in the form called niacinamide, may be especially beneficial. Research based on animal models indicates that niacinamide has an effect on the brain similar to that of anti-anxiety drugs such as Valium. One study reports that niacinamide eases withdrawal symptoms that often result from the use of Valium-like drugs. Unlike the niacin form of vitamin B3, which can cause flushing and headache, niacinamide is safe to use.

Take 500 mg several times daily to help ease anxiety and stress.


Vitamin C
THE BODY'S STORIES of Vitamin C are often the first to be depleted by physical or emotional stress. Depleted levels of this vitamin can interfere with the proper function of the immune system, leaving the body vulnerable to infection - another stressor on the body. The stress glands (such as the adrenals and the pituitary) are repositories of vitamin C, so when stress levels are high, vitamin C levels are drained.

Times of stress call for extra vitamin C. And since this vitamin is exceedingly safe and provides many other health benefits - for example as an antioxidant and immune booster - it makes good sense to include it in a daily supplement plan. Start with at least 500 mg of vitamin C daily to counteract the negative effects of life's inevitable stressors.


Magnesium and Other Minerals
STRESS ALSO TAKES its toll on minerals in the body. "Type A" people--the archetype of highly stressed individuals - have higher levels of stress hormones in their blood, yet lower levels of magnesium compared to their more laid-back (Type B) counterparts. And stress hormones cause body cells to lose magnesium. As the body's stores of magnesium are drained, the stress response is activated - leading to a stress spiral. Magnesium is therefore another must on the supplement list for those under stress. Most people do not reach recommended intake levels of magnesium; 500 mg per 1,000 mg of calcium is a good range for most folks supplementing with this mineral. Simply soaking in a tub with one or two cups of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate crystals) might also help the unwinding process.

But magnesium is not the end of the story when it comes to the interplay between minerals and stress. Several trace minerals, including chromium, copper, iron and zinc, are also lost at an increased rate during physically stressful events such as illness, hospitalization or strenuous exercise. Keep an eye on these minerals, too.

Unfortunately, during stress times, when nutritional needs are highest, a person's diet is often at
its worst. Supplements can be a great way to fill in the nutritional gaps of a stressed-to-the-max diet.

Page 28 December 1998 Let's Live