B vitamins – vitamins
From the book – Chapter 21: Body Chemistry and Mental Health
B vitamins
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B12: nerve function, DNA, red cells. Deficiency: depression, anxiety, memory problems, fatigue, neuropathy. Sources: animal products, fortified foods. At risk: vegans, elderly, people with digestive issues.
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B9 (folate): DNA and neurotransmitter production. Deficiency: depression, cognitive impairment, anaemia. Sources: leafy greens, legumes, fortified grains. Important in pregnancy.
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B6: synthesis of serotonin, dopamine, GABA. Deficiency: depression, confusion, weakened immunity. Sources: fish, poultry, potatoes, bananas.
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B1, B2, B3, B5: energy metabolism and brain function. Deficiencies can cause fatigue, depression, cognitive problems.
Read the full chapter – Chapter 21: Body Chemistry and Mental Health
Stories from real life
- Tired, Low and Forgetful at Forty – Sunita Patil, forty-two, a school teacher in Kolhapur, had been feeling flat for most of a year. She was exhausted by lunchtime, felt cold when others…
- Kabir’s Skipped Meals – Kabir Sheikh, thirty-five, drove a delivery van in Hyderabad. His days ran on tea and biscuits, with a large meal late at night. Lately he had…
- Neha’s Tingling Fingers – Neha Verma, nineteen, was a first-year student living in a hostel in Delhi. She was a strict vegetarian and survived on instant noodles, tea and biscuits.…
Shloks
- Bhagavad Gita 17.8 – Foods that increase life, clarity, strength, health, happiness, and love—which are juicy, naturally oily, stable, and agreeable—are dear to the sattvic mind.
More on this topic: The brain, hormones and body chemistry behind your moods
More questions
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- What is true: vitamin D deficiency is linked to…?
- What is true: B vitamins (especially B12 and folate) are important for…?