Vitamin C is a phytochemical produced in plants. Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of vitamin C, which is often found alongside other phytochemicals, particularly flavonoids. Vitamin C plays a role as an antioxidant in human nutrition and in this regard it is able to protect cells from oxidative stress directly through its ability to inhibit free radical generation and indirectly through its ability to recycle vitamin E. Vitamin C is water soluble and therefore is mainly present in the watery interior and exterior of cells. However, its ability to recycle vitamin E, which is found mainly in the lipid soluble cell membranes, means that vitamin C can indirectly protect cell membranes from oxidative stress. Evidence suggests that oxidative stress is a causative agent in the development of mood disorders and that antioxidants may be beneficial at treating mood disorders for this reasons. Many herbs and pharmaceutical drugs that are effective at treating mood disorders such as anxiety and depression are also known to act as antioxidants.
Vitamin C appears to be effective at treating anxiety in human subjects. This may relate to the ability of vitamin C to act as an antioxidant. Stress is known to increase the requirement for vitamin C because it can increase the generation of free radicals. Stress is also known to be associated with the development of mood disorders. Maintaining optimal levels of vitamin C is therefore fundamental to maintaining mental health. Those that are susceptible to mood disorders may have an increased requirement for vitamin C. Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of vitamin C. Of the fruits, citrus fruits is one of the best sources.
The effects of vitamin C supplements to treat anxiety have been shown in a number of studies. For example, in one study researchers administered 1000 mg of vitamin C per day as a dietary supplement to diabetic patients suffering from low mood. Following 6 weeks of supplementation there were significant improvements in the mood of the subjects receiving the vitamin C, when compared to those receiving the placebo. The authors noted that the vitamin C was safe and reported no adverse reactions to supplementation in the subjects. In another study, a group of psychiatric patients were administered 1000 mg of vitamin C per day or a placebo. A number of the subjects were noted to have improved by the ward nurses and the doctors, and these patients were subsequently revealed to be in the vitamin C group. The authors noted that the psychiatric patients had a very high demand for vitamin C and were in a state of vitamin C deficiency. Improvements in their mood were seen with vitamin C saturation of their plasma.
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