Good Herbal Health

All individuals, even those who seemed to have nerves of steel, experience stress.  Stress may be the result of an undesirable situation, or may be a consequence of an extremely challenging event.  When a person is stressed out, no amount of logical reasoning or inspiring pep talk can relieve this predicament.  This is because the stress has manifested itself physiologically.

Thus, to fight the stress, a person must use methods that produce physiological changes.  The safest and most effective of these methods is by taking in vitamins.  Some of the vitamins that help reduce stress are the following:

· Vitamin C – A vitamin, which is also called as ascorbic acid, which is already known for its ability to boost a person’s immune system.  Besides this, vitamin C helps produce neurotransmitters.  A neurotransmitter is a chemical that brings signals and messages from one neuron to another, throughout the brain and the nervous system.  And the three most important neurotransmitters synthesized by ascorbic acid are norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine.

Vitamin C helps in converting L-Tyrosine (an amino acid) into dopamine.  Then, with the cooperation of vitamin B6, ascorbic acid changes the dopamine into norepinephrine.  This particular neurotransmitter and serotonin have been found to be directly related to the control of anxiety and depression.

When a person is anxious or stressed out, oxygen radicals are rapidly produced, and these radicals further increases emotional stress.  The vitamin C has the capability to inhibit the occurrence of these radicals.

· Riboflavin – A vitamin that has been known to help metabolize carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.  But during a stressful situation, the riboflavin converts other B-vitamins into their more useful forms.  At the same time, riboflavin boosts the immune system, which usually weakens when a person is experiencing emotional stress.  With the dual function of riboflavin during a stressful situation, this vitamin is easily used up.  Thus, a person must have a regular riboflavin intake.

· Niacin – Also known as vitamin B3, niacin helps the body fights stress in three ways. First, it facilitates the release of energy from carbohydrates.  Second, it controls blood sugar.  And third, it improves blood flow.  The flow of blood is seriously impeded when a person feels stress.

· Vitamin B6 – Also known as Pyridoxine hydrochloride, the vitamin B6 helps a person reduce stress by producing serotonin, a neurotransmitter which is linked to the control of stress and anxiety.  It also prevents the further weakening of the immune system.

· Folate – Folate or folic acid (vitamin B9) is vital to the manufacture of red blood cells, and the synthesis of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA).  During a stressful situation, this folate is used up.  That is, the body practically feeds on folate so that it can cope with stress.  This means that after the stress has passed, folate can be extremely low.  Such low levels may lead to psychiatric problems.  Thus, it is important to replenish the folate of the body.

· Vitamin B12 – Also known as cyanocobalamin, this vitamin suppresses the production of the amino acid homocysteine.  Too much of this amino acid has been linked to psychiatric disturbances.

All the vitamins described above are found in Relagen, a formulation designed to fight stress.  A person must fight stress and not just wait for it to go away.  Stress prevents a person from thinking clearly.  And this further increases stress.