Vitamin C reduces anxiety and stress-induced anorexia

Researchers from Ochanomizu University and Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology in Japan looked at the effects of vitamin C on mental health. In their study, which was published in the journal Nutrition Research, they found that vitamin C status is important for determining one’s risk of anxiety and anorexia.

• The Japanese researchers hypothesized that vitamin C levels in the body help determine a person’s vulnerability to anxiety, anorexia, and depression.
• To test their hypothesis, they provided male and female mice with water that did or did not contain vitamin C.
• Mice of both sexes that did not receive vitamin C experienced weight loss.
• Both male and female mice also exhibited anxiety responses when they did not receive vitamin C. The anxiety responses were more pronounced in female mice.
• Following stressful behavioral tests, the mice that did not receive vitamin C also showed a great loss of appetite.
• Female mice that did not receive vitamin C also showed serious anorexia symptoms.
• Vitamin C status did not affect depressive symptoms.

These findings suggest that vitamin C levels in the body may modulate anxiety and stress-induced anorexia.

Learn more about the importance of vitamin C by visiting Prevention.news.

Journal Reference:

Koizumi M, Kondo Y, Isaka A, Ishigami A, Suzuki E. VITAMIN C IMPACTS ANXIETY-LIKE BEHAVIOR AND STRESS-INDUCED ANOREXIA RELATIVE TO SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT IN SMP30/GNL KNOCKOUT MICE. Nutrition Research. December 2016; 36(12):1379-1391. DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2016.11.006