Why Vitamin B1 & B5 are Essential for Stress Relief

Vitamins perform a major role in preserving the body healthy by maintaining the different organs and systems functioning optimally. The complex B Vitamins, more specically, play a major role in dealing with cortisol the stress hormone. In this article we will explain how Vitamins B1 & B5 are essential to maintaining a regular level of cortisol.

First, vitamin B1 (Thiamine) is known as a stimulant to generate energy through conversion of fats, carbs and protein into energy for the body. It is also known as anti-beriberi. It is also correlated to stress response of the body.

Secondly, Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) is similarly important. In fact, maintaining adequate amounts of B5 can help regulate the amount of cortisol in the body. In adition B5 is also necessary to produce cortisol.

So what are the symptoms of B1 deficiency?

Having a B1 deficiency can be shown as follows:

• Pots: condition when you stand up and get dizzy because of it
• Depression
• Tension in the body
• Confusion
• Difficulty concentration
• Being desoriented
• Irritability
• Unusual faitgue
• Having nightmares during sleep

B1 deficiency can modify your body’s functions, for example, you may start to get abnormal symptoms such as having cold feet on a hot day, getting sweaty right after taking a shower …

Note that when thiamine stores are depleted -which takes about 4 weeks after stopping intake- symptoms start to appear.

Because Vitamin B1 and B5 are not generated internally in the body, you need to get them either from natural food, which is recommended, or as a supplement.

The foods that contain high levels of B1 are :

• Nutritional yeast
• Green peas, broccoli, onions, kale, carrots, tomatoes, asparagus
• Oats
• Pinto beans, kidney beans, lentils, sunflower seeds
• Raisins, pecans, and pistachios

There are also food that you should avoid such as:

Seafood,tea, coffee, raw fish, and shellfish, because they contain the enzymes thiaminese that destroys thiamine.

The foods that contain high levels of B5 are :

• Egg yolk
• Milk
• Avocado
• Mushrooms
• Cauliflower
• Liver
• Kidneys
• Tomatoes

One thing to keep in mind is that if you cook food that contain vitamin B5 on a prolonged high tempatures, it can cause loss of the vitamin. This last can also be destroyed in the process of freezing, canning or refining.

This article was written by Adnane Mansour & Maha Saied.