What are the best vitamins for nerve health?

Nerve pain or neuropathy can cause a lot of discomforts. However, you can improve your nerve health and reduce pain by taking vitamins. Studies have shown that vitamin supplements can prevent nerve pain and help in repairing damaged and painful nerves over time. Damaged nerves cause nerve pain.

Our top 10 best vitamins

One of the notable vitamins that keep the nervous system healthy is the B complex vitamins that consist of vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), B9 (folic acid), B1 (thiamine), B6 (pyridoxine), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid) and B2 (riboflavin).

You can take neuropathy supplements
Vitamin B1 or thiamine helps to maintain nerve health. Deficiency in thiamine can cause inflammation of the nerves due to pellagra. Benfotiamine is a soluble version of B1 that helps to reduce nerve pain.

The vitamin helps to calm the nerves and reduce anxiety.

Vitamin B1 is found in beans, grains, meat, yeast, and nuts.

2. Vitamin B12

Cyanocobalamin or vitamin B12 helps to maintain myelin. Its deficiency leads to the insufficient synthesis of myelin that causes neurological damage. When nerves are damaged, they cannot function properly in enabling communication between the spinal cord and the brain. The vitamin also helps in the making of DNA and red blood cells.

Deficiency of the vitamin causes peripheral neuropathy. Symptoms experienced by those with too little vitamin B12 include pain, weakness, muscle cramps, twitching, tingling, and numbness.

Methylcobalamin is one of the most effective forms of B12

The body does not make Vitamin B12 and therefore it should be obtained from supplements and animal foods. It is available in animal foods such as red meat, fish, liver, eggs, milk, poultry, and dairy products.

The recommended intake per day is 2.4 mcg for an adult.

3. Vitamin B9

Also known as folic acid, vitamin B9 is essential to ensure nerve health. Deficiency of the water-soluble vitamin causes neural tube defects in newborns and neuropathy in adults.

It is present in leafy vegetables such as lettuce, broccoli, and spinach; fruits such as lemons, melons, and bananas; meat such as kidney and beef liver as well as in beans, asparagus, mushrooms, tomato juice, and orange juice.

4. Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 or Pyridoxine helps in the metabolism or synthesis of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, which take part in the transmission of messages in the central nervous system.

As it promotes nerve health, it also has a calming effect on the body and provides energy.

Its deficiency can lead to neurological conditions such as tingling and swelling in the body and swelling of the wrists’ myelin.

While it can be taken as a supplement, vitamin B6 is available in legumes, meat, potatoes, fish, and bananas.

However, it should not be taken in excess. Above 250 mg daily can cause neuropathy. The recommended dosage is below 100 mg daily.

5. Vitamin D

Vitamin D is essential in enabling the digestive system to absorb and regulate phosphorus and calcium. It also improves the nerve health of those with diabetic nerve problems.

The recommended intake is 600 IU daily while those above 70 years can take 800 IU.

It is available through sunlight or by eating egg yolk and fatty fish.

6. Vitamin E

The vitamin regulates the proper functioning of the nervous system and therefore it is essential for nerve health. Its deficiency can result in neuron degeneration.

Vitamin E sources include vegetable oils, seeds, leafy green vegetables, and nuts.

7. Vitamin B3

Niacin or vitamin B3 enables the body to function. It helps you feel energized, burns fat, and converts food into energy.

Lack of the vitamin causes pellagra where the patient experiences dementia, dermatitis, and diarrhea.

Severe deficiency affects the nervous system in form of psychiatric symptoms and dementia.

The vitamin is available from fish, beef, chicken, salmon, tuna, nuts, and avocados.

8. Vitamin C

Vitamin C or ascorbic acid helps to prevent and repair nerve damage and is therefore essential for nerve health. It also helps with relieving anxiety and maintaining healthy brain chemistry. Humans do not make vitamin C and so it should be in the diet.

It is present in fruits such as mango, watermelon, berries, citrus fruits, kiwi fruit, papaya, and pineapple. Vegetables include spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and winter squash.

9. Vitamin B5

Vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid deficiency causes the reduction of nerve fiber density resulting in neuropathy. Also, its excess can cause neuropathy.

It is present in avocados, chicken liver, salmon, corn, broccoli, and sunflower seeds.

10. Vitamin B7

Deficiency of biotin causes symptoms of peripheral neuropathy as well as fatigue, skin rash, and depression. Luckily, the body can manufacture the required biotin, therefore, there is no cause to worry about a deficiency.

Wrap-Up

If you are looking for the 10 best vitamins for nerve health, then look no more. Of course, talk to your doctor before beginning any nutrition or diet change, but keep these in mind as you look to improve your health!