Vitamins That Affect Your Mood

Paying attention to the vitamins your body is taking in can do wonders for enhancing or altering mood. Vitamins like folate, 5-HTP and B12 have been proven to improve mood and prevent mood swings, along with a host of other health benefits. By eating foods that contain these vitamins or taking a supplement, you can improve your mood without the use of a prescription.

Folate

• Folate, or folic acid, has many health benefits, one of which is a reduction in mood swings. Folic acid also helps problems with the central nervous system and can help with memory loss. Eating a diet rich in the folate vitamin, like kidney beans and greens like spinach, will help bring on these effects. Another side effect of this diet is healthy hair, skin and nails.

5-HTP

• 5-Hydroxytryptophan, also known as 5-HTP, is an over-the-counter supplement that is used as a mood elevator and as a sleeping aid. The vitamin comes in pill form and is a naturally occurring amino acid. 5-HTP quickly converts into serotonin, which is a brain chemical that aids in creating a pleasant mood and reducing anxiety. It can also help with impulse control.

B12

• B12 is a B vitamin that is commonly associated with improving mood. In the March 2005 issue of "Alternative Medicine" magazine, B vitamins were named the most important vitamin for improving mood. B12 helps create a stable balance of mental and emotional happiness by facilitating neurotransmitters, which the brain uses to signal mood and emotion regulators. Studies have shown that individuals with depression often have low levels of B12.