Functional Medicine Approaches to Anxiety: Root Causes, Gut Health, and Nutritional Deficiencies

Under stressful situations, anxiety can present as a normal reaction. However, if it becomes persistent or unmanageable in daily life, it may indicate an anxiety disorder. Beyond pharmaceutical interventions, functional medicine providers explore other factors that may contribute to anxiety. Following a comprehensive intake, your provider may recommend additional testing to help rule out underlying causes. This can include evaluating nutritional deficiencies, assessing gut health, or examining neurotransmitter balance.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Various nutritional deficiencies can contribute to mental health symptoms, including anxiety. A complete nutritional panel is often used to evaluate levels of vitamins, minerals, proteins, fatty acids, and antioxidants. Optimal levels of iron, vitamin D, amino acids, B vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids are just a few examples of what functional medicine providers consider when managing anxiety. Additionally, your provider will give personalized recommendations that go beyond what basic lab values may indicate. What may be considered “normal” on a standard lab test is not always optimal for the individual.

Gut Analysis

A comprehensive evaluation of the gut microbiome can also provide valuable insights into anxiety management. This is typically done through a stool analysis ordered by your functional medicine provider. Increasing research links anxiety and depression with imbalances in the gut microbiome. Contributing factors may include dysbiosis, inflammation, immune dysregulation, or underlying gastrointestinal disorders. A stool analysis evaluates for pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, yeast, and parasites, while also measuring markers for inflammation, immune response, digestion, absorption, gut flora, and signs of inflammatory bowel disease.

Neurotransmitter Testing

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers in the brain that regulate mood and emotions. Examples include dopamine, GABA, serotonin, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. An imbalance or dysregulation of these neurotransmitters can contribute to mood disorders, including anxiety. While the neurobiology of anxiety is complex, this is one aspect that can be evaluated and treated. Neurotransmitter testing, often conducted with urine samples, provides insight into an individual’s neurochemistry and can guide more personalized treatment recommendations.

Functional Medicine and Anxiety

Functional medicine approaches to anxiety management are individualized and comprehensive. Assessing nutritional deficiencies, the gut microbiome, and neurotransmitters are just a few ways providers can explore the root causes of anxiety. Other considerations may include dietary and lifestyle changes, environmental exposures, and basic blood panel testing, including hormone evaluation. Talking with a healthcare provider can help guide you toward the right evaluation and treatment options for managing anxiety.

If you are looking for objective answers to your underlying anxiety, book a free meet and greet with me to get started! At IVY Integrative, you can also build your own team of holistic practitioners! Check out our Get Started page to learn how to work with us!

Author: Dr. Caitlan Readhead

Disclaimer:

This information is generalized and intended for educational purposes only. Due to potential individual contraindications, please see your primary care provider before implementing any strategies in these posts.