A well-nourished individual can withstand and recover from stress better than a poorly nourished person. Manufacturers of stress supplements would like you to believe this, especially makers of vitamin C, the B vitamins, and zinc. But to date, scientific findings have not established that emotional stress increases our nutritional needs above the Recommended Dietary Allowances. Alas, there is no magic pill or vitamin to relieve stress. Stress often influences eating habits.
Some people react to stress by overeating.
Others may undereat. Stress-response eating can make the problem worse. Just skipping a meal or two reduces your concentration, which, in turn, makes you less responsive to stressful situations. Overeating can lead to weight gain, which itself can be stressful. Reacting to stress by either undereating or overeating starts a vicious cycle.