Anti stress supplement
7 Great Options Recommended by Experts
- Best with Rhodiola rosea: HUM Nutrition Big Chill
- Best with melatonin: Life Extension Melatonin IR/XR
- Best with magnesium: Innate Vitality Magnesium Glycinate
- Best with ashwagandha: Klaire Labs Ashwagandha Extract
- Best with L-theanine: Pure Encapsulations L-Theanine
- Best with B-complex vitamins: MegaFood Balanced B Complex
- Best with vitamin D: Nordic Naturals Vitamin D3 1000
There’s a lot of noise when it comes to supplements for stress. To help you identify products that are worth purchasing, we first considered the types of ingredients included.
All the ingredients featured were selected using the following criteria:
- Research quality: We chose supplements that have been the focus of high quality scientific studies called randomized controlled trials.
These are less biased than other types of studies and result in higher quality, more reliable data.
- Effectiveness: In addition, we chose only vitamins and supplements that these high quality studies have deemed effective. Other types of studies can be helpful, but the data they produce is not as reliable as data from randomized controlled trials.
In addition to ingredients, we considered the following factors when selecting products:
- Dose: We chose products that included the effective doses mentioned in research studies.
- Trustworthiness: We selected products from brands that are known for producing high quality supplements. We also prioritized products that are third-party tested.
Why you should trust us
Every brand and product on our list has been vetted to ensure that it aligns with Healthline’s brand integrity standards and approach to well-being. Each product in this article:
- adheres to allowable health claims and labeling requirements, per Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations
- is manufactured in facilities that adhere to current good manufacturing practices (CGMPs) established by the FDA
- is produced by a medically credible company that follows ethical, legal, and industry best standards
- is made by a company that provides objective measures of trust, such as having its supplements validated by third-party labs
A note on price
General price ranges with dollar signs ($–$$$) are indicated below.
One dollar sign means the product is rather affordable, whereas three dollar signs indicate a higher cost.
Generally, prices range from $0.14–$0.91 per count, or $9–$55 per container, though this may vary depending on where you shop.
Pricing guide
- $ = under $0.25 per serving
- $$ = $0.25–$0.75 per serving
- $$$ = over $0.75 per serving
Best with Rhodiola rosea
HUM Nutrition Big Chill
- Price range: $$
- Dose: 1 capsule daily
- Best used for: stress, concentration
Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea) is an herb that grows in regions of Russia and Asia.
It has long been known as an adaptogen — a natural, nontoxic herb that stimulates your body’s stress response system to increase stress resistance (1).
The adaptogenic properties of rhodiola are linked to two of the herb’s potent active components: rosavin and salidroside (2).
A small 8-week study involving 100 people with chronic fatigue symptoms, such as poor sleep quality and impairments in short-term memory and concentration, found that supplementing with 400 mg of rhodiola extract per day improved symptoms after just 1 week (3).
Participants’ symptoms continued to decrease throughout the study.
Likewise, in one small high quality study in 80 people with mild anxiety, researchers found that those who took 400 mg of rhodiola per day experienced significant improvements in stress and anxiety after 2 weeks compared with those who received no treatment (4).
If you’re interested in trying rhodiola, HUM Nutrition Big Chill is one of the best options.
The supplement contains a clinically researched effective dose of 500 mg of R. rosea extract per serving. It’s also third-party tested and free of artificial sweeteners and colors.
Pros
- third-party tested
- non-GMO
- gluten-free
- vegan-friendly
- one-a-day formulation
Cons
- requires a subscription
Shop now at HUM Nutrition
Best with melatonin
Life Extension Melatonin IR/XR
- Price range: $
- Dose: 1 capsule daily
- Best used for: sleep
Melatonin is a natural hormone that regulates your body’s circadian rhythm, or sleep-wake cycle.
Levels of the hormone increase in the evening when it’s dark to promote sleep and decrease in the morning when it’s light to promote wakefulness (5).
Some research suggests that because stress is linked to insomnia, supplementing with melatonin may help (6, 7).
One review of 7 high quality studies involving 205 people investigated the effectiveness of melatonin for managing secondary sleep disorders, which are those that result from another condition, such as stress or depression.
The researchers concluded that melatonin decreased the time it took people to fall asleep and increased total sleep time but did not significantly affect sleep quality as compared to a placebo (8).
Randomized controlled trials have found doses as small as 0.5 mg per night to be effective (9).
Though melatonin is a natural hormone, supplementing with it does not affect your body’s production of it. Melatonin is also non-habit-forming, but it’s best to start with the lowest dose possible and work up to a higher dose if necessary (10, 11).
If you find that you’re having trouble sleeping as a result of stress and you’re interested in trying a melatonin supplement, Life Extension IR/XR Magnesium is a great option.
The supplement contains a total of 1.5 mg of immediate-release and extended-release melatonin, which may help you fall asleep and stay asleep through the night.
Life Extension is a trusted company that manufactures its supplements according to standards that exceed those established by the FDA. The company’s raw materials are also third-party tested.
However, while some Life Extension supplements are third-party tested, its Melatonin IR/XR is not.
Pros
- manufactured in a facility with high quality standards
- gluten-free
- non-GMO
- one-a-day formulation
Cons
- not vegan- or vegetarian-friendly
- not third-party tested
Shop now at Life Extension
Best with magnesium
Innate Vitality Magnesium Glycinate
- Price range: $
- Dose: 1 capsule daily
- Best used for: stress
Magnesium is an essential mineral that your body uses in more than 300 different biochemical reactions.
It’s involved in numerous aspects of healthy bodily function, including DNA synthesis, nerve and muscle function, and blood sugar and blood pressure regulation (12).
Magnesium is found mostly in nuts and seeds, green leafy vegetables, and fish.
Research shows that magnesium may be involved in stress management, particularly for people who don’t get enough magnesium in their diet.
One older study in 100 people found that people who supplemented with 400 mg of magnesium per day for 90 days had increased heart rate variability (HRV) compared to a control group (13).
Some studies have linked low HRV to depression, sleep disturbances, and stress (14, 15).
Another high quality trial assessed the effects of daily supplementation of 300 mg of magnesium and 30 mg of vitamin B6 for 8 weeks in 264 people with low magnesium levels (16).
Researchers in this study noted that participants who received magnesium alone had similar decreases in stress scores to those who received magnesium and vitamin B6.
However, people with stress that was categorized as “severe” or “extremely severe” saw more improvement when taking both magnesium and vitamin B6 (16).
Innate Vitality Magnesium Glycinate is a great magnesium supplement because it contains 500 mg of magnesium glycinate, a form of magnesium that may be easier for the body to absorb than other commonly used supplemental magnesium forms, such as magnesium citrate (17).
The supplement is also third-party tested and free of artificial additives.
Pros
- third-party tested
- vegetarian-friendly
- non-GMO
- gluten-, dairy-, and soy-free
- one-a-day formulation
Cons
- not vegan-friendly
Shop now at Amazon
Best with ashwagandha
Klaire Labs Ashwagandha Extract
- Price range: $$
- Dose: 1 capsule daily
- Best used for: stress, mood
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an adaptogenic herb native to India, where it has been used in Indian Ayurveda, one of the world’s oldest medicinal systems (18).
Similarly to rhodiola, ashwagandha is thought to enhance your body’s resilience to physical and mental stress.
In one study on the stress-relieving effects of ashwagandha, researchers randomized 60 individuals with mild stress to receive 240 mg of a standardized ashwagandha extract or a placebo daily for 60 days (19).
Compared with the placebo, supplementing with ashwagandha was strongly associated with greater reductions in stress, anxiety, and depression. Ashwagandha was also linked to a 23% reduction in morning levels of cortisol, a stress hormone (19).
What’s more, an older review of five studies examining the effects of ashwagandha on anxiety and stress observed that people who supplemented with ashwagandha extract scored better on tests measuring levels of stress, anxiety, and fatigue (20).
Klaire Labs Ashwagandha Extract provides 300 mg of ashwagandha extract per 1-capsule serving, and it’s free from artificial additives and major allergens.
Klaire Labs prides itself on producing high quality, research-backed supplements.
Its products are manufactured in CGMP-compliant facilities, though the products are not third-party tested.
Pros
- made in CGMP-compliant facilities
- major allergen-free
- vegetarian-friendly
- gluten-free
- one-a-day formulation
Cons
- not third-party tested
- not vegan-friendly
Shop now at Amazon
Best with L-theanine
Pure Encapsulations L-Theanine
- Price range: $$$
- Dose: 2 capsules daily
- Best used for: stress, concentration
L-theanine is an amino acid most commonly found in tea leaves.
Researchers have studied it for its ability to promote relaxation and reduce stress without having sedative effects (21, 22).
One high quality study in 30 people found that taking 200 mg of L-theanine per day significantly improved depression symptoms, sleep quality, cognitive function, and stress compared to a placebo (23).
In another study in 34 people, drinking a beverage containing 200 mg of L-theanine and other nutrients lowered levels of cortisol in response to a stressful task that involved multitasking (24).
L-theanine is well tolerated and safe when used as a supplement for relaxation at its effective dose, which is 200–600 mg per day in capsule form (25, 26).
Pure Encapsulations L-Theanine contains 400 mg of L-theanine per 2-capsule serving. It’s vegan-friendly and certified gluten-free.
Pure Encapsulations works with several third-party labs to ensure quality control, including Silliker, Intertek, Eurofins, and Advanced Laboratories.
If you dislike taking supplements, it’s worth noting that green tea is also a great source of L-theanine.
One small randomized controlled trial noted that drinking at least 300 mL (about 1.5 cups) of low caffeine green tea reduced stress markers significantly more than regular green tea (27).
Because caffeine may inhibit L-theanine’s effectiveness, low caffeine green tea appears to be more effective (27).
Pros
- third-party tested
- vegan-friendly
- certified gluten-free
- non-GMO
Cons
- expensive
Shop now at Amazon
Best with B-complex vitamins
MegaFood Balanced B Complex
- Price range: $$
- Dose: 1 tablet daily
- Best used for: work stress, fatigue
B-complex vitamin supplements usually contain all eight B vitamins.
These vitamins play an important role in metabolism by transforming the food you eat into usable energy. B vitamins are also essential for heart and brain health (28).
Food sources of B vitamins include grains, meats, legumes, eggs, dairy products, and leafy greens.
Interestingly, some research suggests that high doses of B vitamins may improve symptoms of stress, such as mood and energy levels, by lowering blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine (28, 29).
High homocysteine levels are associated with stress and an increased risk of several health conditions, including heart disease, dementia, and colorectal cancer (30, 31, 32).
What’s more, a review of 12 high quality trials noted that daily B vitamin supplementation for at least 4 weeks may help significantly decrease stress and improve mood (33).
Another older study observed similar results, suggesting that supplementing with B vitamins as part of a multivitamin and mineral supplement may improve mood and stress by lowering homocysteine levels (34).
However, it’s unclear whether people who already have low homocysteine levels will experience these effects.
While there are several great B-complex supplements, MegaFood Balanced B Complex is a great option.
Each serving contains at least 100% of the Daily Value for all eight B vitamins in forms that are easy for the body to absorb, such as folate in the form of 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate instead of folic acid (35).
Plus, the supplement is easy to digest and can be taken on an empty stomach.
Pros
- features highly absorbable forms of all eight B vitamins
- vegan-friendly
- gluten-free
- gentle on the stomach
Cons
- not third-party tested
Shop now at MegaFood
Best with vitamin D
Nordic Naturals Vitamin D3 1000
- Price range: $
- Dose: 1 mini softgel daily
- Best used for: stress
Vitamin D is sometimes called the “sunshine vitamin” because your body can make it after sun exposure.
It’s not naturally found in large amounts in many foods, and many people don’t get enough in their diet (36).
One of vitamin D’s main functions is to help your body absorb more calcium, but researchers have found that it’s also involved in several other processes, such as reducing inflammation and promoting immune function (36).
It may also help with stress reduction, especially in people who have a vitamin D deficiency.
In one small high quality study in 86 people who did not have vitamin D deficiency, researchers found that those who consumed 1,600 IU of vitamin D daily for about 4 months throughout winter didn’t experience the dip in vitamin D levels that typically occurs as a result of getting less sun exposure during these months (37).
They also found that those in the control group, who received a placebo, had a longer period of stress following a stressful situation than those in the vitamin D group (37).
Other high quality studies in women noted that taking 50,000 IU of vitamin D every 2 weeks, when paired with either probiotics or omega-3 supplements, helped improve depression, anxiety, and stress (probiotics) and anxiety and sleep (omega-3s) (38, 39).
Just keep in mind that it’s best to get your vitamin D levels checked by a healthcare professional before taking vitamin D supplements. As interest in vitamin D supplementation has grown, vitamin D toxicity has become much more common (40).
Nordic Naturals Vitamin D3 1000 is one of the best vitamin D supplements because it contains 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 — the active form of vitamin D, also known as calcitriol.
Nordic Naturals supplements are third-party tested, and you can easily view the testing results by searching for the certificate of analysis (COA) for each product on the company’s website.
Pros
- third-party tested
- COAs available online
- easy-to-swallow mini softgels
- non-GMO
- free of artificial additives
- one-a-day formulation
Cons
- not vegan-friendly
Shop now at Amazon
Here’s a quick look at how our top picks compare:
| Price range | Best use | Third-party tested | Daily dose | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HUM Nutrition Big Chill | $$ | • general stress • concentration | yes | 1 capsule |
| Life Extension Melatonin IR/XR | $ | sleep | no | 1 capsule |
| Innate Vitality Magnesium Glycinate | $ | general stress | yes | 1 capsule |
| Klaire Labs Ashwagandha Extract | $$ | • general stress • mood | no | 1 capsule |
| Pure Encapsulations L-Theanine | $$$ | • general stress • concentration | yes | 2 capsules |
| MegaFood Balanced B Complex | $$ | • work stress • fatigue | no | 1 tablet |
| Nordic Naturals Vitamin D3 1000 | $ | general stress | yes | 1 mini softgel |
Here are some factors to keep in mind when shopping for supplements to help with stress:
- Intended effect: Is stress affecting your sleep or your ability to focus? Look for a product formulated to address your specific issues.
For example, melatonin may help improve sleep, whereas rhodiola and L-theanine are better options for focus and productivity. - Price: Price is an important consideration. Especially if you’ll be taking supplements for an extended period, it’s important to know how much you’ll be spending each month.
- Quality: Because the FDA doesn’t regulate supplements in the same way as medications, it’s important to select products from trusted brands. Ideally, look for products that are third-party tested to ensure purity and potency.
- Professional help: It’s a good idea to consult a healthcare professional before taking supplements. They can help you choose products and can order blood work or analyze your diet to see if you’re deficient in any essential nutrients that may affect stress levels.
- Drug interactions: Because some supplement ingredients can interact with medications, it’s important to check with a healthcare professional before taking any new supplements if you’re already taking prescription or over-the-counter medications.
Which vitamin is best for stress?
B vitamins and vitamin D may help with stress. However, these may be helpful only for people who have low levels of these vitamins and cannot meet their needs through diet alone (33, 41, 42).
What vitamins might you be lacking if you’re stressed or have anxiety?
You may have inadequate levels of B vitamins, vitamin D, or magnesium if you are feeling stressed. However, this is not the case for everyone.
The best way to know for sure is to ask a healthcare professional for a blood test or purchase a home micronutrient testing kit to check your blood levels of these nutrients.
Does kava help with stress?
Kava is a supplement made from the roots of the Piper methysticum plant. It has a long history of use for relieving stress and anxiety in traditional herbal medicine, and research suggests that it does offer some stress-relieving benefits (43).
However, researchers have also noted rare cases of liver damage arising from kava use.
Not enough information is available about these episodes to allow researchers to confidently create dosing or safety guidelines. For this reason, we recommend avoiding kava and choosing alternatives that have a better safety profile (43).
Several vitamins and other supplements, including Rhodiola rosea, melatonin, vitamin D, and ashwagandha, have been linked to reduced stress symptoms.
L-theanine, B-complex vitamins, and magnesium may also help increase your body’s resistance to life’s stressors.
Always consult a healthcare professional before trying a new supplement, especially if you’re taking other medications or if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
If stress continues to be a problem in your life, consider speaking with a medical professional or therapist about possible solutions.
7 Supplements That May Help Reduce Stress — and 1 to Avoid
Reducing stress is an important part of good health, but can taking supplements really make you feel more at ease? Find out which ones may help and which you should avoid.
By Lorie A. ParchMedically Reviewed by Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDCES
Reviewed:
Along with a healthy lifestyle, the right supplement may help tame stress and anxiety.
Elena Popova/Getty ImagesBetween economic concerns and ongoing global conflict, the majority of Americans are at peak stress levels. Seventy-three percent of respondents to this year’s Stress in America survey, conducted annually by the Harris Poll on behalf of the American Psychological Association (APA), reported feeling overwhelmed by the number of crises facing the world right now, results the APA calls “alarming.”
Living in “sustained survival mode” for the past few years has definitely had an impact on our collective health, according to the survey results. Alcohol use is up, physical activity is down, and we’re not sleeping well.
These effects make sense, given what we know about how mental stress can affect physical health. Elevated stress hormones, especially cortisol, can increase inflammation, reduce immunity, and raise the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, chronic stress can negatively impact every aspect of your health and contribute to a wide range of problems, including:
- Headaches
- Sleep problems
- Mood disturbances, such as sadness, anger, or irritability
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Anxiety
- Depression
Stress is a problem we clearly need to address, and there are numerous strategies that have been shown to be effective for relieving it, including eating a healthy diet, getting plenty of sleep, exercising regularly, talking to friends or a mental health professional, and engaging in relaxation techniques and meditation, to name just a few.
Another, often-disputed stress-relief tool at your disposal? Dietary supplements. While none are a magic pill that will make stress disappear entirely, certain supplements claim to help lower anxiety levels, tame sleep troubles, ease depression symptoms, and more.
While these claims are often overhyped, there is some evidence that dietary supplements can be part of a holistic approach to reducing stress, along with a healthy diet and other lifestyle changes.
It’s important to note that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t regulate supplements in the same way that it does medications, so you should talk to your doctor before taking any product. Additionally, robust research on herbal supplements and stress is lacking. Some studies have had promising findings, but the sample sizes were too small to make any definitive conclusions. Other studies have looked at larger groups of people but left out populations that face a higher risk of stress symptoms like anxiety — for example, women and young adults. Ultimately, more large, long-term studies that include a variety of populations are needed before health experts can recommend herbal supplements for stress.
That said, here is the evidence currently available on seven products with the potential to help curb stress (and one you’ll probably want to pass up) as you start your journey toward a more relaxed (and healthier) you.
Ashwagandha
ShutterstockWhat it is: Also called winter cherry and Indian ginseng, this plant has been an integral part of Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. Ashwagandha is what’s known as an adaptogen, which means it’s believed to resist disease and regulate the effects of stress on the body, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Potential benefits: There is some evidence linking ashwagandha with reduced stress and anxiety, and some research also suggests that it might be useful for improving sleep. In a small study published in September 2019 in Medicine (Baltimore), 30 stressed but healthy adults were given 240 milligrams (mg) of the extract per day, and 30 were given a placebo. After two months, those who’d taken the ashwagandha reported feeling less anxious, depressed, and/or stressed over time, although this change was not statistically significant compared with the placebo. A slightly larger study, published in December 2019 in Cureus, followed 60 stressed but healthy adults for eight weeks.
Each day, one-third of the group received 250 mg of ashwagandha, one-third received 600 mg of the supplement, and one-third received a placebo. The result: The participants who were given ashwagandha reported sleeping better and feeling less stressed, compared with those who took a placebo. Because both studies were so small, however, the researchers were not able to draw any significant conclusions about ashwagandha.
How you use it: You can take ashwagandha as a pill or capsule, or add the powdered extract to smoothies, yogurt, and other foods. Be warned, though, that it tastes pretty bad; if you add the root or powder to food, you may want to add a sweetener like fruit or honey to help mask its bitterness.
Precautions: Ashwagandha may lower blood sugar and blood pressure levels, which means it shouldn’t be combined with medications for diabetes or high blood pressure, according to the National Library of Medicine. It might also increase how much thyroid hormone the body produces, which means it could cause problems if you take thyroid medication.
Ashwagandha may also cause sleepiness and slowed breathing. Taking the supplement with sedatives may magnify those effects.
L-Theanine
Sophia Hsin/StocksyWhat it is: L-theanine is an amino acid found in green tea. It’s believed to have a relaxing effect, among other health boons.
Potential benefits: L-theanine’s anti-stress effects have been explored in research, and studies suggest it may be helpful for lowering stress, improving focus, memory, and verbal ability. In a small study published in October 2019 in Nutrients, 30 healthy adults were given 200 mg of L-theanine or a placebo every night for four weeks, after which researchers saw improvement in three stress-related categories — sleep problems, depression, and anxiety — in the group that received the supplement. And a review of nine studies published in November 2019 in Plant Foods for Human Nutrition found that getting 200 to 400 mg of L-theanine a day may help reduce stress and anxiety in people exposed to stressful conditions.
How you use it: Brew yourself a cup of tea: Green, black, white, and oolong all contain L-theanine, albeit in varying amounts, and none that come close to the amounts used in research. A past study measured the amount of L-theanine in a standard cup of tea (200 milliliters) and found that black contains the most (up to 30 mg), while green tea contains the least (up to 11.7 mg). To get the amount of L-theanine used in stress research, you would have to get the amino acid in supplement form (capsules, liquids, or powders).
Precautions: Research on the safety of L-theanine is lacking, however the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center states that consuming large amounts of green tea can cause side effects, due to the caffeine content. Therefore, if you choose to get L-theanine through tea, it’s important to watch your intake. According to the FDA, 400 mg a day is generally safe for healthy adults — and an 8-ounce cup of green or black tea has roughly 30 to 50 mg of caffeine. Consuming too much caffeine can make you restless and anxious, which isn’t helpful if your goal is to lower stress. Over-caffeinating can also cause headaches, dizziness, dehydration, insomnia, and a fast heart rate.
Magnesium
Getty ImagesWhat it is: Magnesium is a mineral that the body uses to regulate dozens of processes, from the functioning of nerves and muscles to the synthesizing of protein and bone.
Potential benefits: So far, research points to magnesium possibly being helpful for people who have mild anxiety. A review of 18 studies published in May 2017 in Nutrients found that magnesium supplements may improve stress and anxiety levels, but it also noted that the quality of the evidence was poor and more research needs to be done before magnesium can be established as a stress reducer.
How you use it: Magnesium is found in green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, and some breakfast cereals and other fortified foods. Even so, many of us aren’t getting enough of it, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH recommends 310 to 320 mg of magnesium per day for most women and 400 to 420 mg for men, and no more than 350 mg per day in supplement form for adults of either sex. If you opt for a supplement, consider magnesium aspartate, citrate, lactate, or chloride, which are absorbed better than magnesium oxide or sulfate, according to the NIH. And be aware that many laxatives and antacids contain magnesium, so if you take those, make sure to count that amount toward your daily amount from supplements.
Precautions: The NIH warns that several types of medication may interact with magnesium supplements or affect the amount of magnesium in your body, including bisphosphonates (used to treat osteoporosis), antibiotics, diuretics, and proton pump inhibitors. Check with your healthcare provider before using magnesium supplements, if you’re taking any of those medications.
Melatonin
Eugeniusz Dudzinski/iStockWhat it is: Melatonin, a hormone made in the pineal gland, is released when it gets dark, helping to keep your internal clock on track and priming your body for sleep.
Potential benefits: Melatonin is famous for helping people nod off at night, but it may also help lower anxiety levels in people who are scheduled for surgery. A past review of more than 12 randomized controlled trials including 774 people undergoing surgery found that melatonin may be as effective as midazolam (a sedative) at reducing presurgical anxiety. However, researchers note that most of the studies did not include female subjects, and three of the studies only examined patients older than 60. This is problematic, given that younger age and female gender are independent risk factors for anxiety. Therefore, it’s unclear how melatonin may affect anxiety levels in other surgery patients.
How you use it: Melatonin supplements are easy to find as tablets, capsules, and drops; most come in doses of 1 mg or 5 mg. Keep in mind that you might not always be getting what it says on the label, though: A study published in February 2017 in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine examined 31 melatonin supplements purchased at pharmacies and grocery stores and found that most didn’t have the amount indicated — and one-quarter also contained serotonin, another hormone.
Precautions: Melatonin is generally safe when taken in appropriate amounts, but it may not be for everyone. According to the Mayo Clinic, melatonin interacts with several medications, including anticoagulants, anticonvulsants, blood pressure medications, diabetes medications, contraceptives, immunosuppressants, seizure-threshold-lowering drugs, fluvoxamine (used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder), central nervous system depressants, and diazepam.
Rhodiola
Getty ImagesWhat it is: Also known as golden root and arctic root, the Rhodiola rosea plant grows in the frigid mountains of Europe and Asia, as well as in the Arctic, and it has been used as a remedy for stress, according to a study published in December 2017 in Current Pharmacology Reports.
Potential benefits: A review published in January 2018 in the International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice concluded that rhodiola extract may be effective in treating stress symptoms and preventing chronic stress and its complications.
One very small past study found that eight people with anxiety who were given rhodiola reported a significant reduction in anxiety, stress, anger, confusion, and depression, as well as a significant improvement in mood, at the end of 14 days. The researchers caution, however, that more research is needed to determine if it was the rhodiola that caused these effects, and the sample size of this study was extremely small. More studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm the effects of rhodiola on stress and anxiety.
How you use it: You can take rhodiola as a liquid extract, capsule, or powder.
Precautions: Rhodiola has been used safely in studies lasting 6 to 12 weeks, but little is known beyond that, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). It may cause side effects including dizziness, dry mouth, or excessive saliva.
Lemon Balm
What it is: Lemon balm, or Melissa officinalis, is a lemon-scented herb that was commonly found in Europe in the Middle Ages but is now cultivated around the world. Traditionally, it was used as a mild sedative and calming agent, and it is now being researched for its possible anti-anxiety effects, according to Mount Sinai. Lemon balm is “generally recognized as safe” by the FDA.
Potential benefits: Lemon balm may help ease anxiety and improve sleep, according to a study published in June 2019 in the European Journal of Integrative Medicine. The researchers followed 80 people who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery and gave half of the group 500 mg of lemon balm three times a day and the other half a placebo. Those who took lemon balm improved their anxiety by 49 percent and sleep quality by 54 percent.
Lemon balm has also been linked to improvements in mood in small groups of healthy but stressed young adults, according to two past studies. The lemon balm was administered as an extract in a yogurt snack in one study and in a beverage in the other study.
The research on lemon balm and anxiety is still very preliminary, however, and more studies using larger sample sizes from various healthy populations are needed to determine if lemon balm can improve sleep and anxiety in people.
How you use it: The leaves of the plant are commonly made into a tea. As a supplement, lemon balm can also be found in tablet and capsule form, and its extract is available in creams and ointments.
Precautions: Lemon balm may interact with sedatives, thyroid mediations, and HIV medications, according to Mount Sinai. If you take any of these medications, talk to your doctor before trying lemon balm.
Valerian
Lunov Mykola/ShutterstockWhat it is: Also commonly referred to as garden heliotrope or all-heal, valerian, or Valeriana officinalis, is an herb that grows in Europe, Asia, and North America. It is known for its calming effects and is commonly used as a dietary supplement for insomnia, anxiety, and other conditions, including depression, according to the NCCIH.
Potential benefits: While the NCCIH notes that there aren’t enough high-quality studies involving people to draw any conclusions about whether valerian can be effective as a sleep aid or for relieving anxiety, depression, or menopausal symptoms, there is some preliminary research on this topic.
In a review of 100 studies published in May 2018 in Phytotherapy Research, researchers found evidence that valerian root extract may have soothing effects on people with anxiety disorder. The review also found that the herb may be helpful as a sleep aid, and its benefits were found to be comparable to a medication commonly used to treat anxiety and insomnia.
In a past study of 64 women undergoing an x-ray procedure (hysterosalpingography), researchers found those who took valerian capsules saw a reduction in their anxiety levels, compared with women who took a placebo.
The current research is limited by small sample sizes, and no studies to date have tested valerian on healthy populations, or for long-term use, so further research is needed.
How you use it: Dietary supplement capsules, tablets, teas, and tinctures are made from its roots and stems.
Precautions: Little is known about the safety of valerian, however, and it may have a sleep-inducing effect and should not be taken along with alcohol or sedatives, according to the NCCIH. It may also cause side effects, including headaches, upset stomach, excitability, heart disturbances, uneasiness, and even insomnia.
Kava
Getty ImagesWhat it is: Kava is a plant that’s native to the South Pacific and is a member of the pepper family.
Purported benefits: Some research looking at kava for treating anxiety has shown a small positive effect, but more recent research doesn’t back that up. A study published in December 2019 in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry found that when 171 people were given either kava extract or a placebo twice a day for 16 weeks, neither group experienced reduced anxiety. Most of the participants who got the kava tolerated it well, but a few had tremors, and those who got the extract were much more likely to show abnormalities on liver tests.
Of greater concern is its safety: Back in 2002, the FDA issued a warning against kava supplements, citing more than 25 reports of liver damage.
How you use it: Traditionally, kava is used as a ceremonial beverage, but you can also buy it as an extract, powder, liquid, or capsule.
Precautions: In addition to potential liver damage, kava may cause side effects like upset stomach, headaches, and dizziness. According to the NCCIH, long-term use of high doses may also lead to kava dermopathy, a condition that involves dry, scaly, and discolored skin.
While there are plenty of potentially stress-relieving supplements on the market, not all of them are created equal. Kava is one you may want to pass up.
Additional reporting by Lauren Bedosky.
ANTISTRESS®: a recipe for well-being! | Shchotizhnevik PHARMACY
The modern rhythm of life is increasingly a test of strength for us: we have to solve many business issues and everyday problems. At some point, nervous tension ceases to let go after a working day, and it becomes more and more difficult to be in the arms of Morpheus. In addition, it is important to remember that prolonged stress loses its adaptive value for the body and can lead to various disorders of the cardiovascular, nervous, digestive and other systems. That is why the ANTISTRESS 9 plant-based dietary supplement is relevant today0003 ® from Nutrimed LLC. The very name of this product cannot but inspire optimism!
Often, in the conditions of the unsolvability of the task set by the surrounding world, an intense and prolonged stress reaction turns into a damaging factor. It leads to an imbalance in the nervous and endocrine systems that coordinate all physiological processes in the body, and can serve as a trigger for the development of various diseases. That is why the actual replenishment of the home first aid kit is ANTISTRESS ® from Nutrimed. This domestic manufacturer has been specializing in the production of high-quality plant-based products for more than 11 years.
The composition of the product ANTISTRESS ® includes valerian officinalis, common hop, lemon balm, motherwort, narrow-leaved lavender, common heather, evasive peony, European sweet clover, sweet clover. These plant components have long been used for increased nervous excitability, overexertion, irritability, and sleep disturbance. Thanks to this balanced composition of ANTISTRESS ® will help overcome the negative effects of stress. In addition, the properties of this product are well studied in repeated clinical studies.
The purpose of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this herbal combination in a group of patients with neurotic, stress-related, and somatoform disorders. As the results show, taking ANTISTRESS for 8 weeks was accompanied by a decrease in anxiety, an increase in the speed of the psychomotor reaction, and a decrease in fatigue. Also marked stabilizing effect on the autonomic nervous system and good tolerance of this product (Demchenko V.A., Malyarov S.A. et al., 2000). It is important to note that ANTISTRESS ® has an anxiolytic effect and does not reduce the quality of cognitive psychomotor functioning (Demchenko V.A., Netrusova S.G., 2003).
According to the results of another study, the use of the dietary supplement ANTISTRESS ® contributes to reduction of asthenic manifestations (fatigue, irritability, tearfulness), as well as normalization of sleep (Pilyagina G.Ya., 2000). This product can be recommended for inclusion in the complex therapy of neurological and general somatic diseases, as well as as a prophylactic agent (Voznyuk V. V., Petrashenko L.P., 1999).
In the context of overcoming crisis situations, pharmacists have in their arsenal affordable means, the herbal components of which have a mild sedative effect and are well studied. Affordable herbal complex ANTISTRESS ® is an up-to-date remedy in the first-aid kit, which will allow you to counter the next attack of stress with a charge of vivacity and Olympic calmness! You can learn more about Nutrimed and its products on the website www.nutrimed.ua rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rel="nofollow" target="_blank">.
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anti-stress feed additive for birds
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- Compound feed NOVAMIKS for rabbits
- Compound feed NOVAMIKS for pigs
- Compound feed NOVAMIKS for broilers nine0059
- Sodium bicarbonate - not less than 49%;
- Magnesium acetate - not less than 3%;
- Potassium chloride - not less than 37%;
- Vitamin C in 1000 grams 75650-102350 mg.
- AntiHeatStress is a feed supplement that is a source of additional minerals and vitamin C.
- As the ambient temperature rises and humidity rises, additional electrolytes should be added to the drinking water for poultry to reduce the negative effects of heat stress and stabilize blood pH. nine0044
- Vitamin C enhances immunity and increases the resistance of the bird's body during periods of stress.
- The introduction of additives into the diets of birds contributes to the normalization of metabolism during stress, an increase in the immune status of the body, and an improvement in the growth, development, productivity and safety of the livestock.
AntiHeatStress is a feed additive to normalize metabolism and increase the safety of birds during heat stress.
Allows to eliminate the effects of heat stress, and also, if the air humidity is high: increase appetite, normalize the activity of the bird, normalize the pH level of the blood.
Composition:
Benefits of using the feed additive Anti-Heat Stress:
