If you feel that your stress levels have hit an all-time high, you’re not alone; over 33% of Americans report feeling extreme stress, 73% claim that stress has negatively impacted their mental health, and 48% say that they have trouble sleeping due to stress-related factors [ 1
While occasional stress is normal, chronic stress can affect your inflammatory markers, immune system, and heart health and lead to elevated blood pressure and risk of stroke and heart attacks.
Thankfully, there are ways to alleviate those feelings of stress and anxiety. Specific lifestyle changes (like physical activity, meditation, and self-care) are beneficial, but science shows that certain supplements may also make a difference. Yet while supplements aren’t a magic pill to completely dissipate stress, certain ones have been shown to lower anxiety levels, tame sleep troubles, and ease depression symptoms. Here are the best supplements for stress relief, according to science.
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha has numerous health benefits, as it may be beneficial for reducing blood sugar, cholesterol, and inflammation, as well as enhancing sleep, immunity, sports performance, memory, and brain function in both men and women. Additionally, ashwagandha may help improve male fertility and improve sexual dysfunction in females.
This herb is also commonly used to alleviate stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. For instance, studies show that taking ashwagandha reduces cortisol levels in the blood and significantly lowers symptoms of stress and its associated disorders–like fatigue, insomnia, and cognitive impairment.
Human studies have associated ashwagandha supplementation with cortisol reductions ranging from 14.5 to 27.9% in stressed but otherwise healthy individuals, which is substantially greater than many other supplements [ 2 2
Typical ashwagandha root extract dosages range from 250–600 mg/day, with the most common dosing protocol being 600 mg/day divided into two doses for morning and night [ 2 3 4
You should avoid taking ashwagandha if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, have a thyroid condition or autoimmune disease, or take immunosuppressants, sedatives, diabetes drugs, or blood pressure reducers [ 4
Magnesium 5 41 41
Studies also have found that magnesium plays a large role in brain health, as a deficiency is linked to depression-like changes in the brain [ 6 7 8 9 10
Magnesium needs vary by age and gender. Here is the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for magnesium [ 11
Males 14-18 years: 410 mg/day
Males 19–30 years: 400 mg/day
Males 31+ years: 420 mg/day
Females 14-18 years: 360 mg/day (400 mg/day during pregnancy)
Females 19–30 years: 310 mg/day (350 mg/day during pregnancy)
Females 31+ years: 320 mg/day (360 mg/day during pregnancy)
Despite its importance in the body, it’s estimated that 60% of adults do not meet the RDA for magnesium [
12
].
Magnesium supplementation isn’t right for everyone, as supplements may interact with certain medicines (including diuretics, heart medicines, and some antibiotics) and could cause negative issues if you have diabetes, kidney, heart, or intestinal disease [ 13
Medicinal mushrooms
Whether you’re looking to improve sleep, boost mental health, reduce inflammation, or enhance athletic performance, research suggests that medicinal mushrooms can offer some impressive benefits. For instance, studies show that reishi mushrooms have a compound called triterpene that can improve sleep, reduce stress, alleviate anxiety, and ease depression [ 14 15 16 17
The dosage for medicinal mushrooms depends on your age, weight, height, and strength of the supplement. As such, you should carefully read the label instructions before taking medicinal mushrooms.
Each medicinal mushroom has different precautions, so talk with your healthcare provider to find the one that works best for you.
For instance, you should avoid taking reishi if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a blood disorder, will be undergoing surgery, or have low blood pressure. Maitake mushroom extracts may interact with warfarin and may not be fully safe for those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have diabetes, an autoimmune disease, or mold sensitivity [ 18 19
Turmeric
There are many science-backed health benefits to turmeric, as it has the potential to lower markers of inflammation and oxidative stress and improve symptoms of arthritis and depression. This could be due to curcumin (a naturally occurring compound that gives turmeric its bright yellow color), which has unique anti-inflammatory and neuro-modulating effects that may be able to exert antidepressant benefits in those with depression.
One meta-analysis found that curcumin in turmeric reduced depressive symptoms in patients with major depression, particularly in middle-aged populations and those given turmeric for longer periods and at higher doses [ 20
Studies have also found curcumin to be somewhat effective in reducing anxiety symptoms, as it may elevate serotonin and lower stress hormones, like cortisol [ 21
There is no standard dose for turmeric; however, the World Health Organization (WHO) has established 1.4 mg of curcumin/pound of body weight (0–3 mg/kg) as an acceptable daily intake [ 22
Turmeric supplementation that provides 500-1,000 mg/day of curcumin may help improve symptoms of depression and anxiety and offer numerous other health benefits related to inflammation, arthritis, depression, and intestinal bowel disease [ 21 23
While turmeric typically doesn't have serious side effects, mild side effects (like stomach upset, nausea, dizziness, or diarrhea) may be more common when taken at higher doses.
You should avoid taking turmeric if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have diabetes, gallstones, gallbladder, kidney disease, bleeding disorders, or immunity problems [ 24
Otherwise known as the “sunshine vitamin”, vitamin D
Vitamin D also has important anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties that support brain health and may help improve anxiety symptoms [ 25 32
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for people between the ages of 1 and 70 is 600 IU/day, and for adults over 70, the RDA is 800 IU/day [ 26 27 28 29
For moderate supplementation, a daily dose of 1,000–2,000 IU of vitamin D3 is sufficient to meet most people’s needs, with the safe upper limit set at 4,000 IU/day [ 26 27 30
If you are breastfeeding or have had an unusual or allergic reaction to cholecalciferol (or other allergies related to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals), talk with your healthcare provider before taking a vitamin D supplement [ 31
L-theanine is an amino acid found primarily in black and green tea 33
Studies have demonstrated L-theanine’s ability to improve stress-related symptoms (such as depression, anxiety, and insomnia), as people who took it experienced reduced sleep quality problems and sleep disturbances throughout the night [ 42 43
Furthermore, research indicates that L-theanine may promote mental health in the general population with stress-related ailments and cognitive impairments and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety [ 34 35 36
At Elo, we generally recommend 100 mg/day of L-theanine, but this number increases to 200 mg/day for those looking to boost cognition, lower stress, and improve sleep.
L-theanine may lower blood pressure and increase the effects of antihypertensive drugs [ 36
Zinc is an essential mineral that plays a role in immune function, protein synthesis, wound healing, DNA synthesis, and cell division [ 37 38
The RDA for zinc is as follows [ 37
Men over 14 years old: 11 mg/day
Women 14-18: 9 mg/day
Women over 18 years old: 8 mg/day
Breastfeeding and lactating women: 12 mg/day and 13 mg/day for 14-18 years old, respectively, and 11 mg/day and 12 mg/day for over 18 years old, respectively
While zinc supplements are usually well-tolerated, they can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain in some people, along with coughing, headache, and fever in those who exceed more than 40 mg/day [ 39
Zinc can also hinder your body’s ability to absorb copper, which may lead to a mineral deficiency over time, and should be taken under the supervision of a healthcare provider [ 40
Furthermore, zinc supplements have been shown to interfere with the absorption of certain antibiotics (like quinolones and tetracyclines) and may reduce their effectiveness if taken simultaneously [ 37
Occasional stress is normal, but chronic stress can affect your inflammatory markers, immune system, and heart health, leading to elevated blood pressure and risk of stroke and heart attacks.
While certain lifestyle changes (like physical activity, meditation, and self-care) are beneficial, science shows that certain supplements may also make a difference. Supplements such as ashwagandha, magnesium, L-theanine, and vitamin D have been shown to lower anxiety levels, tame sleep troubles, and ease depression symptoms. While they aren’t meant to be a cure-all, they may be beneficial when added to your daily routine.
Disclaimer: The text, images, videos, and other media on this page are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended to treat, diagnose or replace personalized medical care.
While supplements aren’t a replacement for other stress relief tactics, science shows that certain ones can prove beneficial for alleviating stress, improving sleep, and reducing symptoms of anxiety.
Ashwagandha, turmeric, magnesium, L-theanine, medicinal mushrooms, vitamin D, and zinc have been shown to help reduce blood pressure, relieve stress, reduce depressive symptoms, lower anxiety, and improve sleep quality.
While these supplements can be beneficial for stress relief, they can also have some adverse side effects. Talk with your healthcare provider before adding any to your supplement routine.
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