Natural Supplements for Anxiety and Stress Relief: Top 5 Calming Remedies

These days, many people are interested in natural supplements for anxiety and stress. Actually, it's the most prevalent mental disorder on the planet, with millions of individuals suffering each year. Naturally, the occasional feeling of being a bit anxious is completely normal, but anxiety disorders are when those feelings persist far too long and interfere with daily life. Medications are effective, but there's evidence that natural supplements can be effective too. So, let's discuss some of the best supplements for stress and anxiety, what they can do, and how they accomplish it. 

Why Choose Supplements for Your Anxiety?

How the body reacts to stress is mainly down to two hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, often referred to as the stress hormones. However, the reaction also involves neurotransmitters. One of which is glutamate, an amino acid. Chronic stress keeps their levels elevated for long periods. This produces stress symptoms. Typically, racing thoughts, muscular tension and insomnia are among them.

Natural anxiety supplements work by regulating the release of stress hormones. They enhance inhibitory neurotransmitters, notably GABA and serotonin but they also depress production of the glutamate excitatory neurotransmitters. This chemical re-balancing reduces anxiety.

Other benefits include adaptogenic support for building resilience and, importantly, a better quality of sleep. Could natural stress relief work for you? Here are the best supplements for anxiety to help you decide. 

The Best Anxiety-Relief Supplements

This list includes the most researched natural stress and anxiety supplements. Information on when to use them, dosage and how they work is based on the most recent studies. 

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha, the backbone of Ayurvedic medicine, is valued as an adaptogen—a substance permitting the body to withstand many stressors. Its active withanolides modulate the HPA axis by suppressing the release of cortisol and normalizing stress responses. In a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, adults with 300–600 mg daily of standard root extract lowered anxiety scales and serum cortisol significantly compared with placebo1. Ashwagandha also has GABA-mimetic activity, secondarily augmenting inhibitory neurotransmission with a sense of calmness but not sedation. 

L-theanine

L-theanine can cross the blood-brain barrier where it increases GABA and dopamine levels as it simultaneously dampens glutamate’s excitatory activity. It is an amino acid found in green teas. As a supplement, L-theanine improves alpha-brain wave activity, producing a more relaxed awareness. Trials using 200 – 400 mg daily reported lowered cortisol levels along with a reduction in stress and anxiety. The ideal dose is between 100 and 200mg up to three times a day. For relief from acute anxiety, L-theanine can be taken 30 minutes before an encounter with a known stressor. 

Magnesium

Magnesium is one of the most natural stress relief supplements. It’s considered ‘nature’s tranquillizer’. It is a cofactor in over 300 enzymatic reactions, and many of these reactions govern neuronal excitability and the body’s stress responses. Although it supports GABA activity, stress itself depletes magnesium. The result is a state of near constant deficiency. 200 – 400mg taken daily improves mood and reduces anxiety symptoms. It also brings cortisol production under control. There are two preferred forms of supplement; magnesium glycinate and magnesium bisglycinate. They have good absorption and are kind to the gastrointestinal tract. There can be a laxative effect, so doses are divided. 100-200mg twice or three times a day is typical.

Rhodiola Rosea

Rhodiola rosea is a cold climate herb. It’s one of many supplements for anxiety taken from traditional folk medicine. This time, from the Russian and Scandinavian traditions. It has two main bioactive constituents; rosavins and salidroside. These restrict cortisol release and modify the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. In a 14-day trial, using a 400mg daily extract of R. rosea, subjects reported lower levels of anxiety and stress, reduced anger and depression and improvements in their mood. Daily doses between 200 and 600mg are usual, taken as two doses one first thing in the morning and the other early afternoon. 

Holy Basil

Holy basil is one of the natural supplements for anxiety that has been used for a long time. It’s revered in the Ayurvedic tradition where it's known as Tulsi. It modulates the HPA axis, the system of interactions between the hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal glands. 500mg of basil leaf extract, taken twice daily, improves overall well-being. Holy basil also dampens inflammatory cytokines, which are a known trigger for anxiety. 

Additional Remedies

So, outside of the top five, there are a few other herbs and supplements that are receiving some attention, such as passionflower and valerian root to relax at night, GABA, and B-complex vitamins—B6, in particular, which is essentially used in the synthesis of neurotransmitters. They are helpful, but it is more important to use them as an extra than your primary treatment. 

Conclusion  

So, yes, natural anxiety supplements can do the trick, but you have to be careful as well. Just let your doctor know about any of the natural substances you're taking so that you won't get yourself into trouble with your meds. If you decide to go holistic, which is actually the right thing to do, be careful about what you eat. After all, your gut health can affect your brain and anxiety levels.