Naturopath Recommended Natural Supplements for Mental Health

Anxiety & stress effect many people worldwide, with approximately 15% of Australian adults experiencing an anxiety condition. With many over the counter pharmaceuticals coming with an array of side-effects, more people are trying to mange their stress with natural supplements.

What is Anxiety & Stress?

Stress is a natural reaction that occurs when a demand is placed upon you, whether it be physical or mental. Anxiety is a feeling of fear or unease that can be a reaction to a stressor, o an unidentified thing. They aren’t always bad, and actually, having stress is almost key to our survival to assist in overcoming dangerous situations. Although, stress and anxiety can lead to multiple health risks. It’s important to be able to control stress and anxiety, especially if it’s impacting your daily life. Supplements can assist in reducing symptoms of anxiety and adapting your stress response.

Supplements for Anxiety and Stress

Ashwagandha (Withania)

Ashwaganda, also known as Withania is an adaptogenic Ayurvedic herb. Adaptogen means that the herb has an action which improves stress adaptation within the nervous system. This herb has been used for thousands of years to increase stress resistance and reduce anxiety. Although, there are many positive effects on other systems.

It is by far most well known for its ability to reduce anxiety and stress. Over 60 day supplementation, one study found that those with chronic stress found that Withania assisted in reducing anxiety and insomnia by 69%! Studies have even found that Withania reduces cortisol, our stress hormone! In one study, chronically stressed adults who supplemented Withania had a greater reduction in cortisol.

Superfeast just released new Ashwagandha capsules making it easy to take these supplements for anxiety and stress. It’s also found in the Herbs of Gold Stress Ease Adrenal Support along with other useful herbs Rhodiola, Rehmannia and Licorice to assist with stress adaptation.

B Vitamins

B vitamins consist of roughly 8 vitamins which play an important role in metabolism, energy, mood and heart health. They’re commonly found in meats, legumes, animal products and leafy greens.

This complex of vitamins, when taken together has been found to help people with work-related stress, improve overall mood and reduce stress. It is believed B vitamins reduce stress by assisting in maintaining healthy levels of homocysteine. When homocysteine is high, it has been associated with heart disease, dementia and some cancers.

Passionflower

Passionflower (Latin name: Passiflora incarnata) is one of my absolute favourite herbs for assisting with anxiety, as well as insomnia. It was used by native Americans to treat many conditions like toothache and liver problems. Since its uptake into western herbal medicine has been used to treat different sorts of restlessness.

It’s believed that passionflower works by boosting the level of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) circulating in the brain. GABA is an amino acid that can relieve anxiety, PMS, and improve overall mood. Therefore, passionflower boosting GABA can help you to relax.

Passionflower has been found to reduce symptoms in those suffering from generalised anxiety disorder, and has less drowsiness than common forms of treatment. Because of the calming effect passionflower has, it’s also been useful for insomnia and for people stressed about going into dental surgery!

Passionflower can even be successful when taken as a tea – our favourite is the Planet Organic Passionflower & Chamomile, great for relaxation.

L-Theanine

L-Theanine is an amino acid found in green tea. Green tea is widely used for thousands of years as a daily dietary drink, and has multiple benefits. L-Theanine has been found to effect brain chemicals such as serotonin (the happy hormone), which can have a direct influence on mood, sleep, and emotion. L-Theanine effects cortisol, the bodies stress hormone, assisting us to deal with stress better.

Studies have found that L-theanine has a direct anti-stress effect in adults undergoing stressor tasks, by reducing cortisol response. It has also been utilised in patients with underlying mental health conditions and has been found to alleviate symptoms of anxiety. Even the daily consumption of green tea standardised to a certain level of L-Theanine exerts anti-stress effects over a period of 10 weeks, one pilot study found.

At Gr8 Health, we stock the pure Healthwise L-Theanine 150g powder – just two grams a day (or around half a teaspoon) will assist in reducing stress! If you prefer the wholefood form, sip on some delicious MirMir Green Tea.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a popular supplement which is used for many benefits such as boosting exercise performance, improving blood pressure and relaxing the body. When it comes to stress & anxiety, you can’t go past magnesium. This is because magnesium plays a key role in regulating stress responses. For example, if you’re under chronic stress, your body will become depleted in magnesium. Although, low magnesium levels also intensify stress, which creates a negative cycle. That’s why magnesium supplementation can be so useful in stress & anxiety.

Studies have found that Magnesium does exert benefit on those with anxiety and those who are vulnerable to anxiety. Furthermore, Magnesium sulfate (i.e. Epson salts!) are great to absorb through the skin and can be used in a relaxing bath that helps to relieve tension.

One of the best absorbed Magnesium is the glycinate version, which can be found in the Fusion Magnesium Advanced and the Herbs of Gold Magnesium Forte. If you’re looking for a relaxing bath, our favourite salts are the Byron Epsom Salts.

Other management tips

Natural supplements for mental health can be great and helpful addition. Although, there are many small changes you can make in your day-to-day life to manage stress and anxiety. These include having a balanced diet, limiting caffeine and alcohol, and getting regular exercise. Meditation and deep breathing can also be extremely useful.

When the body is under constant stress, you can deplete important nutrients such as magnesium, zinc and b vitamins, which can lead to long-term health issues. You don’t have to suffer with stress and anxiety alone, reach out to your healthcare professional to assist you fur ther if needed.