Goals ›

Stress & mood

Stress, anxiety and a more stable mood.

Strongest evidence: GABA, Probiotics and Lavender.

Supplements for stress & mood

Each supplement gets the grade of its strongest stress & mood benefit. Open one to see each benefit.

StrongModerateWeakNo trials
SupplementMain effects in studiesEvidenceBenefits studied
GABAAnxiety↓ stress†, Sleep/attention↓ anxietyStrong3 of 5
ProbioticsMood: ↓stress/anxiety, Mood: ↓depression, +QOLStrong1 of 5
LavenderAnxiety↓ cortisol↓, Sleep/stress↓ 5-10Strong4 of 5
IronIron stores +59%, Anemia/Hb +2.7 g/LStrong2 of 5
Fish oilLower stress chemistry, Mood symptoms ↓Strong1 of 5
TryptophanLower TRP, worse mood, Higher TRP, better moodStrong4 of 5
Omega-3 fatty acidsAnxiety/hostility ↓, 31% norepi, Depression/mood ↓, improved scoresStrong1 of 5
MagnesiumRelaxation & pain ↓, Opioids/sedation ↓Strong2 of 5
MelatoninAnxiety, cortisol ↓, Sleep, stress ↓Strong2 of 5
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)Depression↓ 10-20%, Anxiety/aggression↓ ~5-10%Strong2 of 5
Showing 10 of 163 supplements.

What stress & mood covers

5 benefits that studies measure, and the supplements with the strongest evidence for each.

Stress & Anxiety

Feeling stressed or anxious, and the body's stress response behind it. It is measured on scales such as the Hamilton Anxiety Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and by cortisol in blood or saliva.

37 supplements, 7 strong
  1. GABAStrong, 264
  2. LavenderStrong, 82
  3. MelatoninStrong, 39
  4. TryptophanStrong, 35
  5. St. John's WortStrong, 22

Stress resilience

Coping with stress and returning to normal afterwards, rather than feeling less stress in the first place. It is measured by how the body responds to a deliberate stress test and how quickly it settles.

55 supplements, 9 strong
  1. NitrateStrong, 42
  2. GlutamineStrong, 30
  3. LavenderStrong, 30
  4. AlanylglutamineStrong, 23
  5. TryptophanStrong, 23

Mood balance

Day-to-day emotional state, including low mood and irritability. It is measured on scales such as the Profile of Mood States and depression questionnaires, which is separate from a clinical diagnosis.

129 supplements, 31 strong
  1. ProbioticsStrong, 154
  2. IronStrong, 100
  3. GABAStrong, 95
  4. Fish oilStrong, 89
  5. Omega-3 fatty acidsStrong, 84

Relaxation

Feeling calm and physically unwound. It is measured on self-rated calmness scales and by physical signs such as heart rate variability, muscle tension and cortisol.

30 supplements, 4 strong
  1. GABAStrong, 154
  2. MagnesiumStrong, 65
  3. LavenderStrong, 64
  4. ChamomileStrong, 15
  5. ValerianModerate, 11

Motivation & confidence

The drive to start something and the belief that you can do it. It is measured on self-report scales, and it is one of the softer outcomes in this database.

13 supplements, 1 strong
  1. PhenylalanineStrong, 18
  2. L-TyrosineModerate, 8
  3. SarcosineModerate, 8
  4. CaffeineModerate, 5
  5. St. John's WortModerate, 5