Recap On Using Supplements For Stress
There are many different herbs and supplements that can be used to help manage stress, and how they work can vary. Though in the end, they can indeed serve as a useful tool in reducing anxiety, improving sleep, and calming an overactive nervous system.
But as always, before taking any dietary supplement, it is always best to speak with your doctor to help assess safety for you.
Since some of these products can induce drowsiness, try taking them for the first time at home in a controlled environment.
Effectively managing stress requires multiple lifestyle, psychological, and nutritional changes, it really takes a holistic approach to get that stress under control.
Any specific supplement products & brands featured on this website are not necessarily endorsed by Ana.
Stock Photos from EpicStockMedia / E.Druzhinina/ TeraVector / Shutterstock
Contents of this Article
Vitamins Most Helpful For Stress Relief
It is important to remember that âstressâ can refer the emotional phenomenon of stress or cellular oxidative stress from free radical formation that we may not feel that is causing stress and damage to our cells. As our bodies are made up of many cells, over time cellular oxidative stress can manifest into damage and conditions that can be seen on the whole body level.
In terms of perceived psychological stress, at least three studies have shown that supplementing with B vitamins, for two to 12 weeks, may enhance subjective perception of stress and improve mood.
For relief from cellular oxidative stress, it may be worth incorporating a good antioxidant supplement into your diet. Antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, and E provide protection that can help reduce free-radical damage. Free-radical formation increases when our bodies are stressed. Although free radicals are normal by-products of cellular metabolism, free radicals can also result from exposure to pollution, smoking, alcohol consumption, and eating foods high in fat. Adding an antioxidant to your daily supplementation can assist in relief.
Ways To Get Vitamin B
Some people can consume enough vitamin B through diet alone. The best of vitamin B include meats, leafy greens, eggs, whole grains, fruits, legumes, and various nuts and seeds. Due to the restrictive nature of vegetarian and vegan diets, in these cases, extra effort will have to be made to ensure enough vitamin B is consumed.
Also Check: Can You Get Acne From Stress
Stress And Anxiety Can Seem Like Unwanted Side Effects Of Our Modern Lives Learn About 6 Vitamins & Supplements Scientifically
Many peoplemillions, in fact!live in a state of constant stress, accepting it as an unfortunate consequence of modern, fast-paced life. While its perfectly natural to experience stress from time to timethe stress response evolved from our natural fight or flight responseit shouldnt be a daily visitor. Frequent stress leads to unwanted health consequences, including migraines and sleep disorders.
Far too often, we rely on unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking or frequent alcohol use, to manage our stress. This can perpetuate a negative cycle thats difficult to break. Knowing this, it is not surprising that stress is a contributing factor in the six leading causes of death in America, including heart disease, cancer, and lung disease.
If youre committed to leading a life of less stress, weve outlined simple steps that you can begin today. We arent promising total bliss, but learning to manage your stress effectively can literally add years to your life!
Carlyle Valerian Root Capsules
Valerian root has been shown to mimic the effects of melatonin in the brain. This means it can help you get to sleep easier and make you feel more at ease during your waking hours. Carlyle Valerian Root Capsules are pure, potent, and free of food allergens.
What we like: Carlyle Valerian root is potent and pure and free of objectionable ingredients. Take it on a regular basis and you should start sleeping and feeling better.
Flaws: The odor is pretty strong and not particularly pleasant.
Also Check: Can Stress Raise Your A1c
Vitamin Supplementation Interventions For Work Stress
One potential pharmacological intervention to assist our bodies to cope with increased levels of stress that has received some preliminary support recently is vitamin B supplementation. Dietary deficiencies in micronutrients have been implicated in altered mood states in otherwise healthy individuals . Supplementation with micronutrients to overcome these dietary deficiencies has been observed to improve perceived stress, mild psychiatric symptoms, and some aspects of everyday mood in a recent meta-analysis of studies examining short-term multivitamin supplementation . These positive effects have been postulated to have occurred through alteration of biochemical processes affected by poorer dietary status through supplementation. Specifically, high doses of B vitamins have been suggested to be effective in improving mood states in both clinical and non-clinical populations.
Stressed To The T Take Vitamin B
Stress can be caused by external and internal forces. Stress can be much more than a busy schedule. Changes in blood sugar, magnesium and folate levels, and even the adrenal system can all increase stress levels in the body. These changes are often brought about not by of a firestorm at work, but because of a vitamin deficiency. Specifically, a vitamin B deficiency. Of the 13 essential vitamins, vitamin B is the most closely tied to stress. Manage the B-group levels, and the entire body and mind will benefit.
You May Like: How Much Stress Do I Have
Understanding The Symptoms Of Depression
Depression is far more than just having a bad day or feeling sad about a particular event. Understanding the symptoms of depression can help you to determine whether you need to be contacting a therapist or other mental health professional, or if you just need to get help with your mood. As with many other conditions, there can be many different symptoms of depression. The following are among the most common:
- Trouble concentrating
- Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy
- Changes in appetite
- Persistent anxiety
If you regularly experience some or all of these symptoms, you will likely want to talk to your doctor. They can help you to evaluate your situation and recommend that you see a mental health professional if appropriate.
Related Searches
B Vitamins And Cognition
Cross sectional and prospective studies in the elderly have revealed a positive relationship between cognitive performance and B vitamin intake, and a negative relationship between cognitive performance and B vitamin deficiency as evidenced through plasma HCy levels . It is through the process of methylation reactions that B Vitamins are believed to influence cognitive performance . It has therefore been postulated that the HCy lowering properties of B vitamins, could potentially mitigate the effects of cognitive decline .
Few randomised controlled trials have investigated the cognitive benefits of vitamin intake in younger, healthy cohorts. However, a randomized controlled study conducted by Pipingas and colleagues investigated the effects of 16 weeks supplementation of a multivitamin with 138 participants aged between 20 and 50 years. While these researchers did not observe any significant improvements in cognitive ability, they noted that plasma folate, B6 and B12 levels were increased and HCy levels decreased after multivitamin supplementation.
You May Like: How To Get Stress Free
Vitamin B Complex Supplements
Eating a well-rounded diet of whole, unprocessed foods is a good start towards getting the B vitamins you need from your diet.
However, if you dont eat meat or dont get at least the recommended 9 servings a day of fruits and vegetables, you might be low in one or more of the B vitamins.
One of the most common questions about B vitamin supplementation is whether you should take individual B vitamins or a B complex supplement.
Eventually it can cause permanent nerve and brain damage.
The Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin B12 for adults is 2.4 micrograms .
When you read a B12 supplement label, youll find that it usually contains much more than this.
Because only about 2% of the B12 in supplements is actually absorbed, the excess assures that youre getting close to the RDA.
The 10 Best Vitamins For Anxiety According To Experts
Courtesy of Care/of
To be honest, it seems as though anxiety has become a bit of an umbrella term, effortlessly manipulated and thrown to and fro in order to describe, explain, and defend our perpetualâand ever-increasingâfeelings of stress, worry, or nervousness. Of course, all of these feelings are serious and are often symptoms or side effects of anxiety or other mood disorders, but in our stressed-out society, we’ve also gotten to the point where we use anxiety as a Band-Aid term to describe whatever negative feeling or emotion is currently ailing us.
However, true anxiety is a very real, very prominent disorder, and the rate at which its growing in the United States is alarming, to say the least. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the United States, affecting 40 million adults every year. Additionally, as Time reported just one year ago, Americans are becoming increasingly anxious. A poll conducted by the American Psychiatric Association indicated 39% of 1000 adults surveyed reported are more anxious than they were at the same time the previous year. Another 39% identified as feeling equally anxious, and only 19% felt less anxious.
Also Check: Can Stress Cause Blurred Vision
Stress And Mental Health
The problem is that although these stressors are not immediately deadly,
. . . being under chronic stress is of significant concern.
A chronic state of stress can eventually lead to things like weight gain, poor digestion, feeling drained and exhausted all the time.
Additionally, exposure to stress hormones can:
- and increase the risk of substance abuse, anxiety, and depression.
The reason these hormones are so impactful on our mental health is that they are able to bind to receptors in the brain changing both structure and function.
Research backs up the impact of chronic stress on our health and shows that long-term, stress can be the underlying cause for chronic diseases such as heart disease, heart attacks, weight gain/loss, high blood pressure, etc. Left unmanaged, it can really impact your sleep too, causing excessive sleepiness or insomnia.
Chronic stress can also lead to other negative health behaviors such as drinking, smoking, and overeating as a way to cope . All of these symptoms, whether mental or, physical are interconnected.
Stress hormones are a major trigger of systemic inflammation . Inflammation is the underlying cause of almost every chronic disease. To help you avoid these issues as much as possible, Ive put together this list of some of the most useful supplements whose ingredients have been shown by science to naturally fight stress.
Mood Booster Supplements: Important Advice
Research into the use of mood support supplements is ongoing. At this time, there is not enough evidence to verify that any supplement will be beneficial for everyone who uses it. That’s why it’s important to discuss your concerns about your mood issues with your medical provider before taking any supplement. A health care professional can help you weigh the options and choose the best mood support supplement for your specific needs. Once you have purchased a product, be sure to use it only as directed by the manufacturer or your health care provider.
Also Check: How To Come Out Of Depression And Stress
Supplements That May Help Stress
Some people find that supplements may help with their stress levels. In some cases, there is evidence to back this up. However, in many other cases, the evidence is inconclusive or very limited. Some of the supplements that are frequently considered for stress include the following:
Roman DailyMultivitamin for Men
Our team of in-house doctors created Roman Daily to target common nutrition gaps in men with scientifically backed ingredients and dosages.
Dietary Vitamins In The Central Nervous System
The central nervous system is dependent upon the nutrients supplied through a good, varied, healthy diet. Good nutrition is imperative, particularly for maintaining the brains structure and normal cognitive function . Vitamins and micronutrients play a significant biochemical role in maintaining cognitive processes within the brain. The role of antioxidants and B vitamins contained in food and their relationship to maintaining cognitive processes and general health is discussed below.
i. Antioxidants
i. B Vitamins
B group vitamins can be found in a wide range of foods like whole grains, bananas, beans and meats. Folate/folic acid, B6 and B12 represent some of the B group vitamins. Folate, B6 and B12 vitamins are known to contribute to the regulation of healthy levels of the amino acid HCy, and share a synergistic role in the maintenance of cardiovascular and neural health, and are also vital for energy metabolism . Cross sectional and prospective studies have identified that elevated plasma HCy levels is associated with the promotion of spontaneous cell death , incidence of stroke, brain atrophy, Alzheimers disease, bone fracture and is considered a risk factor for cerebrovascular disease .
Don’t Miss: How To Manage Relationship Stress
Vitamins And Herbal Supplements For Stress
Theres no denying that stress has become a constant fixture of our modern life. Work, family life, relationships, money, and now the COVID-19 pandemic are just a few of the many stressors we have to deal with on a daily basis.
By now, you probably already know that stress can take a significant toll on both physical and mental health. Left unchecked, stress can become chronic and lead to headaches, migraines, upset stomach, anxiety, fatigue, and more. Chronic stress can also increase your risk for heart disease, reduce immunity, and trigger sleep problems.
The good news is that you also have a wide range of tools for managing stress at your disposal. Eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, talking to a mental health professional, and implementing stress-relieving techniques like yoga and meditation can make a world of difference. And certain vitamins and herbs can also be extremely helpful.
Are Supplements Ok With My Prescriptions
If a doctor diagnosed you with an anxiety disorder, theres a good chance youre taking a prescription drug. Many people with anxiety or depression take drugs known as SSRIs that work by changing your brain chemistry. Celexa, Lexapro, Prozac, and Zoloft are common SSRIs.
You should be aware that herbal remedies are not harmless. Adding them to other drugs might cause serious problems. Those problems may include fever, diarrhea, chills, extreme drowsiness, or seizures. Taking vitamins is often OK. To be on the safe side, dont take any supplements before asking your doctor. If you are taking supplements or any over-the-counter medications, make sure to tell you doctor about them.
Recommended Reading: How Stressed Are You Test
General Warnings About Supplements For Anxiety
Before you take supplements for anxiety, here are some things to consider:
- The evidence for supplements varies. You may feel more relaxed or less anxious when taking certain herbal remedies or vitamins. But clinical trials havent proven that they can treat an anxiety disorder.
- The supplements you buy online or in stores may differ from the ones researchers have used in clinical studies.
- Supplement makers must label their products correctly. But federal rules for dietary supplements arent as strict as they are for prescription drugs.
- Dietary supplements can have serious side effects, including liver damage.
- Researchers havent tested supplements in pregnant women, nursing mothers, or children.
If you are struggling with anxiety, see a doctor for help.
Journal of PsychopharmacologyMediterranean Journal of Nutrition and MetabolismBiomedical ResearchNutrientsBrain, Behavior, and ImmunityIndian Journal of Psychiatry
Protect Yourself From Chronic Stress
If you are under a lot of stress, you arent alone. It is far too common to live in a state of constant stress and overwhelm in the modern age. But we cant just take stress as a new normweve got to learn to protect our brains and bodies from the looming threat of chronic stress.
Diet plays a big role when it comes to stress. Certain nutrients can help protect your body against its harmful effects, and they can help you feel more balanced and in a better mood along the way. It is important to support your body with the nutrients it needs to stay healthy through it all, so that you can deal with stress effectively and stay as healthy as possible.
As a reminder, the best vitamins for stress include:
And a few minerals that can help include magnesium and calcium.
To get enough, eat a well-rounded diet full of plants and high-quality foods. Green leafy vegetables are a particularly good choice, as they are packed with many of these vitamins and minerals.
Additionally, if you would like individualized information to make better decisions about your diet and supplementation, a ZYTO biocommunication scan, or bioscan, can help. A bioscan measures the bodys galvanic skin response as various supplements, essential oils, and lifestyle options are introduced to help you know what your body prefers.
About Chelsea Clark
Recommended Reading: What Is The Best Stress Reliever
The Right Supplement Might Help Quell Stress And Anxiety
Most of us live with a low-simmering level of stress from trying to juggle work and family responsibilities to navigating sudden problems, such as a job loss or health scare. And now, we are all experiencing added stress from the anxiety and unknowns of living in the age of COVID-19. A May 2020 survey by the American Psychological Association found not surprisingly that stress about work and the economy has increased over the past year, especially among parents.
Elevated stress hormones, especially cortisol, can increase inflammation, reduce immunity, and raise the risk for high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack. In fact, 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 that include:
- headaches
- anxiety
- depression
Stress is a problem we clearly need to address, but what can we do? The good news is that there are numerous strategies that have been shown to be effective for relieving stress, 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, just to name a few.
