Research-Supported Supplements That Can Help Alleviate Anxiety
Living with anxiety can feel like taking a road trip with a porcupine. You never know when things might get painful. Being ‘at peace’ is not part of the experience. Every lane change and stop requires first considering how it might affect your cranky seatmate.
Given the intense stress that often accompanies anxiety, and how widely it occurs among the population, it’s not surprising that in the U.S. alone, more than thirty billion dollars are spent treating it each year. Much of this money is spent on the two most common approaches for treating anxiety: medication and psychotherapy.
Although psychotherapy and medication are effective for the majority of those who try these approaches, others prefer a different solution. Some men and women wish to avoid the potential side effects of medication. Still others find that psychotherapy is not an option due to lack of time or expense.
When this is the case alternative treatments can be an appealing option. One form of alternative treatment involves over-the-counter supplements.
Many people feel more comfortable taking a supplement than medication. Although this often makes sense, it’s important to recognize that supplements may also have side effects and dangers. For example, one of the supplements we will examine, Ashawanga, poses risks if taken by women who are pregnant or nursing.
Despite the relative safety of supplements, it is always a good idea to consult with you doctor before adding them to your dietary regime.
In the following I will briefly discuss two promising supplements. Each has research supporting its efficacy in reducing anxiety. That does not mean that they will work for everyone any more than psychotherapy or pharmaceuticals work 100% of the time.
Nevertheless, the data gathered thus far suggests they often provide meaningful relief.
L-Theanine: The Relaxation Amino Acid
L-theanine is an amino acid found in green tea leaves and increases the production of mood-regulating neurotransmitters (A neurotransmitter is a chemical in the brain that helps send messages between brain cells, like a mailman delivering letters).
Taking L-theanine causes an increase in neurotransmitter production and this, in turn, promotes relaxation, which then reduces anxiety.
This effect was recently documented in a study by Hidese and colleagues (2019). They recruited 30 individuals to participate in what is called a randomized, double-blind study (neither the participants nor researchers knew who was receiving L-theanine versus a placebo).
The study had two parts, each lasting four weeks. In the first stage, subjects were given L-theanine or a placebo for four weeks, and their anxiety was measured at the beginning and end of this period.
Those who had received a placebo were then given L-theanine for four weeks. Likewise, the group that started with L-theanine was given a placebo to take daily (that appeared and tasted just like the active ingredient they had been taking).
Again, neither group knew when they would be given a placebo or the active ingredient.
Results showed significant reductions in anxiety by both groups only when taking L-theanine.
In another study, Kimura et al. (2007) examined the impact of L-theanine on 20 participants who were exposed to a stressful task. Once again, the researchers implemented a double-blind, placebo-controlled design.
The subjects were given either 200 mg of L-theanine or a non-active substance before being confronted with a challenging task. These sorts of tasks are designed to be stressful, and result in physiological responses that reflect such stress (e.g., increased heart rate, release of immunoglobulins).
Researchers carefully measured the physiological responses of each subject (both those taking a placebo and those taking L-theanine) and found that the stress biomarkers of the L-theanine group were significantly lower than the placebo group.
This sample of studies, although small, points to the promising power of L-theanine in combating anxiety. It is worth noting, however, that the impact of L-theanine is not the same as a major psychopharmacological drug such as Xanax. But neither are the risks of side effects.
Ashwagandha: An Adaptogen for Stress Relief
Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb. An adaptogen is a substance found in plants that reduces the production of various stress hormones, particularly cortisol.
When cortisol levels rise, it leads to feeling restless, anxious, and irritable.
When cortisol levels are lowered, these unpleasant emotional states begin to diminish.
Ashwagandha has been shown to lower cortisol levels. Could it also lower anxiety?
One study that looked at this question was carried out by Chandrasekhar et al. (2009). They used a double-blind, placebo-controlled design to examine the impact of ashwagandha on anxiety. Sixty-four participants agreed to participate in the research, all of whom struggled with chronic stress. They were divided into two groups: one received ashwagandha, and the other group received a placebo.
The ashwagandha group was given 300 mg of the extract twice daily. The control/placebo group was given a capsule that looked identical to the ashwagandha supplement, and they took this twice daily for 60 days.
Anxiety was measured using the well-regarded Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and the participants’ self-reported stress levels. Those receiving ashwagandha showed a significant reduction in both anxiety symptoms and stress levels as compared to the folks who unknowingly received the placebo.
This result is particularly noteworthy because these subjects had struggled with chronic stress. That is, the stress was entrenched over a long period of time rather than simply the result of having a couple ‘bad days.’
Similar results were found in another research project wherein 50 adults were studied, all of whom had mild to moderate stress and anxiety (Majeed, Nagabhushanam & Mundkur, 2023). Half the participants took 500 mg of ashwagandha extract daily for 60 days. The other half received a placebo for the same time period.
Those who took Ashwagandha experienced significant reductions in both anxiety and stress compared to the placebo group.
Conclusion
Chronic anxiety creates stress and erodes confidence. If it persists long enough, it may also lead to depression. Anxiety is not something you should accept as a necessary part of life.
More and more research supports the conclusion that alternative treatments, including supplements, can play a role in reducing anxiety. Some caution is warranted, however, in that supplements can have side effects or may be contraindicated if you are already taking certain medications.
Even so, the bottom line is that a growing body of research suggests that in the fight against anxiety, supplements may play an important role.
References:
Chandrasekhar, K., Kapoor, J., & Anishetty, S. (2012). A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of Ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 34(3), 255–262. https://www.naturalhealthresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Ashwagandha-Root-Shows-Promise-for-Anxiety-and-Stress.pdf
Hidese, S., Ogawa, S., Ota, M., Ishida, I., Yasukawa, Z., Ozeki, M., & Kunugi, H. (2019). Effects of L-theanine administration on stress-related symptoms and cognitive functions in healthy adults: A randomized controlled trial. Nutrients, 11(10), 2362. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11102362
Kimura, K., Ozeki, M., Juneja, L. R., & Ohira, H. (2007). L-Theanine reduces psychological and physiological stress responses. Biological Psychology, 74(1), 39-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2006.06.010
Majeed, M., Nagabhushanam, K., & Mundkur, L. (2023). A standardized Ashwagandha root extract alleviates stress, anxiety, and improves quality of life in healthy adults by modulating stress hormones: Results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Medicine, 102(41), e35521. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000035521
