Stress & Mood
Emotional regulation, calm, resilience.
Nutrients connected to Stress & Mood
A link means the body needs the nutrient for this, or that low intake is linked to it. It does not mean extra supplements help if your intake is already adequate; each link shows how strong the evidence is.
- L-theaninePreliminary or mixed
Some trials found a modest drop in stress after a dose, but much of it came from lower-quality studies.
- Caffeine supplementsDocumented risk
Anxiety and jitters are listed as effects of too much caffeine.
- Caffeine plus L-theanine and brain formulasDocumented risk
Too much caffeine can cause anxiety and jitters; mood benefits of the pair are unconfirmed.
- AshwagandhaPreliminary or mixed
Studied mainly for stress and anxiety scores; evidence is promising but limited and certainty is low.
- LavenderPreliminary or mixed
Research on lavender centres on anxiety and mood; the best-studied form is one oral standardized oil product, with limits noted by NIH.
- SaffronPreliminary or mixed
Trials of mood and anxiety symptoms are the best-studied use of saffron, with mixed results by type of rating scale.
- HopsPreliminary or mixed
Traditional use for mild mental stress and one small pilot on stress, anxiety and mood scores.
- ChamomilePreliminary or mixed
Preliminary studies suggest a chamomile extract may ease generalized anxiety; evidence is limited.
- Lemon balmPreliminary or mixed
Studied for stress, anxiety and low mood; evidence is promising but limited.
- St. John's wortClinically supported
The main researched use is mild to moderate depression, with trial support for specific extracts. Evidence is uncertain for severe depression.
- PassionflowerPreliminary or mixed
Traditional use for mild mental stress; small trials on anxiety are mixed.
- RhodiolaPreliminary or mixed
The main promoted and traditional use is stress and mood; human evidence is limited and mixed.
- Lemon verbenaPreliminary or mixed
One trial of a purified extract reported lower stress and cortisol. More research is needed.
- Holy basil (tulsi)Preliminary or mixed
Used for stress; small trials reported lower stress scores.
- TryptophanPreliminary or mixed
A review of 11 trials in healthy adults found four with better mood or less negative feeling than the comparison group. Results are mixed and say nothing about treating depression.
- Fish oilPreliminary or mixed
Evidence for depression is uncertain; a 2021 review found any effect may be too small to matter.
- ValerianPreliminary or mixed
Accepted in the EU for mild mental stress by traditional use; trial evidence for stress, anxiety and depression is lacking.
- California poppyPreliminary or mixed
Only a combination product has been tested in people with anxiety; effects on mood were not shown (no antidepressant effect in mice).
- SchisandraLab or animal research only
Stress-protective effects are described in animals; human evidence is limited.
- JiaogulanPreliminary or mixed
One 8-week trial of a leaf extract in stressed healthy adults lowered one anxiety score more than placebo; other measures did not differ.
- LemongrassPreliminary or mixed
Two small trials of inhaling the essential oil reported lower anxiety; the evidence is limited and is not for tea.
- SkullcapPreliminary or mixed
Small trial evidence on mood in healthy adults; preliminary.
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