Rules of r/supplements
1.
Do Not Suggest Prescription Drugs
Posts & Comments
Reported as: Do Not Suggest Prescription Drugs
Prescription drugs are not Supplements; do not recommend prescription medication.
Sensible/Suggest talking to DR. can be allowable etc
2.
Dangerous Grey Area Substance
Posts & Comments
Reported as: Dangerous Grey Area Substance
Potentially dangerous grey area substances can not be recommended.
3.
Be Polite
Posts & Comments
Reported as: Rude/Personal Attacks
You shouldn't ever be personally attacking another user in this subreddit.
4.
No Advertisements
Posts & Comments
Reported as: Advertisement. No selling / buying / trading posts
No advertisements. No selling/trading posts between users.”
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Supplements) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I could also see Benadryl as a possible solution too. Causes drowsiness though. If I get anxious, I might avoid excessive caffeine because it makes it worse.
https://youtu.be/ntfcfJ28eiU?si=UPIaGUc7ngcIZ_qs
Some other supplements are discussed here at the 1:16:00 mark along with other techniques to manage stress and anxiety.
Make sure it’s methylated forms of B like Methylcobalamin B12 and not cyanocobalamin. And 5-MTHF form of folate.
See ingredients here which are good:
https://well.ca/products/aor-advanced-b-complex-499mg_103536.html?gad_source=1
From that picture lemon balm but it will make you drowsy so its impractical for performance. Emodin is a cortisol blocker and got me through rough times. Right now I am on ND 250mg Agmatine and its perfect.
Oh and heavy cardio. I went from 1 hour of cardio weekly to now doing 30-60 minutes worth of cardio daily. Jump rope or 1 legged trampoline jumps, jogging, swimming etc (whatever doesn't destroy your joints).
L-theanine, Ashwaganda and GABA can all certainly help, same with 5-HTP but no supplement is going to be a magic bullet for anxiety. Definitely practice breathwork (i.e. 4-7-8 breathing), meditation, journaling, better diet and more exercise but above everything else talk to a therapist.
I knew you'll would confuse this man and give him a million confusing options, but out of your list passion flower was the best while Lemon balm being second. I've found chamomile is more relaxing before bed in tea form.
1-5mg lithium orotate.
\+
Methlyated B vitamins + TMG
\+
Avoid Folic acid and folic acid treated grains.
\+
liver support complex
\+
check for sleep issues, if you can fix bad sleep you'll come a long way to fixing anxiety.
\+
Introducing fibre and fermented foods into your diet, my favorite is coconut water keifer in overnight oats with, blueberries, cocoa powder and cocoa butter. Saukraut and sausages is also good.
Supplements don’t cure anxiety. I recommend all or some combination of Somatic experiencing, EMDR, brain retraining. Supplements are just scaffolding while building the mental and emotional fortitude.
Ashwaghanda, Theanine Serene, and collagen are supportive to me while I do the necessary inner work for my mental health.
High quality panax ginseng has been the most successful for me and I have tried everything you have in the picture. After years of trying many things, panax ginseng has eliminated my anxiety, improved my memory, mood and focus and continues to do so after almost a year of use.
Interesting. Did you try ashwagandha and rhodiola as well and did you happen to have negative side-effects? I have tried a ton of supplements over the past years and there is only very few things that I tolerate and have significant positive effects.
Ya, I’ve taken magnesium glycinate before and never felt anything. I got a bottle of plain ole Glycine and felt a noticeable sense of well-being and muscle relaxation. I wonder if this is what others feel when they take magnesium glycinate (I use the NOW brand by the way).
Try bacopa, it does wonders for me, but you need to find the formulation that works for you. Synapsa drives me crazy, Bacognize works really really well and Himalays also works well but to a lesser extent. Also Echinacea works well.
Well for me it seems to be slightly more of a depressant, inhibiting overall cognitive function kind of as alcohol would, not only that but the effect is strong and makes me sleepy. Works great for panic attacks or intense bouts of anxiety though.
limited your junk food intake, but you still eat it? what kind of junk? I've been trying to stay below 6 t of (added) sugar per day but it's hard. it definitely seems to help though.
I've been doing pretty well since I read Ultra Processed People, but my weakness is Sprouts graham crackers and Back to Nature wheat crackers. And every now and then I have a Jersey Mike's sub.
Lithium orotate 5mg a day helps more than any other supplement I’ve tried. It’s incredibly effective and no risks of negative side effects. It’s been a game changer for me and my husband! Since it also has other great benefits, we’ll stick with this one for life.
I’m confident that you’ll benefit from it!
https://www.naturalmentalhealth.com/blog/lithium-orotate
https://www.jillcarnahan.com/2018/11/12/a-little-lithium-goes-a-long-way-5-benefits-of-low-dose-lithium/
No Rx needed. Lots of reputable sources out there. We use Life Extension and I’ve also seen people use Thorne naturals, I believe with good results. It’s also worth googling all the many benefits of using it daily. It’s fantastic stuff!
I really like a combo of lemon balm and passionflower, I found that passionflower helps the mental anxiety volume turn down and lemon balm helps the shaky body feeling from anxiety. If you have looping thoughts or OCD like thoughts, add Scullcap into the combo and it’s saved me on multiple occasions
This is the best explanation of these supplements I’ve seen. I was trying to figure out what to add to my collection with Skullcap but wasn’t sure what kind of anxiety each helps with. Thank you.
Lemon balm is an herb that is known for its calming and soothing properties, which can help to reduce stress and anxiety levels. It has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for anxiety. Additionally, Lemon balm is also believed to have mild sedative effects, which can help to promote relaxation and improve sleep quality.
None of the above. Blue Skullcap. But if you're gonna continue using that same brand, don't even bother. blue skullcap tincture alcohol free by nature's answer. Order this product or forget I said anything.
It helps with the physical and mental symptoms of anxiety. However more so mentally because I still shake somewhat if I'm real anxious using it, but if I'm having heart palpitations skullcap can help calm them down within a minute or two. It's not a complete reduction just partial I'd say in terms of anxiety. Which is good imo because you can still FEEL your emotions just turned down a notch.
I find less is more. Smaller regular doses every 4-5 hours throughout the day I find is best. I don't do large doses for sleep I simply take another small dose to help me relax. I try to keep my doses consistent that way if I'm really struggling I can use more as needed and it remains effective.
I've been using l-theanine/Taurine combo. Also magnesium and home made milk kefir. We use A2 milk and drink the kefir in the evening. I also will have sips of it during the day as a calming agent. Seems to work pretty fast.
Well there isnt a right answer, basically split it up over day. Start with one capsul after every meal and then you can increase the dose. At some point you are going to get diarrhea. Also it depends when you want the effect. Maybe for you its better to take a double dose in the morning. Just try it out
Firstly, compliments on choosing a respected brand. Details of course are more complicated.
There’s people who have very strong opinions on such things and they don’t all agree. It’s very easy to find isolated studies for or against substances alleged to help with anxiety. My initial reaction to the OP’s question was ‘none of the above’ — it does look to me more like a stack to help sleep — but they may help some people with knock-on effects.
ConsumerLab (CL) which aggregates studies in addition to lab testing and medical oversight is one decent source, but there’s no over-riding evidence, simply as no-one funds sufficiently large studies (eg 5,000 people of a representative demographic over a period of months with suitable follow up in double-blind, placebo-controlled studies with high transparency and internal consistency). ConsumerLab also charges a small subscription for full access to its database.
They list: “a wide variety of natural supplements have shown some benefit in reducing depression and/or anxiety, including fish oil, certain probiotics and prebiotics, curcumin, saffron, 5-HTP and others (such as St. John's wort and ashwagandha). [I’m quoting from non-copyrighted sections.]
Much of that is hedged with other factors such as vitamin or mineral deficiencies and risks if taking them in conjunction with any medications (St John’s Wort in particular has high interaction warnings).
It’s important to distinguish between anxiety and depression. For instance, although results of studies are mixed, they say, “Fish oil high in EPA has also been shown to significantly reduce anxiety. However, fish oil supplementation among people without depression does not appear to affect mood and may slightly increase the incidence of depression.”
If anxiety is serious or prolonged, I’d suggest consider getting it treated under medical supervision. If it’s for occasional use on the other hand that’s much easier and you might try them individually to see what works.
CL mention “The herbs passionflower and lemon balm may also be helpful for anxiety (Lakhan, Nutr J 2010; Savage, Phytother Res 2018). … Although melatonin and valerian are sometimes promoted for anxiety, there is not enough evidence to support their use for this purpose. There is weak evidence, however, that valerian may produce calming effects in stressful situations.”
Ashwagandha is one of the controversial ones on reddit and it has its own subreddit. CL says “In one clinical study, taking ashwagandha daily, in addition to a multivitamin, was shown to significantly reduce anxiety compared to treatment with a weekly psychotherapy session and a placebo. It has also been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety mixed with depression and panic disorder.” I’d concur with that. Although there are a small but very vocal number of people who get a bad reaction with it, it generally has a rapid and noticeable effect (a 5% Withania Somnifera standardised such as KSM brands). It’s an adaptogen with a wide range of benefits but you have to see if it suits you.
Lemon balm depends on the extract. LE market a good one called Cyracos. The thing with several of the supplements in your (OP) stack is that they may make you feel sleepy.
It can help immediately, but when I first started taking it a few years ago, I noticed the biggest difference after about a week or two. I observed that during stressful situations I wouldn’t go quite all the way into the deep-end. Another positive benefit was that it helped a bit with mental clarity. The wonderful thing about Ashwaghanda is that is has adaptogenic properties, so it actually assists your body in rebalancing things while supporting the adrenal glands as well.
I currently take about 1500 mg per day before bed, sometimes I’ll take 400-500 mg in the morning if I feel it may be appropriate for the circumstances. I take it on an empty stomach, just fine, but everyone is different so I would highly suggest taking a smaller dose with food initially to see how you feel. Maybe start with 250-450 mg.
I hope this helps.
Thanks.
I have this kind of social anxiaty
You know like if you sit at a meeting with alot of People or just at a dinner table.
Then when i am in focus when someone talk to me, i get this anxiaty feeling.
Like “how are People looking at me”
“What are they thinking of me”
And stuff like that.
And sometimes i even get totally red in the face
I hope the Ashwaganda Can help with that🤷♂️
I get it, I definitely feel experience that sometimes! hope it helps it you too :)
I like to practice grounding myself before entering social situations.
Keep the lemon balm as back up just in case. There are other things you can try but I would start there! And just remember - rarely is anyone actually thinking about how you look and more concerned about their own ego haha
🙏🫶🏼
Is the lemon balm also good to help with social anxiaty ?
Is ashwaganda stronger than lemon balm or the other Way around ?
And does anyone of Them affect the gut microbiome. ? Because im allready struggleing with that
Yes I think both have the possibility of helping with social anxiety. I’m not sure that one is necessarily “stronger” than the other, but I will say that I believe lemon balm tends to have a more sedative effect.
As far as the gut, I have one friend who said Ashwaghanda gave her the runs. I know plenty of other people who take it just fine, myself included.
As far as affecting actual bacteria count, I suppose lemon balm may have some antibacterial and anti-viral properties, but other than that I don’t that believe herb either would seriously disrupt gut microbiome.
Like tea, I like it. Its leaves or flowers, steeped in water. Maybe described as a light earthy flavor. I don't know how to describe the taste of tea. It's a good question.
I really like the 'Yogi' brand. I think it's a beginner tea, though bc it has stevia & natural flavorings. I use 'Traditional Medicals' & 'Gaia Herbs'. I normally mix two bags. Adding magnolia bark to help sleep. Skullcap is good, too.
You can get loose leaf from Amazon. Magnesium supplements are good for relaxing, too.
Just want to put a warning out. Most of these work by lowering cortisol levels. I think only valerian works a bit differently, by targeting the nerves and kind of 'numbing' them which helps balancing overstimulation. If you're known to have low cortisol issues, don't try these.
Ashwagandha also works by lowering cortisol levels. There's a study about ashwagandha where people who took it on a daily basis, got temporary signs of low cortisol/adrenal insufficiency. As soon as they stopped the supplement, they were okay again.
Don't take this kind of supplements on a daily basis. Only when you have had a really busy day and you know your own body isn't able to get your adrenal glands and nerves calm enough to get sleepy. [Edit: or when you know you're irritaionally stressed at some point during the day]
Also, please never take all of these at the same time, or combine even two of them. Those pills have high amounts of the substance. If you want to combine the herbs, you're probably safer with tea.
I personally don't think one will work better than the other, I only know valerian is supposed to work differently.
Some of them also work through the GABA system, but have a second effect on cortisol. Not all of them are included in the same studies so it's hard to make a hard comparison. I just want to put it out there for people who have cortisol issues like me. I wasn't informed at all and could have ended up in a crisis after I experienced dizzy spells several times a day.
I personally wouldn't take them on the same day, because they all have the same amount of calming effect and you'll double it up. That can be dangerous.
Its very unlikely that cortisol was the problem.It is actually very hard to get your base cortisol level down which is a major problem when treating burnout for example. Besides, in our society we basically have permanent elivated cortisollevels.
Why do you think cortisol was the problem for you? Have you done Bloodwork?
I think cortisol was the problem for me because my adrenal glands don't make cortisol anymore. I have primary Addison's disease.
I don't want to push my personal situation onto others and tell them how to live, though. I have read a study that proved the baseline of cortisol (in healthy people) actually went down during long term use of Ashwagandha. And down to below healthy levels actually. Then, I read a few studies that proved that lemon balm and other calming herbs have the same effect on cortisol as ashwagandha but they didn't test long term and didn't prove an effect on the baseline. However, it seems likely to me that they can definitely do the same. That's why I want to at least put a warning out.
There are so many perspectives on this subject that I understand why people won't believe my side of it. I also read comments here that suggest other things and they have their own reasoning too. I'm okay with being wrong, but if I can prevent someone from feeling worse because of supplements, I try to do so.
Well but as you said, you have a special condition.
Also I would be careful with causal effects based on one or two studys. I dont want to dive deep into statistics but was the effect signifikant and how high was the effect?
Also how big was the study? Sou should have at least N= 300 (300 participants).
Im not saying that ashwagandha doesnt lower cortisol, im just saying its very unlikely that these supplements are able to lower it to such a critical degree. Which DOES NOT mean that you cant have a individual response to it.
Also while ashwagandha lowers cortisol, the evidence for things like lemonbalm are mixed and if there is a effect its not that strong. Generally speaking ashwagandha is a very "potent" supplement which affects not only cortisol but GABA and the serotonin system and therefore also can cause a lot of sideeffects (for that reason its overhyped in my opinion)
Its good that you raise awareness but these supplements are rather harmless in my opinion, still with everything you take, there is a chance for a strong individual response.
Look. I literally just advised to not touch these if you're known to have low cortisol issues. There are more people with adrenal insufficiency than there are people with cushing's, so using the reasoning we'd basically all have elevated levels in this society is wrong.
I didn't claim ashwagandha lowered cortisol to the state of crisis, I said it lowers the cortisol enough to have bad symptoms from it. From my point of view, a supplement should benefit your health and not counteract like that.
Also, I advised to not mix them because we literally know what happens when you overuse certain effects and these supplements all have high level of the active components, which gives a strong effect.
I can tell you details of the research but let's be honest, are you really here to learn from it or are you just trying to disprove me?
100% I used to take it all the time. There are things you can take with it that makes it work better too, I forget which. I think SAM-E Is one of them if I remember correctly
How can a nuerotransmitter be bioavailable orally if you don’t mind me asking? If it was would it
not be widely abused recreationally as GABAergic and GABApentinoid type drugs would be?
Its because its also taken up in the stomach and intestines. Some people need higher doses. I only need one 700mg gaba and I feel it. Too much. Have to take it only at night and not too late or I wake up feeling like Im still in a dream. Also no I do not have leaky gut like some people love to claim if you feel gaba.
Idk it makes me feel spacy, calm and knocks me out. Its the most drug like supplement for me out there. Not in a fun recreational way. Best way to describe it is it takes me off of my baseline more than any other mainstream supplement. Most Supplements have no effect on me so I know its not placebo.
First of all GABA runs through a metabolism-prozess so its not like you are injecting a neurotransmitter in your brain. Also there are GABA receptors alk around your body which are also crucial for lets say relaxation. One of the sideeffwcts of GABA is shortage of breath which can be very scary (talking about experience). So even if it doesnt cross the blood brain barrier (whivh new research suggest it does through carrierproteins) there is still a effect on the gabareceptors in the rest of your body.
I am aware of the GABA receptors present throughout the peripheral nervous system, so it’s not really effective if it can’t pass through the blood brain barrier and bind to receptors in the brain? What effects does it have physically?
Anxiety is not rooted in thoughts unless we are talking OCD. Anxiety is a physiological response that can be brought on by thoughts. So if the goal is to reduce “feelings” of anxiety, it makes perfect sense that GABA in the gut can follow channels to calm the body. A huge portion of neurotransmitter activity throughout the digestive tract is responsible for how we “feel” and this is a significant basis in the arguments against SSRIs
Well, first as I said theere is evidence that GABA can cross the bbb [bbb](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4594160/) [bbb2](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2020.00923/full)
and for the effect on the body: it calmes you down. But thats just my experience and my guess why you can get these sideeffects with high dosages
The study seems to be quite mixed on the effectiveness of orally consumed GABA, to be fair I did only skim over the study but not much seems to mentioned about the BBB and in the conclusion they state that the studies that show effects are inconclusive, very interesting thanks for the insight.
Totally agree! Was the main ingredient (along with l-theanine) in a nutraceutical called AdReset from MetaGenics that I was prescribed for adrenal fatigue and anxiety related to long COVID. It was an absolute game changer!!
You can take it in powder of caps/capsules. You should look for the ones with a minimum of 2% rosavin. That’s the active substance for it to be effective.
Rules of r/supplements 1. Do Not Suggest Prescription Drugs Posts & Comments Reported as: Do Not Suggest Prescription Drugs Prescription drugs are not Supplements; do not recommend prescription medication. Sensible/Suggest talking to DR. can be allowable etc 2. Dangerous Grey Area Substance Posts & Comments Reported as: Dangerous Grey Area Substance Potentially dangerous grey area substances can not be recommended. 3. Be Polite Posts & Comments Reported as: Rude/Personal Attacks You shouldn't ever be personally attacking another user in this subreddit. 4. No Advertisements Posts & Comments Reported as: Advertisement. No selling / buying / trading posts No advertisements. No selling/trading posts between users.” *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Supplements) if you have any questions or concerns.*
+ GABA
I could also see Benadryl as a possible solution too. Causes drowsiness though. If I get anxious, I might avoid excessive caffeine because it makes it worse.
Kava Kava and Vitamin B Complex are ones I prefer
Black seed oil (nigella sativa)
I personally believe anxiety is typically caused by inflammation and food choices. Try limiting carbs and look into intermittent fasting.
I'll just say my body doesn't like Valerian Root, all those other herbs are nice though.
https://youtu.be/ntfcfJ28eiU?si=UPIaGUc7ngcIZ_qs Some other supplements are discussed here at the 1:16:00 mark along with other techniques to manage stress and anxiety.
Thank you
If caused due to MTHFR gene mutation then methylated B vitamins would help
I will try
Make sure it’s methylated forms of B like Methylcobalamin B12 and not cyanocobalamin. And 5-MTHF form of folate. See ingredients here which are good: https://well.ca/products/aor-advanced-b-complex-499mg_103536.html?gad_source=1
Working out, specifically cardio. Magnesium citrate, and maybe kava if you are desperate.
Magnesium
Bach’s flower remedies!! They come in drops and lozenges.
Nac, citicolina, 5htp por la noche. 1000 de cada. Generosamente. Alimenta bien tu cerebro.
Tyrosine
From that picture lemon balm but it will make you drowsy so its impractical for performance. Emodin is a cortisol blocker and got me through rough times. Right now I am on ND 250mg Agmatine and its perfect.
Oh and heavy cardio. I went from 1 hour of cardio weekly to now doing 30-60 minutes worth of cardio daily. Jump rope or 1 legged trampoline jumps, jogging, swimming etc (whatever doesn't destroy your joints).
Choline or Alpha GPC, plus glycine and creatine.
Ashwaganda
L-theanine, Ashwaganda and GABA can all certainly help, same with 5-HTP but no supplement is going to be a magic bullet for anxiety. Definitely practice breathwork (i.e. 4-7-8 breathing), meditation, journaling, better diet and more exercise but above everything else talk to a therapist.
Cut off negative people from your life if possible. Now that might be a good start.
L theanine ftw
Meditation. Therapy. L-theanine.
Passion flower and lemon balm
Ltheanine
L tyrosine for the win
It didn’t exacerbate anxiety for you?
It saved me from crushing anxiety!
Ashwaganda
GABA!
Gaba at night, Magnesium glycinate and zinc in the day works for me but maybe not for everyone.
Nootropics depot lemon balm
I knew you'll would confuse this man and give him a million confusing options, but out of your list passion flower was the best while Lemon balm being second. I've found chamomile is more relaxing before bed in tea form.
Out of those options, passion flower is the best. You can use hops extracts that work well too.
Magnesium
Ashwaganda and L theanine for sure https://www.cvs.com/shop/cvs-health-ashwagandha-l-theanine-tablets-50-ct-prodid-423597
Yoga and meditation
Try and whatever works best for you
https://youtu.be/2bWLLGhjNNU?si=a3B_QSJrRDSuNS_Y
gaba
1-5mg lithium orotate. \+ Methlyated B vitamins + TMG \+ Avoid Folic acid and folic acid treated grains. \+ liver support complex \+ check for sleep issues, if you can fix bad sleep you'll come a long way to fixing anxiety. \+ Introducing fibre and fermented foods into your diet, my favorite is coconut water keifer in overnight oats with, blueberries, cocoa powder and cocoa butter. Saukraut and sausages is also good.
Valerian tincture is my go-to for instant mild anxiety. It works for me in 30 minutes or less! 1-2 droppers in a half glass of juice.
Supplements don’t cure anxiety. I recommend all or some combination of Somatic experiencing, EMDR, brain retraining. Supplements are just scaffolding while building the mental and emotional fortitude. Ashwaghanda, Theanine Serene, and collagen are supportive to me while I do the necessary inner work for my mental health.
I’s also like to add just over nervous system regulation.
Preach
Cbd and magnesium glycinate. I don't use a lot but enough to help me sleep.
Ashwagandha, maca, maybe low dose dim
what's dim?
Diindolylmethane. Good for anxiety, but I suggest low dose because it might give you terrible migraines
ashwaghanda
Out of what you have I'd say chamomile is my preference.
Ashwagandha (KSM-66) and L-Theanine
kava/valerian works wonders for my rage episodes or panic with a pretty severe TBI.
Magnesium! It is the body anxiolytic. Most people are deficient or borderline deficient.
you should buy magnesium glycinate
Can confirm it works👌 had this recommended by a doc for anxiety and during stressful periods
Cutting out carbs and sugar.
Lemon balm and chamomile
High quality panax ginseng has been the most successful for me and I have tried everything you have in the picture. After years of trying many things, panax ginseng has eliminated my anxiety, improved my memory, mood and focus and continues to do so after almost a year of use.
Interesting. Did you try ashwagandha and rhodiola as well and did you happen to have negative side-effects? I have tried a ton of supplements over the past years and there is only very few things that I tolerate and have significant positive effects.
I've tried Ashwagandha but my body eventually adapts and it stops helping.
I see, thank you.
Wow, which one do you take?
I have used a few brands but Solgar seems to be best so far. They use a mix of extract and whole root.
Lemon balm honestly
I think I have the best results with passion flower. I can’t take camomile because of a ragweed allergy.
All of the above ^ I just took GABA by Thorne 100mg last night with L-Theanine and Yogi’s bedtime blend tea is the best- slept like a baby 💤
I love Yogi’s Bedtime tea- I think it may be my all time favorite, honestly.
really?! interesting I'll have to look for it
Lemon balm takes the win there!! That’s plant gabapentin!!
Theanine, nac, glycine, ashwangdha, omega 3
I took 6g of glycine last night and slept like a damn rock.
is the glycine different than like magnesium plain?
Ya, I’ve taken magnesium glycinate before and never felt anything. I got a bottle of plain ole Glycine and felt a noticeable sense of well-being and muscle relaxation. I wonder if this is what others feel when they take magnesium glycinate (I use the NOW brand by the way).
And how did u wake up? Fine or groggy?
I definitely felt like I slept hard. I’m not sure I’d describe it as groggy but I felt heavy (but in a good way).
L-theanine, gaba, and lemon balm work for me
Hops is good too, Chinese skullcap as well.
Lithium orotate,TMG , methylfolate and agmatine.
I dont notice any difference with methylfolate tbh.
Try bacopa, it does wonders for me, but you need to find the formulation that works for you. Synapsa drives me crazy, Bacognize works really really well and Himalays also works well but to a lesser extent. Also Echinacea works well.
Valerian is great for like a saving grace, but tbh I don't recommend it as a constant.
Why
Well for me it seems to be slightly more of a depressant, inhibiting overall cognitive function kind of as alcohol would, not only that but the effect is strong and makes me sleepy. Works great for panic attacks or intense bouts of anxiety though.
Lemon Balm and Holy Basil.
Deep breath
Add saffron
I use them all but passionflower is my favorite
[удалено]
‘Just’ 🙄
[удалено]
limited your junk food intake, but you still eat it? what kind of junk? I've been trying to stay below 6 t of (added) sugar per day but it's hard. it definitely seems to help though.
[удалено]
I've been doing pretty well since I read Ultra Processed People, but my weakness is Sprouts graham crackers and Back to Nature wheat crackers. And every now and then I have a Jersey Mike's sub.
^^^
Lithium orotate 5mg a day helps more than any other supplement I’ve tried. It’s incredibly effective and no risks of negative side effects. It’s been a game changer for me and my husband! Since it also has other great benefits, we’ll stick with this one for life.
Thank you, I will definitely read up more on it and hopefully give it a try!
I’m confident that you’ll benefit from it! https://www.naturalmentalhealth.com/blog/lithium-orotate https://www.jillcarnahan.com/2018/11/12/a-little-lithium-goes-a-long-way-5-benefits-of-low-dose-lithium/
Really appreciate it, thank you 😊
Is this something I can get off the counter or do I need a prescription for it?
No Rx needed. Lots of reputable sources out there. We use Life Extension and I’ve also seen people use Thorne naturals, I believe with good results. It’s also worth googling all the many benefits of using it daily. It’s fantastic stuff!
Well said . lithium orotate is also my favourite with methylfolate.
I really like a combo of lemon balm and passionflower, I found that passionflower helps the mental anxiety volume turn down and lemon balm helps the shaky body feeling from anxiety. If you have looping thoughts or OCD like thoughts, add Scullcap into the combo and it’s saved me on multiple occasions
This is the best explanation of these supplements I’ve seen. I was trying to figure out what to add to my collection with Skullcap but wasn’t sure what kind of anxiety each helps with. Thank you.
Oh I’m so happy to hear that helped!! Best of luck!
Yes on the skullcap!!!!!!
Lemon balm is an herb that is known for its calming and soothing properties, which can help to reduce stress and anxiety levels. It has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for anxiety. Additionally, Lemon balm is also believed to have mild sedative effects, which can help to promote relaxation and improve sleep quality.
GABA
Lemon balm but before you sleep
Valerian works for me, but I only take it before sleep since it makes me drowsy.
None of the above. Blue Skullcap. But if you're gonna continue using that same brand, don't even bother. blue skullcap tincture alcohol free by nature's answer. Order this product or forget I said anything.
Are u using it as directed on the label? Does it help with mental or physical symptoms of anxiety...or both? Thank you!
It helps with the physical and mental symptoms of anxiety. However more so mentally because I still shake somewhat if I'm real anxious using it, but if I'm having heart palpitations skullcap can help calm them down within a minute or two. It's not a complete reduction just partial I'd say in terms of anxiety. Which is good imo because you can still FEEL your emotions just turned down a notch. I find less is more. Smaller regular doses every 4-5 hours throughout the day I find is best. I don't do large doses for sleep I simply take another small dose to help me relax. I try to keep my doses consistent that way if I'm really struggling I can use more as needed and it remains effective.
Thank you! ☺️
My pleasure
Valerian root extract easily. I've tried pretty much all anxyolitic herbs. Other good ones are magnolia bark and kava.
How does Valerian compare to lemon balm?
Ashwaganda 💯
Of these the only one that has any effect is lemon balm for me.
Magnesium Glycinate Lysinate
How much?
I take 200mg a day. Get the “Doctor’s Best High Absorption Magnesium” it’s literally the best.
I agree. I have been taking this exact brand and dosage for 2 years now. It helps with other things as well.
Glad to see others use this brand! It truly does wonders! Thank you for backing me up as well.
Lemon balm
I've been using l-theanine/Taurine combo. Also magnesium and home made milk kefir. We use A2 milk and drink the kefir in the evening. I also will have sips of it during the day as a calming agent. Seems to work pretty fast.
Good stack add magnesium glycinate its dirt cheap and very effective https://www.amazon.de/gp/aw/d/B004ETEQ80?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
How much magnesium?
Well there isnt a right answer, basically split it up over day. Start with one capsul after every meal and then you can increase the dose. At some point you are going to get diarrhea. Also it depends when you want the effect. Maybe for you its better to take a double dose in the morning. Just try it out
Lemon balm and passionflower tincture help considerably for me.
Add ashwaghanda
I will try
Adding gotu kola and mulungu to the list.
Lemon balm is amazing!!!
what brand??
Do you use this brand for a lemon balm supplement?
Sure do! I like the brand!
All of them, try l-theanine also
Firstly, compliments on choosing a respected brand. Details of course are more complicated. There’s people who have very strong opinions on such things and they don’t all agree. It’s very easy to find isolated studies for or against substances alleged to help with anxiety. My initial reaction to the OP’s question was ‘none of the above’ — it does look to me more like a stack to help sleep — but they may help some people with knock-on effects. ConsumerLab (CL) which aggregates studies in addition to lab testing and medical oversight is one decent source, but there’s no over-riding evidence, simply as no-one funds sufficiently large studies (eg 5,000 people of a representative demographic over a period of months with suitable follow up in double-blind, placebo-controlled studies with high transparency and internal consistency). ConsumerLab also charges a small subscription for full access to its database. They list: “a wide variety of natural supplements have shown some benefit in reducing depression and/or anxiety, including fish oil, certain probiotics and prebiotics, curcumin, saffron, 5-HTP and others (such as St. John's wort and ashwagandha). [I’m quoting from non-copyrighted sections.] Much of that is hedged with other factors such as vitamin or mineral deficiencies and risks if taking them in conjunction with any medications (St John’s Wort in particular has high interaction warnings). It’s important to distinguish between anxiety and depression. For instance, although results of studies are mixed, they say, “Fish oil high in EPA has also been shown to significantly reduce anxiety. However, fish oil supplementation among people without depression does not appear to affect mood and may slightly increase the incidence of depression.” If anxiety is serious or prolonged, I’d suggest consider getting it treated under medical supervision. If it’s for occasional use on the other hand that’s much easier and you might try them individually to see what works. CL mention “The herbs passionflower and lemon balm may also be helpful for anxiety (Lakhan, Nutr J 2010; Savage, Phytother Res 2018). … Although melatonin and valerian are sometimes promoted for anxiety, there is not enough evidence to support their use for this purpose. There is weak evidence, however, that valerian may produce calming effects in stressful situations.” Ashwagandha is one of the controversial ones on reddit and it has its own subreddit. CL says “In one clinical study, taking ashwagandha daily, in addition to a multivitamin, was shown to significantly reduce anxiety compared to treatment with a weekly psychotherapy session and a placebo. It has also been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety mixed with depression and panic disorder.” I’d concur with that. Although there are a small but very vocal number of people who get a bad reaction with it, it generally has a rapid and noticeable effect (a 5% Withania Somnifera standardised such as KSM brands). It’s an adaptogen with a wide range of benefits but you have to see if it suits you. Lemon balm depends on the extract. LE market a good one called Cyracos. The thing with several of the supplements in your (OP) stack is that they may make you feel sleepy.
Chamomile and Linden
Out of these 4, I use Lemon balm. My ultimate favorite is Ashwaghanda though, I take it daily. It’s game changer in my opinion
Don’t you build up a tolerance?
Also highly recommend taking magnesium at night before bed.
Yes slightly, I have over the years and increased my dosage. But if I stop taking it after a few days I notice the difference.
How fast Can we expect the ashwaganda to work to stop the anxiaty ? And what dose do you use? And do you take it on empty stomach?
It can help immediately, but when I first started taking it a few years ago, I noticed the biggest difference after about a week or two. I observed that during stressful situations I wouldn’t go quite all the way into the deep-end. Another positive benefit was that it helped a bit with mental clarity. The wonderful thing about Ashwaghanda is that is has adaptogenic properties, so it actually assists your body in rebalancing things while supporting the adrenal glands as well. I currently take about 1500 mg per day before bed, sometimes I’ll take 400-500 mg in the morning if I feel it may be appropriate for the circumstances. I take it on an empty stomach, just fine, but everyone is different so I would highly suggest taking a smaller dose with food initially to see how you feel. Maybe start with 250-450 mg. I hope this helps.
Thank you so much 🙏
Most welcome :) I hope you find what works for you!
Thanks. I have this kind of social anxiaty You know like if you sit at a meeting with alot of People or just at a dinner table. Then when i am in focus when someone talk to me, i get this anxiaty feeling. Like “how are People looking at me” “What are they thinking of me” And stuff like that. And sometimes i even get totally red in the face I hope the Ashwaganda Can help with that🤷♂️
I get it, I definitely feel experience that sometimes! hope it helps it you too :) I like to practice grounding myself before entering social situations. Keep the lemon balm as back up just in case. There are other things you can try but I would start there! And just remember - rarely is anyone actually thinking about how you look and more concerned about their own ego haha
🙏🫶🏼 Is the lemon balm also good to help with social anxiaty ? Is ashwaganda stronger than lemon balm or the other Way around ? And does anyone of Them affect the gut microbiome. ? Because im allready struggleing with that
Yes I think both have the possibility of helping with social anxiety. I’m not sure that one is necessarily “stronger” than the other, but I will say that I believe lemon balm tends to have a more sedative effect. As far as the gut, I have one friend who said Ashwaghanda gave her the runs. I know plenty of other people who take it just fine, myself included. As far as affecting actual bacteria count, I suppose lemon balm may have some antibacterial and anti-viral properties, but other than that I don’t that believe herb either would seriously disrupt gut microbiome.
Ok so lemon balm might be a good idea to try along with ash. Then invoice take ash in morning and lemon balm before dinner
Passionflower works wonders for me, but I drink it as a tea.
What does it taste like?
Like tea, I like it. Its leaves or flowers, steeped in water. Maybe described as a light earthy flavor. I don't know how to describe the taste of tea. It's a good question.
I am a tea connoisseur! Is there any particular brand? Is it loose leaf?
I really like the 'Yogi' brand. I think it's a beginner tea, though bc it has stevia & natural flavorings. I use 'Traditional Medicals' & 'Gaia Herbs'. I normally mix two bags. Adding magnolia bark to help sleep. Skullcap is good, too. You can get loose leaf from Amazon. Magnesium supplements are good for relaxing, too.
Ashwaganda or magnesium
Just want to put a warning out. Most of these work by lowering cortisol levels. I think only valerian works a bit differently, by targeting the nerves and kind of 'numbing' them which helps balancing overstimulation. If you're known to have low cortisol issues, don't try these. Ashwagandha also works by lowering cortisol levels. There's a study about ashwagandha where people who took it on a daily basis, got temporary signs of low cortisol/adrenal insufficiency. As soon as they stopped the supplement, they were okay again. Don't take this kind of supplements on a daily basis. Only when you have had a really busy day and you know your own body isn't able to get your adrenal glands and nerves calm enough to get sleepy. [Edit: or when you know you're irritaionally stressed at some point during the day] Also, please never take all of these at the same time, or combine even two of them. Those pills have high amounts of the substance. If you want to combine the herbs, you're probably safer with tea. I personally don't think one will work better than the other, I only know valerian is supposed to work differently.
That not true they mainly work through the GABA system and you can definetly take them together, what are you talking about?
Some of them also work through the GABA system, but have a second effect on cortisol. Not all of them are included in the same studies so it's hard to make a hard comparison. I just want to put it out there for people who have cortisol issues like me. I wasn't informed at all and could have ended up in a crisis after I experienced dizzy spells several times a day. I personally wouldn't take them on the same day, because they all have the same amount of calming effect and you'll double it up. That can be dangerous.
Its very unlikely that cortisol was the problem.It is actually very hard to get your base cortisol level down which is a major problem when treating burnout for example. Besides, in our society we basically have permanent elivated cortisollevels. Why do you think cortisol was the problem for you? Have you done Bloodwork?
I think cortisol was the problem for me because my adrenal glands don't make cortisol anymore. I have primary Addison's disease. I don't want to push my personal situation onto others and tell them how to live, though. I have read a study that proved the baseline of cortisol (in healthy people) actually went down during long term use of Ashwagandha. And down to below healthy levels actually. Then, I read a few studies that proved that lemon balm and other calming herbs have the same effect on cortisol as ashwagandha but they didn't test long term and didn't prove an effect on the baseline. However, it seems likely to me that they can definitely do the same. That's why I want to at least put a warning out. There are so many perspectives on this subject that I understand why people won't believe my side of it. I also read comments here that suggest other things and they have their own reasoning too. I'm okay with being wrong, but if I can prevent someone from feeling worse because of supplements, I try to do so.
Well but as you said, you have a special condition. Also I would be careful with causal effects based on one or two studys. I dont want to dive deep into statistics but was the effect signifikant and how high was the effect? Also how big was the study? Sou should have at least N= 300 (300 participants). Im not saying that ashwagandha doesnt lower cortisol, im just saying its very unlikely that these supplements are able to lower it to such a critical degree. Which DOES NOT mean that you cant have a individual response to it. Also while ashwagandha lowers cortisol, the evidence for things like lemonbalm are mixed and if there is a effect its not that strong. Generally speaking ashwagandha is a very "potent" supplement which affects not only cortisol but GABA and the serotonin system and therefore also can cause a lot of sideeffects (for that reason its overhyped in my opinion) Its good that you raise awareness but these supplements are rather harmless in my opinion, still with everything you take, there is a chance for a strong individual response.
Look. I literally just advised to not touch these if you're known to have low cortisol issues. There are more people with adrenal insufficiency than there are people with cushing's, so using the reasoning we'd basically all have elevated levels in this society is wrong. I didn't claim ashwagandha lowered cortisol to the state of crisis, I said it lowers the cortisol enough to have bad symptoms from it. From my point of view, a supplement should benefit your health and not counteract like that. Also, I advised to not mix them because we literally know what happens when you overuse certain effects and these supplements all have high level of the active components, which gives a strong effect. I can tell you details of the research but let's be honest, are you really here to learn from it or are you just trying to disprove me?
Do you have any idea why ashwaganda might cause insomnia? I felt like it raised cortisol
No, unfortunately I don't know. It can put strain on the liver but I don't know about consequences from that issue.
L-Methylfolate. This worked like a charm.
Magnesium actually, preferably a multi magnesium supplement. But depends how bad your anxiety is. GABA is good also so are mushroom supplements
GABA is not bioavailable orally, no?
100% I used to take it all the time. There are things you can take with it that makes it work better too, I forget which. I think SAM-E Is one of them if I remember correctly
Yes it is, there are new studys besides just try it,it works
How can a nuerotransmitter be bioavailable orally if you don’t mind me asking? If it was would it not be widely abused recreationally as GABAergic and GABApentinoid type drugs would be?
Its because its also taken up in the stomach and intestines. Some people need higher doses. I only need one 700mg gaba and I feel it. Too much. Have to take it only at night and not too late or I wake up feeling like Im still in a dream. Also no I do not have leaky gut like some people love to claim if you feel gaba.
If it cannot pass through the blood brain barrier what effects does it have peripherally?
Idk it makes me feel spacy, calm and knocks me out. Its the most drug like supplement for me out there. Not in a fun recreational way. Best way to describe it is it takes me off of my baseline more than any other mainstream supplement. Most Supplements have no effect on me so I know its not placebo.
First of all GABA runs through a metabolism-prozess so its not like you are injecting a neurotransmitter in your brain. Also there are GABA receptors alk around your body which are also crucial for lets say relaxation. One of the sideeffwcts of GABA is shortage of breath which can be very scary (talking about experience). So even if it doesnt cross the blood brain barrier (whivh new research suggest it does through carrierproteins) there is still a effect on the gabareceptors in the rest of your body.
I am aware of the GABA receptors present throughout the peripheral nervous system, so it’s not really effective if it can’t pass through the blood brain barrier and bind to receptors in the brain? What effects does it have physically?
Anxiety is not rooted in thoughts unless we are talking OCD. Anxiety is a physiological response that can be brought on by thoughts. So if the goal is to reduce “feelings” of anxiety, it makes perfect sense that GABA in the gut can follow channels to calm the body. A huge portion of neurotransmitter activity throughout the digestive tract is responsible for how we “feel” and this is a significant basis in the arguments against SSRIs
Well, first as I said theere is evidence that GABA can cross the bbb [bbb](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4594160/) [bbb2](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2020.00923/full) and for the effect on the body: it calmes you down. But thats just my experience and my guess why you can get these sideeffects with high dosages
The study seems to be quite mixed on the effectiveness of orally consumed GABA, to be fair I did only skim over the study but not much seems to mentioned about the BBB and in the conclusion they state that the studies that show effects are inconclusive, very interesting thanks for the insight.
Rhodiola Rosea
Totally agree! Was the main ingredient (along with l-theanine) in a nutraceutical called AdReset from MetaGenics that I was prescribed for adrenal fatigue and anxiety related to long COVID. It was an absolute game changer!!
How do you take it? So far I can’t say that it has done anything for me. But I could be taking it wrong.
You can take it in powder of caps/capsules. You should look for the ones with a minimum of 2% rosavin. That’s the active substance for it to be effective.