In small doses, it’s a positive force that prepares our bodies to spring into action, but repeated exposure can leave us feeling drained. “It’s not a good output for your body or your brain if you have high levels of stress all the time,” Wendy Suzuki, Ph.D., a brain plasticity researcher and professor of neural science at New York University, tells mbg. Along with stress-relieving practices like exercise and meditation, supplements can help bring your body back to baseline and relieve stress before it builds up into a problem.* In a society that has, as Suzuki puts it, “co-opted our stress response” with constant external stimulation, these are the 14 best science-backed supplements to keep around for calm:* Our team ensures that each supplement product is thoughtfully formulated–from the active ingredients to those “Other ingredient” excipients too. We are highly preferential towards clean formulas that are plant-centric (and oftentimes vegan or vegetarian) as well as free of GMOs, gluten, soy, dairy, major food allergens, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, synthetic dyes, and more. Overall, we recommend products with clean ingredients at efficacious doses in bioactive forms. Whenever possible, we celebrate and elevate plant-origin (i.e., plant-sourced) ingredients from a variety of botanicals. Ingredient source and innovation are top of mind for our critical reviews and selection of supplement products. We prioritize forward-thinking formulations and delivery formats that are genuinely helpful in transforming your health. We include supplement brands and products that prioritize quality. This includes robust manufacturing practices and comprehensive purity and potency testing. You can learn more about mindbodygreen supplements+ manufacturing and quality testing practices here. Plus, save 10% on your first order with promo code MBG10.
Whether you take them before a particularly stressful call or during your nightly calming routine, you should be able to feel their calming effects.* Play around within the recommended range until you find a dose that’s right for your stress needs, and then stick to it.* Ferira adds, “If relevant to your situation, partner with your health care provider to personalize your goals and pivot strategies as needed.” These vitamins, minerals, herbal botanicals, amino acids, and other bioactives should be present at doses high enough to be efficacious according to clinical science. Ferira always recommends watching out for “sprinkling”—or inadequate doses—in supplement products. Traceability is also key. You’ll want to ensure that the brand clearly identifies what its ingredients are and where they come from. With botanical products, a good rule of thumb is to make sure the botanical name (genus and species) and parts of a plant (i.e., root, leaf, aerial parts, etc.) are specified on the label. These active ingredients should make up most of the supplement. Avoid fillers like artificial colors and flavors, high-fructose corn syrup, etc., to ensure you’re getting a high-quality product. As always, talk to your doctor beforehand to ensure the supplement won’t interfere with any of your other medications. And if stress starts to hinder your quality of life at any point, it’s best to seek professional support. While these supplements can help ease occasional stress, they are not a treatment for clinical mood disorders or any medical condition.*
