Stress & Mental Health Supplements

What Stress Supplements Can (and Can’t) Do

Stress is your body’s alarm system. When something feels urgent, your brain tells your adrenal glands to release cortisol and adrenaline. Your heart beats faster, your breathing speeds up, and your focus narrows. That helps in short bursts. When the alarm stays on for weeks, it can throw off sleep, digestion, and mood.¹

A supplement won’t make a hard month easy. The right one supports your nervous system and a healthy stress response, so the daily load is easier to carry.*

The Best Supplements for Stress, by Ingredient

L-Theanine for Calm Without Drowsiness

In a randomized trial, this amino acid from tea leaves supported relaxation and eased everyday stress without making people sleepy.²

Magnesium for Tension

Magnesium helps muscles and nerves work. Research suggests it may help people who feel stressed or tense, especially when their intake is low.³

Ashwagandha for Healthy Cortisol Levels

In small clinical trials, stressed adults who took ashwagandha had lower cortisol and lower perceived stress than adults on placebo.⁷

Rhodiola for Stamina

Rhodiola and other adaptogens help the body adapt to stress and may support focus and energy when stress drags on.⁴

B Vitamins for the Basics

Your body uses B vitamins to make energy and keep the nervous system running. In a review of trials, B-vitamin supplements supported lower stress in healthy adults.⁵

Magnesium and Calming Herbs for Winding Down

Poor sleep and stress feed each other, so magnesium in the evening can help you wind down before bed.*

Cortisol Supplements: What They Do

Cortisol isn’t the enemy. It wakes you up, keeps you alert, and helps manage blood sugar. The trouble starts when it stays high for too long. Good cortisol supplements support a healthy daily rhythm. They don’t push the number as low as it will go.*

Ashwagandha has the most research behind it.⁷ Licorice root changes how the body breaks down cortisol, which is why Licorice Plus® pairs it with ashwagandha. Licorice isn’t safe for everyone, so use it with practitioner guidance. Whatever you take, steady sleep, regular movement, and time outside do the most to keep cortisol in check.¹

What Cortisol Supplements Can’t Do

• Replace the basics: Sleep, movement, daylight, and time with people you trust still come first.¹
• Treat anxiety, depression, or any mental health condition: Mental health supplements support everyday wellbeing. They are not treatment.
• Mix safely with every medication: Some calming ingredients interact with antidepressants, sedatives, thyroid medication, or blood pressure medication. Check with your healthcare provider before you start.

If stress, worry, or low mood makes it hard to get through the day for more than a couple of weeks, talk with a healthcare provider. Effective treatment is available. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7.^1,6

How to Choose: Match the Supplement to Your Goal

The best stress relief supplement is the one built for the kind of stress you actually feel. Start with your goal, then match the ingredients.

Tips for Getting Started

• Start with one product at a time so you can tell what is working.
• Take it consistently. Daily formulas like magnesium and B vitamins work best as a routine, while as-needed formulas are made for stressful moments.
• Read the cautions. Some calming ingredients are not right during pregnancy or with certain medications.
• Pair it with a habit. A short walk, a screen-free wind-down, or a few slow breaths can make any supplement routine more effective.¹