Introduction: Natural Techniques and Supplements for Anxiety or Stress
Natural techniques and supplements for anxiety or stress are useful to help alleviate the symptoms and are more safe than medication. Anxiety is a normal reaction of tension, fear, frustration, worry or anger resulting in body responses of fast heart rate, palpitations, fast breathing, shaking, sweating, and dry mouth. Anxiety in small amounts is helpful in completing of important tasks. Occurrence or anticipation of an event may provoke anxiety in response to a stimulus. There are several drugs to be aware of that may result in making anxiety worse. These include caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, cold medicines (example: pseudoephedrine), asthma medicines (example: albuterol), thyroid medication (examples: Synthroid, levothyroxine), amphetamines, and cocaine. Adequate sleep, exercise and use of self-coping methods are a start to relieve anxiety. Excessive recurrent anxiety can result in disorders such as chronic anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Yoga as a Natural Technique for Anxiety or Stress
Yoga may be used as an effective intervention for those suffering from anxiety and stress. A meta-analysis of 13 randomized controlled trials examining yoga for patients with cancer, specifically breast cancer patients, found yoga was associated with reduced stress, anxiety, depression, and fatigue. Furthermore, among participants, yoga moderately increased quality of life, emotional and social function, and functional well-being. Physical function and sleep were not significantly affected. (1)
In a study of 65 women with symptoms of depression and anxiety, scientists discovered that attending a twice-weekly 90-minute yoga class for two months led to a significant decrease in anxiety. (2)
Authors investigated yoga’s effectiveness as a migraine therapy in 72 patients suffering from migraine headaches. For 3 months, the patients either practiced yoga on a regular basis or continued with their usual self-care. By the study’s end, members of the yoga group had experienced a significantly greater decrease in migraine intensity, frequency, and duration compared to the self-care group. What’s more, the yoga-practicing participants reported less anxiety and depression than the other study members and better functional status and used less medication. (3)
Music for Anxiety or Stress:
Listening to music is one of the natural techniques for anxiety or stress. Music is known to relieve anxiety responses by the body. Bradt J et al studied stress and anxiety in a review study which included 23 randomized controlled trials and 1461 subjects. Various studies showed a moderate reduction of anxiety in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) when listening to music, but results were mixed and not all consistent. Music listening was found to reduce heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure pain and anxiety in patients with CHD. (4)
Apple Juice for Anxiety or Stress
Try apple juice as one of the natural techniques and supplements for anxiety or stress. After 21 institutionalized patients with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease consumed two 4-oz glasses of apple juice a day for a month, their caregivers reported no change in the patients’ Dementia Rating Scale or their day-to-day abilities. However, behavioral and psychotic symptoms (anxiety, agitation, and delusion) associated with their dementia (as quantified by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory), improved by approximately 27%. (5)
Natural Supplements May Relieve Anxiety or Stress
A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study has evaluated de-oiled gourd seed as one of the supplements for anxiety or stress. Gourd seed is a rich source of tryptophan with approximately 22 mg/g protein. This has been tried as a treatment for social phobia in 7 adults randomized to either (a) protein-source tryptophan (deoiled gourd seed) in combination with carbohydrate or (b) carbohydrate alone. Results showed a significant improvement on an objective measure of anxiety among participants taking protein-source tryptophan from deoiled gourd seed with carbohydrate. Carbohydrate alone resulted in no benefit on social phobia. (6)
Lemon Balm Supplement for Palpitations, Anxiety or Stress
Alijaniha et al (7) performed a randomized double blind clinical trial on 55 volunteers taking lemon balm extract compared to another group taking a bread crumb placebo. The supplement was an aqueous extract of lemon balm leaves at a dose of 500 mg twice daily. The volunteers were followed while taking the supplement for anxiety, stress, and palpitations. The researchers then followed how often palpitations occurred in both groups for 2 weeks.
Symptoms |
Lemon Balm Group |
Placebo Group |
|
number of patients with anxiety |
42.8% less anxiety | 18.1% less anxiety |
| frequency of palpitations episodes | 36.8% fewer episodes |
4.2% fewer episodes |
Adapted from Alijaniha et al (7)
As you can see in the chart above, the lemon balm group experienced less anxiety and fewer number of palpitations episodes than the placebo group. There were no side effects reported. According to the authors, “Lyophilized aqueous extract of M. officinalis leaves may be a proper and safe herbal drug for the treatment of benign palpitations.”
Theanine Supplements for Anxiety or Stress
Theanine is one of the supplements for anxiety or stress present often isolated from green or black tea. Theanine is present in tea at about 25 mg per cup, but has been researched at doses of 200-400 mg daily in tablet form. Unno et al (8) found that subjective stress significantly improved in 5th year university students during pharmacy practice when theanine 200 mg twice daily was compared to placebo.
White et al (9) gave theanine at a dose of 200 mg along with small amounts of phosphatidylserine, alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine, and chamomile to 36 adults age 18-40. The subjects reported their degree of stress at 1 hour and 3 hours while completing a 4 part multi-tasking computer challenge. There was a significantly lower amount of stress reported by the theanine group compared to placebo at 1 hour but not at 3 hours. The theanine appears to improve stress at approximately 1 hour after ingestion. There was an approximate stress reduction of about 15% reported in the theanine group compared to placebo as represented in the graph to the right by White et al (9).
Lemon Balm Extract with L-Theanine for Anxiety or Stress
Life Extension claims that their “Natural Stress Relief” product has been clinically validated to promote sleep and relaxation. The research mentioned here does support lemon balm and L-theanine to have evidence of effectiveness in the doses included in this product. Furthermore, online reviews serve as testimonials that the product has helped many individuals.
Summary: Natural Techniques and Supplements for Anxiety or Stress
- Preparation for a stressful event or potentially stressful event may be the best treatment measure for anxiety prevention. During times of a forthcoming potentially stressful event, wean and avoid caffeine before the event, obtain adequate sleep and perform adequate exercise. Avoiding anxiety provoking medication. Yoga may be effective for tension relief which uses breathing techniques. Listening to music might reduce heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure pain and anxiety.
- A study showed apple juice may improved anxiety.
- One study using deoiled gourd seed relieved social phobia anxiety possibly from high content of tryptophan but safety is unknown and further confirmation studies are needed.
- Lemon balm extract at a dose of 500 mg oral twice daily appears to reduce anxiety and prevent fewer number of palpitations episodes than placebo with no reported side effects (7).
- Theanine at a dose of 200-400 mg appear to improve anxiety and stress response (8,9) in about 1 hour after ingestion (9). The anti-anxiety effects may wear off after about 3 hours.
