>

Top Picks — Stress & Anxiety

🧘 Best Stress & Anxiety Supplements

Adaptogens, GABAergic botanicals, and clinically-validated cortisol-reducing ingredients for daily stress management and anxiety relief.

87 ingredients reviewed Ranked by clinical evidence

← All Categories

Top 5 — Ranked by Evidence

Stress, anxiety, and mood

RDA 310–420 mg/day; therapeutic 200–400 mg elemental Mg/day. Glycinate/malate for sle

Bacopa Monnieri

Anxiety and stress reduction without sedation

300–450 mg/day of 55% bacoside-standardized extract; effects require 8–12 weeks of co

Stress and Anxiety Relief

KSM-66® root extract: 300-600 mg/day (most stress/sleep trials). Shoden®: 120-240 mg/

Ocitum™ (Holy Basil / Tulsi for Stress)

37% reduction in perceived stress (vs 19% placebo)

Per Kemin product specification (typical adaptogenic dose 300-600 mg/day)

Phellodendron (Huang Bai)

Cortisol reduction in moderately stressed adults (Relora RCT)

RELORA® (Phellodendron + Magnolia): 250 mg × 3/day = 750 mg/day. PHELLODENDRON ALONE

📈 Fastest Growing Stress & Anxiety Ingredients

Concentrated branded actives delivering clinical results at lower doses than generic forms.

Shoden® (35% Withanolide Glycoside Ashwagandha)

59% anxiety reduction and 66% cortisol reduction at low dose

60 mg/day (low, clinically effective) to 120 mg/day (full dose).

Saffron Extract (Crocus sativus)

Anxiety and stress reduction

Depression: 30 mg/day standardized stigma extract. PMS: 15-30 mg/day. AMD: 20 mg/day.

Magtein® (Magnesium L-Threonate)

Stress and cognitive aging support

2 g/day (145 mg elemental magnesium); 1 g morning + 1 g evening.

🔬 Future Stress & Anxiety Ingredients to Watch

Lower current evidence but active research underway — these may become top picks within 2–3 years.

Venetron® (Rafuma / Apocynum venetum Leaf Extract)

Calming use is traditional, not tested here

Zensera™ (Lemon Balm Extract by Givaudan)

Calmness: the outcome the trial was built around, and missed

300 mg as a single dose, which is the only dose and schedule ever tested. Daily or long-term…

Zembrin® (Sceletium tortuosum)

Anxiety and stress reduction

8-25 mg/day Zembrin® (cognitive studies use 25 mg/day).

Asera™ (Standardized Ashwagandha — Withanolides + Oligosaccharides)

Stress and anxiety reduction

Manufacturer trial: 160 mg/day for 2 months. Ashwagandha stress trials generally use 250–600…

Recommended Stress & Anxiety Products

Heads up: NutraSmarts may earn a commission from purchases made through these links, at no extra cost to you. We curate these picks based on the same evidence we cite throughout the page. Full disclosure.

Real products featuring the best-evidenced stress & anxiety ingredients ranked above — chosen for clinically-studied forms and doses, third-party testing, and value. Match the supplement to your specific need.

Best for chronic generalized anxiety Amazon →

Thorne Ashwagandha (Shoden®)

Shoden® extract — 120 mg, root + leaf

Shoden® extract standardized to 35% withanolide glycosides — the most concentrated ashwagandha form clinically. Best evidence for cortisol reduction and HPA-axis modulation in chronic stress patterns. Effects build over 4-8 weeks of daily use — suitable for ongoing background anxiety, not acute situations. Thorne is the most-trusted clinical brand.

Best for acute situational stress Amazon →

Thorne L-Theanine

Pure L-theanine — 200 mg

L-Theanine takes effect within 30-40 minutes — making it ideal for situational anxiety before public speaking, important meetings, exams, or social events. Promotes alpha brain wave activity for calm focus without sedation or drowsiness. 200 mg matches the clinical trial dose. NSF Certified for Sport (tested for 200+ banned substances).

Best for 'wired but tired' / HPA exhaustion Amazon →

Organics Ocean Magnesium Glycinate (ChelaMax)

Fully-reacted Magnesium Bisglycinate Chelate

Magnesium glycinate is foundational for the 'wired but tired' anxiety pattern — overstimulated nervous system combined with depleted energy reserves. Uses fully-reacted magnesium bisglycinate chelate (most commercial 'glycinate' is actually buffered oxide). Calming without sedation. Best taken daily over several weeks for HPA-axis recovery.

Best for sleep-disrupting anxiety Amazon →

Sports Research Pure Saffron (affron®)

affron® saffron extract — 30 mg

affron® saffron extract has growing clinical evidence specifically for mood + sleep onset when anxiety interferes with falling asleep. Different mechanism than ashwagandha — saffron acts on serotonin and dopamine pathways. The 30 mg dose matches clinical research. Particularly useful for users whose anxiety is most disruptive at night or who experience anxiety-driven insomnia.

All Stress & Anxiety Ingredients (88)

Stress, anxiety, and mood

RDA 310–420 mg/day; therapeutic 200–400 mg elemental Mg/day. Glycinate/malate for sle

Bacopa Monnieri

Anxiety and stress reduction without sedation

300–450 mg/day of 55% bacoside-standardized extract; effects require 8–12 weeks of co

Stress and Anxiety Relief

KSM-66® root extract: 300-600 mg/day (most stress/sleep trials). Shoden®: 120-240 mg/

Ocitum™ (Holy Basil / Tulsi for Stress)

37% reduction in perceived stress (vs 19% placebo)

Per Kemin product specification (typical adaptogenic dose 300-600 mg/day)

Phellodendron (Huang Bai)

Cortisol reduction in moderately stressed adults (Relora RCT)

RELORA® (Phellodendron + Magnolia): 250 mg × 3/day = 750 mg/day. PHELLODENDRON ALONE

Stress and Cortisol Balance

300–600 mg/day KSM-66® root extract (5% withanolides); 300 mg twice daily or 600 mg o

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Lower anxiety ratings in randomized trials

80 mg/day Silexan® oral lavender oil for anxiety/sleep; aromatherapy: 2–4% lavender e

Magnesium Glycinate (Bisglycinate)

Sleep Quality and Stress

200–400 mg elemental magnesium/day; for sleep typically 200–300 mg 30–60 min before b

Bacopin® (Bacopa monnieri Extract — Sabinsa)

Anxiolytic / calming nootropic

100-300 mg/day Bacopin standardized extract, typically split into 1-2 daily doses wit

Saffron Extract (Crocus sativus)

Anxiety and stress reduction

Depression (most-studied): 30 mg/day standardized stigma extract × 6-8 weeks. PMS: 15

Sensoril® (Ashwagandha Extract — Verdure/Natreon)

Stress Reduction

125-500 mg/day Sensoril (research-validated; stress applications often 250 mg/day)

Shoden® (35% Withanolide Glycoside Ashwagandha)

59% anxiety reduction and 66% cortisol reduction at low dose

60 mg/day (low dose, clinically effective) to 120 mg/day (full dose); dramatically lo

Bifidobacterium longum

Stress reduction and emotional regulation (psychobiotic effects)

1–10 billion CFU/day; 1714 strain studies use 1 billion CFU/day for psychobiotic effe

Kava (Piper methysticum)

Calm and everyday stress support

60–280 mg/day kavalactones; anxiety: 70–280 mg/day; most RCTs use 70–240 mg/day stand

Magtein® (Magnesium L-Threonate)

Stress and cognitive aging support

2g/day Magtein® (145 mg elemental magnesium); taken as 1g morning + 1g evening; 6-wee

St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum)

Anxiety and stress reduction

300 mg three times daily (900 mg/day) standardized to 0.3% hypericin; some extracts s

Promotes Relaxation Without Sedation

100–400 mg/day; relaxation: 200 mg; caffeine synergy: 100–200 mg with caffeine; sleep

CBD (Cannabidiol)

Anxiety and Stress Relief

15–300 mg/day depending on application; anxiety: 25–75 mg/day; sleep: 25–50 mg/day; s

Alpha-Lactalbumin

Improved mood and reduced cortisol in stress-vulnerable adults

EVENING: 20 g 60-90 min pre-bed. DAYTIME: 20 g stress-vulnerable. EXERCISE: 20-30 g p

Asera™ (Ashwagandha)

Stress and anxiety reduction

Bifidobacterium longum 1714 (Zenflore™ / 1714-Serenitas™)

Subjective stress reduction in healthy adults

Standard dose: 1 billion CFU (1×10⁹) once daily as Zenflore™ or 1714-Serenitas™. Tria

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

300-500 mg/day standardized extract; tea 1-2 g dried herb per cup; tincture 1-4 mL th

Zembrin® (Sceletium tortuosum)

Anxiety and stress reduction

8–25 mg/day Zembrin®; anxiety/mood: 8–25 mg/day; cognitive studies use 25 mg/day; eff

Zenroot® (Low-Dose Bioavailable Ashwagandha Root Extract — OmniActive)

Lower stress scores, in trials of plain ashwagandha

125 mg/day Zenroot (used in both 2025 published trials). The bioavailability advantag

BaCognize® (Standardized Bacopa monnieri — Verdure Sciences)

Anxiolytic effects

300 mg/day BaCognize, typically 150 mg twice daily (Kumar 2016 dosing schedule). Some

GABARelax® (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid)

Commonly around 100 to 200 mg per day.

Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Jiaogulan / Southern Ginseng)

Anxiety in stressed adults: one placebo-controlled trial

Standardized extract: 200-450 mg twice daily (containing standardized gypenosides). W

Phosphatidylserine

Stress and mood — limited evidence

Cognitive (elderly): 100-300 mg/day. Athletic (cortisol): 600-800 mg/day × 10-15 days

Stress and fatigue reduction

200–600 mg/day standardized extract; taken before meals

SOD B Dimpless® (Melon Superoxide Dismutase)

Stress and fatigue

Around 10 mg (about 140 IU of SOD) per day.

Bluenesse® (Lemon Balm Extract — Vital Solutions)

Calm, focused cognition

Around 300 mg per day.

Stress and Mood Improvement

200–400 mg/day standardized extract (ginsenosides ≥4–7%); American ginseng: 100–200 m

Hops (Humulus lupulus)

Anxiety / Calming Effects

200-500 mg/day standardized extract; commonly combined with 200-600 mg valerian for s

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

Anxiety and Stress Reduction

300-600 mg/day standardized extract; tea 1.5-4.5 g dried herb per cup; tincture 2-3 m

Sage Extract / Cognivia® (Salvia officinalis)

Mood and reduced anxiety

COGNIVIA®: 600 mg/day (400 mg S. officinalis aqueous + 50 µL S. lavandulaefolia oil).

Anxiety reduction

300–600 mg extract 30–60 minutes before bedtime

CALMaluma™ (Caralluma fimbriata for Stress)

Anxiety and stress reduction, one trial

Per Saanroo product specification

Vanizem® (Grains of Paradise Stress + Sleep + Mood)

Tension and stress scores over a 3 day trial

Per Vanizem® clinical dosing specifications from PLT Health Solutions; fast-acting fo

Afobazole (Fabomotizole)

Studied for anxiety symptoms in a Russian comparative trial

RUSSIAN PHASE III: 30 mg/day (10 mg × 3) × 30 days. CV ANXIETY: 30-60 mg/day × 6 week

EverZen™ (Stress and Mental Wellbeing - Nutrition 21)

Cortisol stabilization (stress hormone modulation)

Per Nutrition 21 EverZen product specification

Cognitive performance under stress and sleep deprivation

500–2,000 mg/day; cognitive/stress: 100–150 mg/kg before demanding tasks (military/hi

Lactium® (Alpha-Casozepine Milk Peptide)

Faster stress recovery in healthy adults

STANDARD: 150-300 mg Lactium®/day (AM/PM split or evening for sleep). 4-WK INSOMNIA R

Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 + Bifidobacterium longum R0175 (Probio'Stick® / Cerebiome®)

Overall distress and cortisol in healthy volunteers (one trial)

3 billion CFU per sachet daily for 30 days (Probio'Stick® / Cerebiome®). Longer proto

RiaGev-FEM® (Cortisol Reduction for Women — Bioenergy Life Science)

Lower waking salivary cortisol over one week

Per BLS RiaGev-FEM product specification

Supresa® (Appetite and Crave Control)

Stress-related overeating mechanism

Per Supresa® clinical dosing specifications; PLT Health Solutions product data

AlphaWave® L-Theanine (NutriScience)

Calm without drowsiness

100 to 200 mg per day, taken as needed for calm focus or before sleep.

BacoMind® (Bacopa monnieri Extract — Natural Remedies)

Stress and calm focus

About 300 mg per day, typically taken for 8 to 12 weeks for cognitive effects.

Bromantane (Ladasten)

Anxiolytic + stimulant unique combination

RUSSIAN APPROVED (asthenia): 50-100 mg/day morning × 28 days. NOOTROPIC: 25-50 mg/day

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)

Studied in adults with generalized anxiety disorder

270–1,500 mg/day dried flower extract; anxiety: 500 mg–1,500 mg/day standardized extr

Cognigrape® (Vitis vinifera Grape Extract)

Anxiety symptoms

PIVOTAL: 250 mg/day Cognigrape® × 12 wk single daily dose. 2024 FOLLOW-UP: 250 mg/day

Eleuthero / Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus)

Adaptogenic Stress Resilience

300-1,200 mg/day standardized extract; root powder 1-3 g/day

GABACare® (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid)

Commonly around 100 to 200 mg per day.

Hōlistiq™ (Adaptogen + Mushroom Wellness Blend)

Stress resilience and HPA axis normalization

Per product label; typical adaptogen blend 300–800mg/day; mushroom component 500mg–2g

Phenibut (β-Phenyl-GABA / Noofen)

Anxiolytic effects (Russian regulatory approval)

RUSSIAN APPROVED CLINICAL DOSE: 250-500 mg 3×/day (750-1,500 mg/day total). Half-life

Poria cocos / Wolfiporia cocos (Fu Ling / Hoelen / Tuckahoe)

Poria plus Ziziphus plus GABA blend, 4-week trial in 70 adults

INSOMNIA: 800 mg ethanol extract nightly (21-adult polysomnography study). SLEEP COMB

Schisandra Chinensis (Five-Flavor Berry)

Adaptogenic Stress Resilience

500-2,000 mg/day extract (standardized to schisandrin content); berry powder 1-6 g/da

PeakO2® (Adaptogenic Mushroom Blend)

Immune and stress claims have no cited study behind them

1–4g/day for ongoing use; 4g/day for clinical performance benefits (21-day loading);

SalidroPure™ (Pure Salidroside)

Stress hormone regulation

3–5 mg/day pure salidroside (equivalent to ~500 mg 1% standardized Rhodiola extract)

Serenzo® (Sweet Orange Extract for Stress — Nexira)

Around 500 mg per day.

May Promote Subjective Relaxation

ACUTE relaxation/sleep onset: 100-200 mg single dose (PharmaGABA® trials). SLEEP QUAL

Honokiol (Magnolia officinalis Bark)

Lower anxiety scores in a small pilot of healthy women (two-herb blend)

Purified honokiol: 250 mg 1-2 times daily. Relora® (magnolia + phellodendron combinat

Generalized anxiety disorder vs medazepam (pivotal)

RUSSIAN APPROVED (intranasal): 2700 μg/day in 2-3 doses. NOOTROPIC: 250-500 μg/dose,

Bifidobacterium adolescentis

GABA production and gut-brain anxiolytic potential

SLEEP (SBT2786): 1×10⁹ to 1×10¹⁰ CFU/day × 4+ wk. MOOD/STRESS (PRL2019): 1×10⁹ CFU/da

B-Complex (Combined B Vitamins)

Stress and Mood Support

1× RDA (basic) to 5-10× RDA (high-potency) of each B vitamin; varies by product

Stress and cortisol modulation

Standard dose: 100-400 mg/day standardized root extract. Most clinical trials use 200

Holy Basil (Tulsi)

Stress and anxiety symptom relief

300–600 mg/day dried leaf extract; 1–2 g/day whole leaf powder

MonaJuventa™ Nu

Stress and sleep support

100 mg/day for 12 weeks

Reishi Mushroom

Stress adaptation and sleep

1.5–9 g/day whole mushroom powder; 1–1.5 g/day standardized extract

Stress and anxiety reduction

50–200 mg/day; 100–200 mg for relaxation/focus; 50 mg for caffeine stacking

Venetron® (Rafuma / Apocynum venetum Mood & Sleep)

Calming use is traditional, not tested here

50 mg/day Venetron® (Apocynum venetum standardized extract); clinical dose used in pu

Anxiolytic / Calming Effects

50-100 mg/day common in longevity stacks (Bryan Johnson protocol uses 50 mg/day); cha

Coluracetam (BCI-540 / MKC-231)

Choline uptake enhancement — including damaged neurons

BrainCells PHASE IIa: 240 mg/day (80 mg × 3). NOOTROPIC: 5-80 mg per dose, 1-3×/day.

Stress and anxiety: only tested combined with arginine

500–3,000 mg/day; herpes suppression: 1,000–3,000 mg/day during outbreaks, 500–1,500

Magnolia Bark (Hou Po / Magnolia officinalis)

Short-Term Anxiety: One Small Pilot Trial of a Two-Herb Combination

200-800 mg/day standardized extract (typically 1-2% magnolol + honokiol, or specifica

Picamilon (N-Nicotinoyl-GABA)

Anxiety with mild stimulating profile (Russian indication)

RUSSIAN APPROVED: 50 mg 3×/day (150 mg/day). CEREBROVASCULAR: 100-300 mg/day. ANXIETY

SerinAid® (Phosphatidylserine — Chemi Nutra)

Stress and cortisol (not measured in the cited study)

100 to 300 mg per day; 300 mg/day is common in cognition studies.

Zensera™ (Stress-Cognitive Ingredient by Givaudan)

Calmness: the outcome the trial was built around, and missed

Per Zensera™ clinical dosing from Givaudan; single-dose acute benefits confirmed in R

Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus / Xeya®)

Stress and HPA axis support

500-1,000 mg/day standardized root extract. Lactation: 300 mg twice daily. PCOS (CL22

Aniracetam (Ro 13-5057)

Anxiolytic effects (animal studies; only anecdotal human reports)

AD RCT: 1500 mg/day × 6 mo. STANDARD: 750-1500 mg/day in 2-3 doses with meals. NOOTRO

Apigenius® (Apigenin)

Relaxation and sleep

Commonly around 50 mg per day, often before bed.

Eurycomanone (Tongkat Ali Quassinoid)

Cortisol and stress: not measured in the cited research

Physta® 200-400 mg/day; LJ100® 100-200 mg/day; purified eurycomanone 50-200 mg/day. T

Probiotics (Multi-strain Blends)

Strain-specificity principle in probiotic evidence

1–10 billion CFU/day maintenance; up to 50 billion CFU/day therapeutic

Codonopsis pilosula (Dang Shen / Poor Man's Ginseng)

Traditional use for tiredness, with no human trial of Codonopsis alone

TCM TYPICAL: 9-15 g/day root decoction. oncology adjunct: oral liquid (approved Chine

Mexidol (Ethylmethylhydroxypyridine Succinate)

Hemispheric ischemic stroke (EPICA RCT)

MIR 2024 STROKE PROTOCOL: 500 mg IV 2×/day × 10 days, then Mexidol FORTE 250 mg PO 3×

Pfaffia paniculata / Hebanthe eriantha (Brazilian Ginseng / Suma)

Traditional adaptogenic use

Traditional: 500-1,500 mg root powder daily. Standardized extracts: dose varies by pr

Semax (ACTH 4-7 PGP)

Acute ischemic stroke treatment (Russian regulatory approval)

STROKE (Russian approved): 12-18 mg/day intranasal in 3-6 doses × 10-14 days. NOOTROP

Phenylpiracetam (Phenotropil / Carphedon)

Studied only in stroke patients, not in healthy people

RUSSIAN: 100-200 mg/day divided morning + early afternoon. STROKE/TBI: 200-400 mg/day