Many different herbs might help you to cope with stress or help to reduce the negative effects of stressful periods in your life. Some herbs support your body’s ability to cope with stressors, while others have sedative effects that can reduce anxiety related to stress. Before you begin taking an herbal medication for stress, consult your doctor to discuss the possible side effects, health risks and drug interactions of the herb.
Herbs
A wide variety of herbs can help relieve stress, including Asian and Siberian ginseng, bacopa, valerian, green tea, catnip, chamomile, lemon balm and kava kava, says the University of Maryland Medical Center. Rhodiola, ashwagandha and maca can also provide stress relief, notes the University of Michigan Health System. Other potential stress-relieving herbs include astragalus, maitake, shiitake and reishi mushrooms, suma, schisandra, and black tea, states the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. No widely accepted medical research has approved the use of any herbs for treating stress, however.
Function
You can take these herbal stress remedies for their adaptogenic, sedative or other stress-management effects. Asian and Siberian ginseng, as well as rhodiola, ashwagandha, astragalus, maitake, reishi, shiitake, schisandra and suma, act as “adaptogens,” meaning that they help your body cope with stress while supporting your immune system. Green tea has similar adaptogenic effects, as well as antioxidant properties. Kava kava, lemon balm and valerian are sedative-like herbs, while black tea’s main constituent, theaninem seems to have stress-combating actions.
Dosage
You might take 300 to 400 mg of Siberian ginseng extract or 100 to 200 mg of standardized Asian ginseng extract each day to help relieve stress, says the University of Maryland Medical Center. Alternatively, you might take 50 to 100 mg of bacopa extract three times daily or 250 to 500 mg of green tea extract each day. The typical recommended dosage of valerian is 150 mg taken two or three times daily, while the dosage of kava kava is 100 to 200 mg taken up to four times daily. Studied dosages of rhodiola extract have ranged from 100 mg to 555 mg per day, notes the University of Michigan Health System. Ask your physician about the dosage that’s right for you before taking any herbal stress medication.
Medical Evidence
Medical students who took 100 mg of rhodiola extract per day during stressful exams had improved well-being and mental performance than those who took a placebo, according to a double-blind study published in Phytomedicine in 2000. A 1982 study of nurses working night duty that was published in Comparative Medicine East and West found that taking Asian ginseng helped to relieve stress and fatigue, notes the University of Michigan Health System. Human studies published in 1969 and 1985 conducted by Russian scientists found that Siberian ginseng also has anti-stress effects. A double-blind study published in the journal Metabolism in 2005 determined that black tea’s theanine decreased physical and psychological stress, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. A three-month-long, double-blind study published in Pharmacopsychoecologia in 1990 found that an Ayurvedic formula containing bacopa helped to reduce stress symptoms like memory loss and decreased attention. Valerian combined with lemon balm might offer sedative and stress-relieving effects, according to a study published in Phytotherapy Research in 2006. Only animal studies have investigated the effects of maca and ashwagandha on stress. An animal study of maca that was published in Phytotherapy Research in 2004 discovered that the herb appears to treat the negative effects of stress, while another animal study on ashwagandha published in Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior in 2003 found that the herb can relieve the effects of chronic psychological stress.
Warnings
Kava kava might have the most serious potential health risks among these stress-relieving herbs. Kava kava can cause severe liver damage, so you should take it for only short periods of time and only under the close supervision of a doctor. If you take “blood-thinners” such as anticoagulant medications or diabetes medications, you shouldn’t take Asian ginseng, and valerian can interact with sedative drugs like barbiturates, benzodiazepines and narcotics. If you have hyperthyroidism, you should avoid taking ashwagandha due to the risk that the herb could increase your thyroid hormone levels. Black tea could cause dangerous interactions with certain drugs, such as MAOIs, stimulants such as Ritalin, as well as medications for treating acid reflux, ulcers, anxiety and insomnia. Other stress-relieving herbs may also have side effects, drug interactions and health dangers as well.
