What Are The Best Supplements For Anxiety?
Looking for the best supplements for anxiety? You’re in the right place! We’re living in stressful times, there’s no getting around that fact. But if you’re like the other 6 in 100 people in England suffering from generalised anxiety disorder, you’re probably looking for something that will help.
We’ve all heard the usual suggestions… meditation, exercise, therapy… they can all make a difference, but they take time, energy and effort. And those can be in short supply when you’re battling with anxiety day in, day out!
The good news is that there are supplements that can reduce the symptoms of anxiety and help you to feel better, with minimal effort required.
Have you heard of medicinal mushrooms? These fantastic fungi are just one of several natural and powerful supplements that can help combat anxiety and all the symptoms that go with it.
In this blog, we’re going to show you exactly how Lion’s Mane - and other natural supplements - can combat anxiety at its root.
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What Does Anxiety Feel Like?
It’s sad, but many people are struggling with anxiety and still not getting the support they need.
In the UK alone, there are over 8 million people experiencing an anxiety disorder. That means tonnes of people plodding on through their day even though they’re feeling immense symptoms that can be extremely scary and disruptive to their normal lives.
Symptoms include:
- Heart palpitations
- Sense of doom
- Intense worry sometimes without explanation
- Tiredness
- Dizziness
- Restlessness
- Panic attacks and phobias in some cases
- Hypervigilance
- Feeling on edge
It might surprise you that although anxiety can have such an impact, less than 50% of people with generalised anxiety disorder ever get access to treatment.
The issue is letting those millions of people know what they can do to help themselves, as for some reason anxiety in all its forms is still pretty taboo. Even when an estimated 822,000 workers are affected by work-related stress, depression or anxiety every year.
The answer? Well, we think it’s important to start by spreading the science-backed info on treatment options.
Common Treatments For Anxiety
You’d think the best treatment for anxiety would be to just… not do things that make you anxious? Right? But it’s a much more complicated disorder than that. When you’re suffering from anxiety, it usually isn’t circumstantial. Meaning you can’t run away from it!
Everyone suffers from it in a slightly different way, with different triggers and aggravators - so it can be pretty difficult to find a treatment that works for your individual symptoms.
There are several medications that are provided for anxiety disorders, but the most common one is something called a Benzodiazepine (or Benzo, if you’re a trendy millennial). This usually takes the form of Diazepam in the UK and is seen as only a short-term helper for managing the worst of your symptoms when they occur.
Put simply, these are drugs that try to calm your brain and nervous system, treating your immediate anxious feelings, but not resolving the underlying cause of those feelings. This means when you stop taking the medication, the symptoms will more than likely return.
According to a 2018 study, Benzos are particularly addictive, even though they’re highly prescribed for anxiety disorders. They also have a list as long as your arm of side effects and risks, so are they really your best option?
Much like SSRIs - the other most commonly prescribed drug for anxiety disorders - Benzos don’t often solve the root problem, and the brain can become used to the medication making them less effective over time.
Sounds like an impossible situation right? Actually, many people respond well to treatment for anxiety without a prescription of medication. Combining a bit of mental health support with top-notch holistic therapies seems to do the trick for a lot of anxiety sufferers.
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The Root Causes Of Anxiety
You can’t start to resolve the symptoms you are facing if you don’t know the big causes of your anxiety.
A lot of the time, the symptoms of anxiety are there because something else is going on in your body. It’s hard to tell where the feelings are coming from, since a super common part of generalised anxiety disorder is getting anxious for no exact reason!
It can be difficult to pinpoint the cause of anxiety but if it is due to a physical factor, it’s likely one of the usual suspects like…
Wonky Blood Sugars
This just means your blood sugar levels are often inconsistent, or go up and down throughout the day. Unfortunately, that can lead to a negative effect on your mood and general quality of life.
Iffy Gut Microbiome
If the microorganisms that live in your intestines go to the dark side because of food intolerances or gut diseases, it can negatively impact your brain function in a huge range of ways.
Unhelpful Inflammation
Inflammation of any kind can make its way to the brain and make it more difficult for your brain to regulate your mood levels, leading to anxiety symptoms.
Unchecked Deficiencies
Low Zinc, low B12 and low iron are common culprits for causing anxiety, as well as impairment of an important regulating process called Methylation.
A Problematic Thyroid
There’s a thyroid receptor for every cell found in your body, so if your thyroid is experiencing problems, your whole body will too.
Unhappy Hormones
If you have an imbalance of progesterone, oestrogen and cortisol, anxiety can be triggered, and this can often be connected to menopause, pregnancy and menstruation in women.
Natural Treatments To Combat Anxiety
If you have anxiety you don’t have to rely on your own gumption to get through it. There are plenty of natural supplements and herbs that have proven positive effects.
Some popular supplements include;
Magnesium
This guy is like the Superman of anti-anxiety minerals and vitamins. It stimulates melatonin and serotonin, which are the hormones responsible for mood and sleep regulation. Magnesium supplements support your immune function and reduce oxidative stress (being overloaded with toxins), so you can sit back and let Magnesium do the heavy lifting.
L-Theanine
Sounds kind of like a rapper you should know about, but it’s actually an amino acid that can help ease anxiety and stress. There are heaps of studies showing this amino acid can support your mental function and reduce stress responses, even while taking just 200-400mg of it daily.
Vitamin D, C, B12 & b6
There’s a very obvious connection between low Vitamin D and the prevalence of anxiety. Same goes for Vitamin C! B12 and B6 can cause dangerous symptoms including severe anxiety and panic if they’re low. So take those multivitamins pronto.
Zinc & Taurine
Supplementing your diet with extra Zinc and Taurine can directly support your GABA levels, which are responsible for sending messages throughout your brain and body. Good levels of GABA mean a healthier brain and less chance of anxiety.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
These fatty acids have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect on both the gut and the brain, which can be particularly useful in reducing anxiety levels.
CBD
Cannabinoids - the type that don’t make you high but still give you the health benefits - have proven themselves extremely useful in battling inflammation and anxiety symptoms.
Ashwagandha & Other Herbs
This incredible herb has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine and has been used to successfully treat the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Other anxiety-combatting herbs include Chamomile, Valerian and Lemon Balm.
The options for natural medicines go on and on, but we can’t go without mentioning our absolute favourite anxiety reducer, Lion’s Mane.
How Lion’s Mane Reduces Anxiety
That brings us to the star of the show. The natural, powerful supplement that’s transforming lives and revolutionising the way we treat anxiety in the West. Lion’s Mane Mushrooms.
But what is Lion’s Mane? How does it work? Is it safe?
This mighty mushroom is an especially useful medicinal mushroom. It contains some pretty impressive nootropic properties that allow it to travel through the blood-brain barrier. That means it can give you all its benefits without any of the freaky psychedelic effects you might think of when you hear about mushrooms.
Here’s why we love Lion’s Mane supplements for reducing anxiety for good…
Improves Focus And Lowers Stress
When it comes to anxiety, focusing can be your biggest enemy. Lion’s Mane has proven especially helpful for improving concentration levels. In a 2020 study, people reported a clear improvement in their general thinking power after taking Lion’s Mane supplements daily.
Improves Neurogenesis
Neurogenesis is a science-y way of saying growth of neural tissue. If you can imagine your brain is a huge road system, Lion’s Mane is the roadworks truck filling in potholes and building new, faster roadways.
Supports A Healthy Sleep Cycle
Anyone with anxiety can tell you they’ve lost a lot of sleep to worry and restlessness. Lion’s Mane can improve these hallmark symptoms of sleeplessness or poor sleep. Studies suggest it can improve sleep disorders as well as improve your circadian rhythm, so this is one shroom you don’t want to miss at bedtime.
Lion’s Mane Mushrooms can have a hugely positive impact on anxiety and depression. If you’d like to learn more about exactly HOW Lion’s Mane helps, read our previous blog “Can Lion’s Mane Cure Anxiety & Depression” here now…
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Want To Reduce Your Anxiety With Medicinal Mushrooms?
No one wants to deal with anxiety, especially when it’s impacting your life. If you’re ready to try some natural treatments with science-backed results, take a look at our high-quality Lion’s Mane capsules and see how they can help reduce your anxiety.
