Table of Contents
Precursor
The mental health memo for today is: yes, you can use natural supplements for mental health, but how effective they are and whether they’re going to be part of your healing journey is going to be very subjective. So, keep your mind and options open when considering ways of coping with mental health issues!
If you’re not a fan of prescription medication or you just want to try the natural route first, I’ve got you. In this article, I’m going to outline 6 of the most effective natural supplements you can use to improve your mental health. We’ll be covering anxiety, depression, energy, sleep, and more!
Sometimes we experience mental symptoms because of an over or underproduction of something in our bodies. For example, vitamin d deficiency has some correlations with depressive symptoms. In this case, something like a natural supplement may be incredibly beneficial. Potentially more so than prescription medicine for mental disorders.
Or, maybe your condition doesn’t feel severe enough to pursue prescription medication. For something to be labeled a mental health illness, it needs to persistent, consistent, and relatively debilitating.
However, if you just experience light acute anxiety, you may not need to take prescription medication but could instead benefit from a natural supplement instead.
Or, perhaps you simply do not subscribe to prescription medication due to your own beliefs and worldviews, but could still use some support in managing symptoms. Supplements for mental health can be great in this case scenario too.
There are many tools out there for managing and coping with mental health concerns, and natural supplements can definitely be an option if it’s something you’re interested in.
*This post contains affiliate links. That means I get a small percentage of money from the sale at no extra charge to you. However, I only post things I have already used or that I believe in and I put this money back into the blog & Youtube channel to continue making content :)*
2 Important Notes Before Starting This Article
- Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor, nor am I providing medical advice. I hold no responsibility for any consequences that arise from taking these supplements.Please always speak with your health care provider before you start any supplements or medication. These are simply suggestions based on my experiences and knowledge.
- While making this post, I realized that supplements vary a lot depending on the country you’re in. I’m from Canada, so a lot of the products I’ve tried and have been recommended are not found in the U.S or are much more expensive.In this case, I’ve provided products that have as similar of a profile as possible to the supplement I tried. I hope this way I make finding good supplements a bit more accessible.
With that out of the way, let’s get into some logistics!
What is Prescription Medication
Let’s first understand the difference between prescription medication and natural supplements before diving into their ongoing rivalry.
Oftentimes these drugs are prescription-only because they’re stronger, have more risks associated with them, or are very specific to certain illnesses. So for example, Advil which is a pain killer vs an opioid, also a pain killer. You’ll need to get a prescription for the latter.
Prescription medications are also regulated and researched by medical bodies and people within the medical field.
What is a Natural Supplement
Natural supplements are products that contain more or one vitamin, herb, enzyme, amino acids, or other ingredients, meant to supplement a person’s regular diet. You do not need a prescription for them though it is recommended that you speak to a health care provider before starting any.
They are also not always regulated by a medical body the way prescription medication is, however, there can be a lot of scientific, thorough research behind certain supplements to suggest their efficacy. Or, knowledge of natural healing remedies may be passed down between generations in some cases.
Natural Supplements vs Prescription Medication
Natural healing vs medical/western healing has always been an area of controversy and discussion. Some individuals believe fully in the healing properties of natural elements found on earth and consider prescription medication toxic and useless.
Alternatively, some people believe only in medication given by a doctor, and don’t want to use anything deemed “natural”.
I’m not here to take a side or to say one is better than the other. I think that people should look at all the information they can about both methods of healing and decide what makes the most sense to them. I also believe that both have their pros and cons.
One assumption that I find exists within both worlds is that their type of medicine is risk-free.
For example, people subscribed to natural ways of healing may think that because something is natural, it has to be safe. On the other hand, individuals in support of prescription medication may believe that since these drugs are backed by a lot of science, that they’re going to be risk-free.
However, I’m here to tell you that neither option is fully safe. It’s simply impossible for something to be completely risk-free for everyone.
So, please keep in mind that everyone’s beliefs and experiences are going to vary greatly, thus what works for you will be different than what helped someone else.
And as always, please check in with your health practitioner before starting anything to make sure it’s right for you.
Considering you’re here reading this article, I’m going to assume that you’d like to try natural supplements to address some mental health symptoms. So with that in mind, let’s just jump right into it!
1. Probiotics
This might come off as a surprise; at least it did to me. Why would supplements for gut health help my brain?
But recent studies have shown that good gut flora may help to reduce anxiety and depression because of the bidirectional relationship between the gut and brain.
On top of that, there is a huge chunk of serotonin receptors (yes, THAT happy neurotransmitter) in the GI tract. While it’s still unclear how exactly these receptors work in the GI, it opens up an interesting opportunity for further research. If so many of our serotonin receptors are there, what does that mean for gut health and our mental wellbeing?
Mental health aside, good gut health affects the overall quality of our physical health and can be the answer to a lot of different diseases. So if not for your brain, you should be taking probiotics to keep everything in your body running smoothly.
There are a few ways that you can get these probiotics. The options I’m going to share with you are based on a sheet my dietitian gave me that includes evidence-based ways to get probiotics.
One option is Activia Probiotic Yogourt (I do the lactose-free version as I’m lactose sensitive). It has great research behind it to suggest that it helps improve gut flora, but even better, it acts as a snack.
I like doing this option because it means I get some nutrients and fuel with my probiotics.
However, if you’re not a big yogourt person or you would prefer natural supplements over food, you can take probiotic supplements.
You want ideally 14+ unique strands in your probiotic supplement such as this Jamieson Probiotic below.
If you’re from the US, buy me here 🙂
If you’re from Canada, buy me here 🙂
And this may work for you, but I have lactose sensitivity and generally a very irritable stomach so my dietitian recommended this product instead:
If you’re from the US, buy me here 🙂
If you’re from Canada, buy me here 🙂
Both of these products are supported by scientific research as being effective, but the latter will be better for you if you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or sensitivities to lactose as a lot of probiotics are not lactose-free.
As I mentioned earlier, it seems certain products are more expensive on not available across certain countries. Both of these products are available in the U.S as well as other countries, but they’re a bit more expensive.
So, an alternative I found is the product below. It is similar to the previous products but significantly cheaper in certain countries like the U.S. I’d like to just note that unlike the previous options, I have not been recommended this specific product so I can’t back it up with a dietitian stamp of approval.
However, if money is an issue then you can definitely give this one a go!
You can buy me here 🙂
2. Gaba
Gaba is a neurotransmitter in our brain that is associated with feelings of calmness and happiness. As my psychopharmacology professor put it, Gaba is like the breaks of a car for our brain. It helps put a stop to overarousal and overstimulation.
A deficiency in it can lead to anxiety, epilepsy, and chronic pain. Thus, taking a Gaba supplement can be a potential solution.
It’s important to note that the research is mixed about whether taking Gaba as a supplement is actually helpful for anxiety or not. Again, that is why it’s important to talk to a health professional as well as do your own research.
I personally used to take Gaba, but not as a daily supplement. Instead, I took it when I felt a panic attack coming on.
I found that it helped to simmer down any anxiety that was about to boil over, and it calmed me down a bit. However, sometimes it wasn’t enough and I’d have still need to use my prescription of Lorazepam instead.
I took it as an emergency tool for when I started feeling the onset of a panic attack for over a year, but at a certain point, I grew a tolerance to it. I tried taking it as a daily supplement instead for some time but I found it didn’t do much for me. That may be because at that point I had grown too strong of a tolerance.
However, that doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. And in fact, I still take it on and off whenever I’m trying to taper off prescription medication like Lorazepam.
Below is the exact Gaba I would take. It’s chew-able and tastes like candy which is helpful when you’re having a panic attack.
I would take one when I started feeling anxious, wait 10 minutes and then take another if I didn’t feel better.
If I still ended up getting a panic attack after taking the Gaba, I’d take my prescription medicine as mentioned earlier.
If you’re from the U.S, the exact supplement I used isn’t available. Alternatively, you can get this supplement. It’s chewable just like the one I used, and the dose is actually a little higher which may be good if you have a lot of anxiety. Buy it here 🙂
If you’d prefer not to get a chewable supplement, you can try this one instead. It’s a similar dose and formula to the previous options but it’s a capsule form.
If you’re in Canada, buy it here 🙂
If you’re in the U.S, buy it here 🙂
3. Melatonin
I think everyone and their grandma knows about Melatonin by now but I thought I should mention it just in case.
A very important part of melatonin is that it’s not addictive and it’s simply creating more of a natural hormone already found in your body. This can make it a better alternative to typically addictive sleeping pills that might make you dependent.
Obviously, if melatonin isn’t enough for you, then you may need to take those stronger pills. However, it’s good to give it a try before moving onto these stronger drugs.
I could probably do a whole series of articles about sleep and its importance, but for the purposes of this post, I’ll keep it short.
Sleep is your body’s time to recover in full capacity on every front; physically, cognitively, emotionally, psychologically. This rejuvenation allows you to be able to function to the best of your ability the following day, as well as recover from the previous day.
By getting better sleep you’ll have more energy, be in a better mood, have less anxiety/stress, recover from physical injuries faster, be more productive, and much more.
It’s important to also note that there are 2 components of high-quality sleep:
- Getting enough sleep
- Experiencing deep, quality sleep
If you sleep for 12 hours but you’re restless and waking up every 2 hours, you’ll feel just as exhausted as a person that only got 3 hours of sleep.
Luckily, melatonin helps on both these fronts which is why it’s a great natural way to enhance sleeping patterns.
Below are a few recommendations for different melatonin-types depending on your needs.
If you’re new to melatonin:
If you’ve never had melatonin before, you’ll want to start on a smaller dose before making your way up to higher doses. If you find they’re not strong enough, you can just take more of them until you reach a dose that works for you. The smallest amount of melatonin you can get on the market is currently 3mg.
If you’re from Canada, buy me here 🙂
If you’re from the U.S, buy me here 🙂
If you have a hard time FALLING asleep:
If you struggle with actually getting to sleep and want something to knock you out faster, then the sublingual tablets will be better for you. By putting it under your tongue, the melatonin gets into your bloodstream faster and therefore takes effect quicker vs having to go through first-pass metabolism.
This is the Canadian option: buy it here! 🙂
This is the American option: buy it here! 🙂
If you have a hard time STAYING asleep:
Are you able to fall asleep easily but end up waking up a lot during the night? Then a dual-release melatonin tablet may work better for you. It works by continuing to release melatonin throughout the whole night so that you can better stay asleep. This is the issue I personally have so I’d opt for the dual-release melatonin!
This is the Canadian option: buy it here! 🙂
This is the American option: buy it here! 🙂
If you need max strength:
If all of the previous dosages aren’t strong enough, you can opt for the maximum dosage available on the market which is 12mg. Before going to the strongest strength, please make sure you’ve thoroughly tried all the other doses first.
If you’re from Canada, buy me here 🙂
If you’re from the U.S, buy me here 🙂
4. Omega 3 Fatty Acids
You know how you need to grease the gears on your bike every summer so that they can run smoothly and you don’t end up face-first on the cement? Omega 3 Fatty Acids are the grease and we’re the gears.
And there has been some research to indicate a correlation between depression and lack of Omega 3 fatty acids.
They are also so particularly important because we can’t make them in our bodies the way we do, for example, melatonin. This means they have to come from our diet or a supplement.
If you eat meat, this means eating fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, etc.
If you’re vegetarian or vegan, this means different types of seeds such as chia, flax, hemp, and more.
But if you normally don’t eat any of said things, natural supplements may be a better alternative to ensure you’re getting the amount you need.
Make sure your supplement contains both EPA and DHA to ensure you’re getting all the nutrients you need!
The product below is the supplement that I personally use because I can’t swallow big pills (both physically and metaphorically, ha), so I opted to get these mini ones.
They have no fishy aftertaste, they’re easy to get down, and they cover the general recommended daily dose of omega-3.
If you’re from Canada, buy me here 🙂
If you’re from the U.S, buy me here 🙂
If you’re vegan, I recommend this product. I dominantly eat vegan but I couldn’t afford to buy this so often (the broke student life 🙁 ), thus I had no choice but to go for the actual fish oil. However, I enjoyed taking this and definitely felt a difference when I did! A bonus is that it’s also plastic negative!
If you’re from Canada, buy me here 🙂
If you’re from the U.S, buy me here 🙂
5. Vitamin D
Ah, vitamin D. Alternatively known as the sunshine vitamin.
Vitamin D is produced in our skin in response to sunlight, but if you don’t have a lot of sun where you live, you’re going to want to take it as a supplement instead.
Like I mentioned earlier in this post, research has been done to outline a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and depression. This hypothesis makes even more sense considering the fact that many people get more depressed in the winter than in the summer.
It helps fight off diseases, protects our bones, and boosts our mood and energy levels, especially in the winter when Seasonal Affective Disorder sneers its nasty head.
I was told by my doctor that Vitamin D is one natural supplement I really have to take because we don’t get a lot of sunlight in Canada and that may be the reason why my mood and energy levels are so low during the winter.
I’ve been taking vitamin D for over a year and while I haven’t “fixed” my depression, I noticeably feel better than normal during the winter now in comparison to before I started taking vitamin D.
I was told by my doctor that a daily dose of 1000IU is all I need, which is what you’ll find in the Canadian product below. However, for some reason, all of the American vitamin D products are at the 5000IU mark. I’m not sure why that is, but that is why the dosages are different for these products. I was able to find one closer to the product I use, but it’s still at 2000IU instead of 1000IU.
If you’re worried about what dose of vitamin D you need, I recommend reaching out to your health provider.
This is the Canadian option: buy it here! 🙂
This is the American option: but it here! 🙂
6. B12 & Folate
These natural supplements are two peas in a pod and will work the best when combined together. Both vitamin B12 and Folate are B vitamins and have an active role in the well-being of cells and cell production.
Because of their vital role in our health, there is research to indicate a correlation between a deficiency of these two vitamins and depression.
Hence, the recommendation of getting enough of these vitamins to potentially improve mood disruptions. We need to do this through our diet because we do not naturally make these vitamins in our bodies.
The hard part about getting these vitamins through your diet is that they’re found in a lot of meat, and not everyone eats animal products or the right ones that include these vitamins.
In these cases, it’s really important to take a supplement to ensure you’re getting the daily amount of B vitamins you need.
The supplement below is a great option if you’re considering starting these types of dietary supplements because it includes not just vitamin B12 and folate, but also a bunch of other nutrients.
The greatest part is that it’s VEGAN! So whether you’re vegan or not, you can take this energy-boosting supplement.
If you’re from Canada, buy me here 🙂
If you’re from the U.S, buy me here 🙂
7. Magnesium
Magnesium has been a really popular supplement for anxiety. So popular in fact, that I decided to test it out for 120 days!
What I found during my experiment was that while it didn’t directly relieve my anxiety, it actually relieved other symptoms of my anxiety like muscle aches and spasms. Hence, I still take it to this day!
I specifically used Magnesium Citrate as during my research I discovered it absorbed better (since magnesium can be hard for our stomachs to digest). The exact brand I used is below:
If you’re from Canada, buy me here 🙂
If you’re from the U.S, buy me here 🙂
And while I was satisfied with this brand, a viewer pointed out that Magnesium Glycinate has some evidence to suggest it may actually be better for anxiety, muscle aches, and it absorbs better. So, I’ve decided to give that a go since I just finished my bottle of Magnesium Citrate.
I’m about to start it so I don’t have any conclusive thoughts, but I’ll make sure to update this post once I do!
For reference, I bought this brand of Magnesium Glycinate:
Buy me here 🙂
If you’re from the U.S, my viewer recommended this brand:
Buy me here 🙂
In Summary
While this is by no means all the potential natural supplements you can take for mental health, they are some great options to consider depending on what you need support with. I hope they have been helpful and you’ve found something worth trying.
Remember that it’s always important to consult with your health provider to ensure these are right for you if you’re feeling unsure.
Also, everyone is different so make sure you keep an open mind when trying new things out for not just your mental health, but physical health too.
All my love,
T