Stress, Anxiety & Depression

Independent research on stress, anxiety and depression — supplement and lifestyle claims graded honestly, with funding and conflicts made transparent.

Saffron for Depression: What a New 34-Trial Meta-Analysis Says About the ‘Natural SSRI’ Claim

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Key takeaways The newest and largest evidence base — a 34-trial, 1,769-person GRADE meta-analysis (Mahmoudi et al., 2026, Nutrition & Neuroscience) — found saffron improves self-reported depression (BDI) and anxiety (BAI) scores with moderate-certainty evidence, but found no significant effect on clinician-rated depression (HDRS), clinician-rated anxiety (HARS), or general mood (POMS). The “natural SSRI” framing … Read more

Ashwagandha: The Real Evidence for Stress and Cortisol — Plus the Liver Risk Nobody’s Talking About

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Key takeaways Strongest evidence: 300–600 mg/day of standardized root extract for 8 weeks lowers perceived stress and cortisol in adults with self-reported stress, based on a 2025 meta-analysis of 15 randomized trials in 873 people (Bachour et al. 2025, BJPsych Open). Cortisol reduction is more consistently replicated than “less stress” — a separate 2025 review … Read more

Stress, Anxiety & Depression: Supplements That Work vs Popular Ones With No Evidence

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Key takeaways St John’s wort has the strongest single-supplement evidence for mild-to-moderate depression — a Cochrane review of 29 trials (5,489 patients) found it superior to placebo and comparable to standard antidepressants — but it carries the highest interaction risk of any supplement covered, including serotonin syndrome risk with antidepressants. L-theanine (200–400 mg/day) and saffron … Read more

Stress, Anxiety & Depression: Prevention and Management — The Complete Evidence-Based Guide

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Key takeaways A 2024 BMJ network meta-analysis of 218 studies (14,170 participants) found exercise produced moderate reductions in depression symptoms — walking/jogging, yoga, strength training, and tai chi/qigong all showed benefit. CBT is the strongest professional-level intervention: APA describes it as effective for depression, anxiety disorders, and severe mental illness, with evidence it matches or … Read more

St John’s Wort: Depression Evidence and Serious Interaction Risks

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Key takeaways Strongest evidence: mild-to-moderate depression — a Cochrane review of 29 trials (5,489 patients) found St John’s Wort more effective than placebo and comparable to standard antidepressants for mild-to-moderate depression, with fewer side effects than SSRIs. Not effective for severe depression, bipolar depression, or as an alternative to prescribed SSRIs for confirmed major depressive … Read more

Vitamin D: D2 vs D3, Deficiency, and Who Actually Needs It

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Key takeaways D3 (cholecalciferol) raises and maintains blood 25(OH)D levels more effectively than D2 (ergocalciferol) — a meta-analysis of 24 RCTs confirmed higher potency of D3 per equivalent dose (Tripkovic et al., AJCN). Correcting deficiency (25(OH)D <20 ng/mL) has clear benefit; broad supplementation in already-replete adults for cancer, cardiovascular events, or major fractures showed no … Read more

L-Theanine: Calm Focus, the Caffeine Stack, and Anxiety Evidence

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Key takeaways Best-supported use: pairing 100–200 mg L-theanine with caffeine (50–100 mg) to reduce jitter and improve sustained attention on cognitive tasks — multiple RCTs and one systematic review support the combination effect (Nutritional Neuroscience, Camfield 2014). For acute situational stress and anxiety, small RCTs (200–400 mg) show reductions in self-rated stress and salivary cortisol … Read more