Supplements for stress

16 compounds relevant to stress, ranked by overall evidence grade.

Overall grade: Grade B
Last revised: Jul 10, 2026; 16
graded outcomes: 0
references listed

Assembled by the app from other entries in this library. It adds no evidence of its own — follow the links to the entries it draws on.

5 at grade B · 10 at grade C · 1 at grade D — 16 graded rows

What is known

Each outcome with its grade (how strong the evidence is, A to D), the size of the effect where the entry records one, and how often studies agree.

Outcome	Grade	Effect size	Agreement
Rhodiola RoseaA stimulating adaptogen with the best fatigue evidence among the herbal 'stress' supplements — daytime energy without ashwagandha's flatness.	Evidence grade B	Unclear	mixed
St. John's WortGenuinely works for mild-to-moderate depression — and is the single most dangerous supplement for drug interactions.	Evidence grade B	Unclear	mixed
SaffronSurprisingly solid for low mood at ~30 mg/day — a rare botantical antidepressant with real trials, carrying the serotonergic caveat.	Evidence grade B	Unclear	mixed
KavaOne of the few genuinely effective anxiety botanicals — shadowed by a real (if debated) liver-safety history.	Evidence grade B	Unclear	mixed
Lavender (Silexan)Oral lavender oil (Silexan) has genuinely good anxiety evidence — rivaling low-dose anxiolytics without sedation.	Evidence grade B	Unclear	mixed
L-TyrosineA catecholamine precursor that buffers performance under acute stress and sleep loss — and does little on a normal day.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
Panax GinsengA classic tonic with scattered small wins for fatigue, cognition, and erectile function — rarely dramatic, watch drug interactions.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
Holy Basil (Tulsi)A gentle adaptogen with early evidence for stress, anxiety, and metabolic markers — promising, thin, low-risk.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
PhosphatidylserineA membrane phospholipid with old age-related-memory data and a cortisol-blunting angle for stressed athletes.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
Tongkat AliThe testosterone-support herb with the least-bad evidence — modest free-T and stress signals, best in the stressed or older.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
L-OrnithineA urea-cycle amino acid with small data for exercise fatigue and stress-related sleep.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
Lemon BalmA pleasant mint-family herb with small acute anxiety, mood, and sleep signals.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
Magnolia BarkA traditional anti-stress bark (honokiol/magnolol) with early cortisol and sleep signals.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
SchisandraA five-flavor adaptogen berry with liver-support and early stress/endurance signals.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
Eleuthero (Siberian Ginseng)A gentle adaptogen for fatigue and stress — not a true ginseng, and modestly evidenced.	Evidence grade C	Unclear	mixed
Lithium (Low-Dose)A trace element sold at microdoses for mood — intriguing epidemiology, almost no supplement-dose trial data.	Evidence grade D	Unclear	mixed

Rhodiola RoseaEvidence grade B
A stimulating adaptogen with the best fatigue evidence among the herbal 'stress' supplements — daytime energy without ashwagandha's flatness.
Unclearmixed
St. John's WortEvidence grade B
Genuinely works for mild-to-moderate depression — and is the single most dangerous supplement for drug interactions.
Unclearmixed
SaffronEvidence grade B
Surprisingly solid for low mood at ~30 mg/day — a rare botantical antidepressant with real trials, carrying the serotonergic caveat.
Unclearmixed
KavaEvidence grade B
One of the few genuinely effective anxiety botanicals — shadowed by a real (if debated) liver-safety history.
Unclearmixed
Lavender (Silexan)Evidence grade B
Oral lavender oil (Silexan) has genuinely good anxiety evidence — rivaling low-dose anxiolytics without sedation.
Unclearmixed
L-TyrosineEvidence grade C
A catecholamine precursor that buffers performance under acute stress and sleep loss — and does little on a normal day.
Unclearmixed
Panax GinsengEvidence grade C
A classic tonic with scattered small wins for fatigue, cognition, and erectile function — rarely dramatic, watch drug interactions.
Unclearmixed
Holy Basil (Tulsi)Evidence grade C
A gentle adaptogen with early evidence for stress, anxiety, and metabolic markers — promising, thin, low-risk.
Unclearmixed
PhosphatidylserineEvidence grade C
A membrane phospholipid with old age-related-memory data and a cortisol-blunting angle for stressed athletes.
Unclearmixed
Tongkat AliEvidence grade C
The testosterone-support herb with the least-bad evidence — modest free-T and stress signals, best in the stressed or older.
Unclearmixed
L-OrnithineEvidence grade C
A urea-cycle amino acid with small data for exercise fatigue and stress-related sleep.
Unclearmixed
Lemon BalmEvidence grade C
A pleasant mint-family herb with small acute anxiety, mood, and sleep signals.
Unclearmixed
Magnolia BarkEvidence grade C
A traditional anti-stress bark (honokiol/magnolol) with early cortisol and sleep signals.
Unclearmixed
SchisandraEvidence grade C
A five-flavor adaptogen berry with liver-support and early stress/endurance signals.
Unclearmixed
Eleuthero (Siberian Ginseng)Evidence grade C
A gentle adaptogen for fatigue and stress — not a true ginseng, and modestly evidenced.
Unclearmixed
Lithium (Low-Dose)Evidence grade D
A trace element sold at microdoses for mood — intriguing epidemiology, almost no supplement-dose trial data.
Unclearmixed

What is uncertain

Read off the same rows as above. Nothing here is added that the entry does not itself record.

Thin evidence: L-Tyrosine (grade C); Panax Ginseng (grade C); Holy Basil (Tulsi) (grade C); Phosphatidylserine (grade C); Tongkat Ali (grade C); L-Ornithine (grade C); Lemon Balm (grade C); Magnolia Bark (grade C); Schisandra (grade C); Eleuthero (Siberian Ginseng) (grade C); Lithium (Low-Dose) (grade D).
Studies disagree: Rhodiola Rosea (mixed agreement); St. John's Wort (mixed agreement); Saffron (mixed agreement); Kava (mixed agreement); Lavender (Silexan) (mixed agreement).

The evidence in words

The shortlist

Every compound in the knowledge base tagged to stress, ordered by how strong its overall evidence is. Start at the top; the grade is the honest filter.

Worth considering first

Rhodiola Rosea (B) — A stimulating adaptogen with the best fatigue evidence among the herbal 'stress' supplements — daytime energy without ashwagandha's flatness. · St. John's Wort (B) — Genuinely works for mild-to-moderate depression — and is the single most dangerous supplement for drug interactions. · Saffron (B) — Surprisingly solid for low mood at ~30 mg/day — a rare botantical antidepressant with real trials, carrying the serotonergic caveat. · Kava (B) — One of the few genuinely effective anxiety botanicals — shadowed by a real (if debated) liver-safety history. · Lavender (Silexan) (B) — Oral lavender oil (Silexan) has genuinely good anxiety evidence — rivaling low-dose anxiolytics without sedation.

Lower-evidence options

L-Tyrosine (C) — A catecholamine precursor that buffers performance under acute stress and sleep loss — and does little on a normal day. · Panax Ginseng (C) — A classic tonic with scattered small wins for fatigue, cognition, and erectile function — rarely dramatic, watch drug interactions. · Holy Basil (Tulsi) (C) — A gentle adaptogen with early evidence for stress, anxiety, and metabolic markers — promising, thin, low-risk. · Phosphatidylserine (C) — A membrane phospholipid with old age-related-memory data and a cortisol-blunting angle for stressed athletes. · Tongkat Ali (C) — The testosterone-support herb with the least-bad evidence — modest free-T and stress signals, best in the stressed or older. · L-Ornithine (C) — A urea-cycle amino acid with small data for exercise fatigue and stress-related sleep. · Lemon Balm (C) — A pleasant mint-family herb with small acute anxiety, mood, and sleep signals. · Magnolia Bark (C) — A traditional anti-stress bark (honokiol/magnolol) with early cortisol and sleep signals. · Schisandra (C) — A five-flavor adaptogen berry with liver-support and early stress/endurance signals. · Eleuthero (Siberian Ginseng) (C) — A gentle adaptogen for fatigue and stress — not a true ginseng, and modestly evidenced. · Lithium (Low-Dose) (D) — A trace element sold at microdoses for mood — intriguing epidemiology, almost no supplement-dose trial data.

Goes with

Rhodiola RoseaGrade BEvidence grade B
St. John's WortGrade BEvidence grade B
SaffronGrade BEvidence grade B
KavaGrade BEvidence grade B
Lavender (Silexan)Grade BEvidence grade B
L-TyrosineGrade CEvidence grade C
Panax GinsengGrade CEvidence grade C
Holy Basil (Tulsi)Grade CEvidence grade C

Entries that share this one's tags or conditions.

Holy Basil (Tulsi) for Fasting glucoseEvidence grade C — ModestEvidence grade C
Holy Basil (Tulsi) for Stress / anxietyEvidence grade C — Small studiesEvidence grade C
Holy Basil (Tulsi): dosage and how to take it300–600 mg standardized daily.Evidence grade C
Holy Basil (Tulsi): side effects, safety & interactionsWell tolerated; theoretical additive glucose lowering and mild antiplatelet/anti-fertility signals at high doses.Evidence grade C

Sources

This entry lists no references of its own — it is assembled from the entries it links to, whose sources are on their pages.

Last revised Jul 10, 2026. A grade is this entry's reading of the evidence, not medical advice.