FOOD & SUPPLEMENT BUNDLE
Foods and supplements claimed to help mood and stress
44 of them, ranked by strength of evidence. 6 reach grade A or B.
At a glance
44 foods and supplements marketed for mood and stress, each graded one by one against clinical trial evidence. Grade spread: A 1 · B 5 · C 22 · D 9 · F 3. 6 reach grade A or B.
The grade measures how strong the evidence is, not how good something is for you. Grade A means independent research groups replicated a reduction in real clinical events in humans; grade F means well-designed trials established there is no effect. See Methodology.
Claimed to help mood and stress — strongest evidence first
Within a grade, higher scores come first; verdicts without a score sit at the bottom. Follow a name to see its trials, evidence, and limits.
| A | 82 | St. John's wort (St. John's Wort, Hypericum perforatum) | depression |
| B | 76 | Saffron (Crocus sativus) | depression and mood |
| B | 66 | L-methylfolate (5-MTHF) | Improvement in depression and adjunctive antidepressant therapy |
| B | 63 | High-EPA omega-3 fatty acids | Reduction of depressive symptoms and adjunctive use with antidepressants |
| B | 62 | Kava (Piper methysticum) | Relief of anxiety symptoms |
| B | 61 | Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) | stress and anxiety relief |
| C | 58 | Lavender oil (Silexan) | Anxiety |
| C | 57 | Chamomile (chamomile, Matricaria recutita/chamomilla) | Anxiety and sleep |
| C | 56 | Caffeinated coffee, at least four 150-mL cups/day, at least 600 mL | Prevention of incident clinical depression |
| C | 54 | Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) | Stress, anxiety, and sleep |
| C | 52 | Holy basil (tulsi, Ocimum tenuiflorum) | Relief of stress and anxiety |
| C | 52 | Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 plus Bifidobacterium longum R0175 | Improved stress, anxiety, and mood |
| C | 52 | Psychobiotic probiotics (live Lactobacillus- and Bifidobacterium-family supplements) | Reduced depression scores and adjunctive support for antidepressant treatment in adults |
| C | 50 | Gynostemma pentaphyllum leaf extract | Relief of tension caused by stress |
| C | 50 | Curcumin, depression efficacy axis | Relief of major depressive disorder symptoms and adjunctive use with antidepressants |
| C | 49 | Creatine monohydrate | Relief of major depressive disorder symptoms and adjunctive antidepressant treatment |
| C | 48 | Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) | Anxiety and sleep |
| C | 48 | Wild green oat extract (Neuravena) | Improvement of stress, mood, and focus |
| C | 45 | Magnesium (mineral supplement, depression efficacy axis) | Relief of depressive symptoms and adjunctive support for antidepressant treatment in adults with depressive disorders |
| C | 45 | L-carnosine (histidine-containing dipeptide supplement) | Improved depressive symptoms and remission when added to an SSRI in major depressive disorder |
| C | 44 | L-lysine | Relief of stress and anxiety |
| C | 43 | 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) | Mood, appetite, and sleep |
| C | 43 | Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea, rosavin-type adaptogenic herbal supplement) | Induction of response and remission in mild-to-moderate major depressive disorder |
| C | 42 | Bifidobacterium longum 1714 (probiotic strain, Zenflore) | Reduction of stress and anxiety responses and cortisol |
| C | 40 | American skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) | Relief of anxiety and tension |
| C | 40 | DL-phenylalanine (DLPA) | Improvement of depressive symptoms and mood |
| C | 40 | Lactiplantibacillus plantarum PS128 | Relief of stress, anxiety, and depressive feelings |
| C | 40 | Zembrin Sceletium tortuosum extract (standardized proprietary ingredient) | Relief of everyday stress and anxiety |
| D | 35 | Kanna extract (Sceletium tortuosum) | Relief of stress and anxiety |
| D | 35 | L-theanine, a tea-derived amino-acid supplement | Reduction of stress and tension and promotion of subjective relaxation |
| D | 32 | Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Lpc-37® | Reduced stress and anxiety and a steadier mood |
| D | 29 | Lion's mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus, functional mushroom supplement) | Clinically meaningful treatment of depressive and anxiety symptoms |
| D | 28 | A high-prebiotic whole-food diet plus an eight-strain probiotic at 24 billion CFU/day | Greater eight-week improvement in total mood disturbance than either component or control |
| D | 24 | Vitamin D | Prevention of depression and improvement of mood in generally healthy adults |
| D | 24 | Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA fish-oil supplement) | Prevention of incident and recurrent depression in middle-aged and older adults without clinically relevant symptoms at baseline |
| D | 24 | Polygala tenuifolia root extract (saponin-containing herbal supplement) | Treatment of depressive and anxiety symptoms with a single extract |
| D | 22 | Folic acid plus vitamins B6 and B12 (a homocysteine-lowering combination of folic acid, pyridoxine, and cobalamin) | Prevention of new-onset depression in middle-aged and older women without a history of depression |
| F | 9 | Bach Rescue Remedy five-flower essence blend | Relief of temporary stress and anxiety |
| F | 8 | Bach Rescue Remedy (Five Flower flower essence) | Relief of acute stress and test anxiety |
| F | 5 | Ignatia amara 30C (an ultra-diluted homeopathic preparation) | Relief of emotional stress, irritability, and depressed mood |
| ? | score not listed | Mucuna pruriens (velvet bean) | Improvement of dopamine and mood |
| ? | score not listed | Lithium orotate | Mood stabilization and anxiety relief |
| ? | score not listed | Albizia julibrissin bark (He Huan Pi, herbal medicine) | Relief of depressed mood and elevation of mood |
| ? | score not listed | Magnesium bisglycinate or glycinate (a chelated magnesium salt sold as a supplement) | Relief of adult anxiety and tension through absorption superior to ordinary magnesium |
Not swallowed — applied, inhaled, held in the mouth, worn, or performed on the body (1)
Same claims, but these are not taken by mouth: rubbed on the skin, breathed in, chewed or rinsed and spat out, worn on the body, or performed as a procedure such as acupuncture or cupping. A different route into the body, so they are listed separately.
| ? | score not listed | Blue lotus extract oil (Nymphaea caerulea aromatherapy product) | Stress and anxiety relief and mind-body calming through inhaled or topical aromatherapy |
Claimed to harm mood and stress (2)
Here a higher grade means the harm is better established — the opposite direction from the table above. A low grade means the claim of harm rests on weak evidence.
| C | 54 | The proportion of total dietary energy classified as NOVA group 4 ultra-processed food | Increased incidence of depressive symptoms |
| D | 28 | Alcohol 0.5-0.65 g/kg mixed with about 250 mL energy drink containing roughly 80 mg caffeine | Masked subjective intoxication and added risk-taking |
What does have evidence for mood and stress
Not foods or supplements: drugs and procedures graded A or B. Chamgap recommends nothing. It only shows where the evidence is strong. Any treatment decision belongs with your doctor.
| A | 82 | Lithium carbonate (classic mood stabilizer; prescription drug) | Prevention of recurrent manic and depressive mood episodes in stabilized bipolar I disorder |
| B | 77 | Quetiapine fumarate (prescription atypical antipsychotic; Seroquel) | Prevention of recurrent manic, depressive, or mixed mood episodes in stabilized bipolar I disorder |
| B | 76 | Quetiapine fumarate (prescription atypical antipsychotic; Seroquel) | Improvement in eight-week depressive symptoms, response, and remission during acute major depressive episodes of bipolar I or II disorder |
| B | 76 | Aripiprazole once-monthly long-acting injection (D2 partial-agonist atypical antipsychotic; prescription Abilify Maintena) | Prevention of psychotic relapse and exacerbation in stabilized adults with schizophrenia |
| B | 76 | Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT, a structured specialist psychotherapy) | Prevention of recurrent suicide attempts and suicide-related hospitalization in high-risk borderline personality disorder |
| B | 76 | Behavioral activation delivered as face-to-face psychotherapy | Improved depressive symptoms and functioning in major depressive disorder |
| B | 76 | Cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder | Reduced social anxiety, avoidance, and functional impairment with increased response and remission |
| B | 76 | Contingency management with rewards tied to objectively verified abstinence | Increased sustained abstinence and treatment retention during treatment for stimulant use disorder |
| B | 75 | Aripiprazole is a prescription atypical antipsychotic with partial dopamine D2 receptor agonist properties. | The claim is improvement in depressive symptoms, response, and remission when added for adults with major depressive disorder inadequately responsive to antidepressants. |
| B | 74 | Divalproex or valproate (a prescription valproate-complex-salt antiseizure medicine and mood stabilizer, including Depakote) | Improved symptoms and treatment response in adults with an acute manic episode of bipolar I disorder |
| B | 74 | Paliperidone palmitate (long-acting injectable atypical antipsychotic; prescription drug, Invega Sustenna) | Delayed psychotic relapse and related hospitalization in stabilized adults with schizophrenia |
| B | 74 | Clozapine (dibenzodiazepine atypical antipsychotic, prescription medicine; Clozaril) | Prevention of suicide attempts and hospitalization to prevent suicide in high-risk schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder |
How to read this list
A grade of C or D does not mean "do not take it." It means the evidence is not yet strong enough to promise the effect. Equally, A or B does not mean it works for everyone.
Chamgap sells nothing and takes no advertising. See all Mood & Stress verdicts.