CATEGORY HUB
Mood & Stress
Mood & Stress verdicts ranked by evidence score. 136 verdicts in this category.
44 foods and supplements claimed to help mood and stress, ranked by evidence
Drugs and procedures removed — only what you swallow, ordered by how strong the evidence is.
Mood & Stress Evidence Ranking
Within this category, verdicts with higher evidence scores appear first. Verdicts without a score stay lower in the same list.
| A | 82 | St. John's wort (St. John's Wort, Hypericum perforatum) | depression |
| 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 | Saffron (Crocus sativus) | depression and mood |
| 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 |
| B | 74 | Olanzapine (oral prescription atypical antipsychotic; Zyprexa) | Prevention of mood-episode relapse in bipolar I disorder that responded to olanzapine |
| B | 74 | Long-acting injectable risperidone (atypical antipsychotic; prescription injection) | Prevention of psychotic relapse and rehospitalization in stabilized schizophrenia |
| B | 74 | Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT, structured eight-week specialist psychotherapy) | Prevention of depressive-episode relapse in recurrent major depressive disorder in remission |
| B | 74 | Zuranolone (50 mg, 14-day oral prescription course) | Rapid reduction of depressive symptoms in postpartum depression |
| B | 73 | Venlafaxine extended release (a prescription SNRI antidepressant and anxiolytic; Effexor XR) | Reduction of anxiety symptoms and increased response and remission in generalized anxiety disorder |
| B | 73 | Fluoxetine (prescription selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant; Prozac) | Prevention of depressive-episode relapse in remitted major depressive disorder |
| B | 72 | Lurasidone (a prescription atypical antipsychotic marketed as Latuda) | Improvement of major depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder |
| B | 72 | Lamotrigine (prescription phenyltriazine mood-stabilizing antiseizure medicine; Lamictal) | Delayed recurrence of mood episodes, especially depressive episodes, in stabilized bipolar I disorder |
| B | 72 | Mirtazapine, a prescription noradrenergic and specific serotonergic tetracyclic antidepressant marketed as Remeron | Improved depressive symptoms, treatment response, and remission in adults with major depressive disorder |
| B | 72 | Exposure and response prevention (ERP or EX/RP, structured psychotherapy) | Reduced obsessive-compulsive symptoms and improved treatment response |
| B | 72 | Cognitive behavioral therapy for panic disorder (CBT or panic-control treatment) | Reduced panic-disorder severity and improved treatment response |
| B | 72 | Buprenorphine or buprenorphine-naloxone maintenance treatment | Reduced illicit opioid use and treatment dropout in opioid use disorder |
| B | 72 | Prolonged Exposure therapy, a trauma-focused psychotherapy for PTSD | Reduced PTSD symptoms and increased loss of diagnosis and remission |
| B | 72 | Cognitive behavioral therapy specifically adapted for bulimia nervosa, CBT-BN | Cessation of binge eating and purging and increased remission |
| B | 72 | Interpersonal psychotherapy, a structured 12-session psychological treatment | Reduction in depressive symptoms and persistence of major depression after childbirth |
| B | 72 | Group cognitive-behavioral prevention for high-risk adolescents | Prevention of new depressive episodes |
| B | 72 | Therapist-guided web-based CBT and problem-solving self-help for adults with subthreshold depression | Reduced onset of major depressive disorder over 12 months |
| B | 71 | Acamprosate calcium (prescription glutamatergic-system anti-craving medicine) | Supported continuous abstinence and prevented return to drinking after detoxification in alcohol use disorder |
| B | 71 | Suicide-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (structured specialist psychotherapy) | Prevention of repeat suicide attempts and recurrent self-harm in adults with a recent suicide attempt |
| B | 70 | Bupropion XL (prescription extended-release norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor antidepressant; Wellbutrin XL) | Improvement in depressive symptoms, response, and remission in adult major depressive disorder and prevention of relapse in responders |
| B | 70 | Racemic ketamine (intravenous infusion) | Rapid reduction of depressive symptoms within 24 hours in treatment-resistant depression |
| B | 70 | Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation using standard high-frequency left-prefrontal protocols | Acute symptomatic remission of treatment-resistant major depressive disorder |
| B | 70 | Clomipramine, a prescription tricyclic serotonin-reuptake-inhibiting antidepressant | Reduction of obsessions and compulsions and increased treatment response in adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder |
| B | 70 | A policy that systematically offers one relative the option to witness out-of-hospital CPR with a dedicated support person | Reduction in relatives' PTSD-related symptoms at 90 days |
| B | 69 | Paroxetine (prescription SSRI; Seroxat) | Reduction of panic attacks and anticipatory anxiety and achievement of panic-free status in adults with panic disorder |
| B | 68 | Escitalopram (SSRI, Lexapro) | Symptom response and remission in major depressive disorder |
| B | 67 | Sertraline (a prescription SSRI antidepressant, marketed as Zoloft) | Relief of core symptoms and functional impairment in post-traumatic stress disorder |
| B | 66 | L-methylfolate (5-MTHF) | Improvement in depression and adjunctive antidepressant therapy |
| B | 66 | Esketamine nasal spray (Spravato, prescription and supervised administration) | Rapid improvement of treatment-resistant depression |
| B | 65 | Buspirone (Buspar, prescription) | Relief of persistent anxiety and tension in generalized anxiety disorder |
| B | 65 | Fluoxetine (prescription SSRI antidepressant; Prozac) | Acute symptom response and remission in adults with major depressive disorder |
| B | 64 | Alprazolam (relatively short-acting, high-potency benzodiazepine; controlled prescription drug marketed as Xanax) | Short-term reduction of panic-attack frequency and anticipatory anxiety in adults with panic disorder |
| B | 63 | High-EPA omega-3 fatty acids | Reduction of depressive symptoms and adjunctive use with antidepressants |
| B | 63 | Continuation or maintenance electroconvulsive therapy (anesthetized prescription brain-stimulation procedure) | Prevention of one-year depressive-episode relapse and psychiatric hospitalization when added to medication after remission with acute ECT |
| B | 62 | Kava (Piper methysticum) | Relief of anxiety symptoms |
| B | 61 | Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) | stress and anxiety relief |
| B | 61 | Tianeptine (Stiarone, prescription antidepressant) | Improvement in depressive symptoms, response, and remission in major depressive disorder |
| B | 60 | Duloxetine (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, Cymbalta, prescription drug) | Improvement of symptoms and induction of remission in adult major depressive disorder |
| C | 59 | Xanomeline–trospium (Cobenfy oral capsules) | Reduction of positive and negative symptoms during acute exacerbation of schizophrenia |
| C | 58 | Lavender oil (Silexan) | Anxiety |
| C | 58 | Psilocybin 25 mg (single oral investigational dose administered with psychological support) | Rapid reduction in depression symptom scores in moderate-to-severe major depressive disorder |
| C | 57 | Chamomile (chamomile, Matricaria recutita/chamomilla) | Anxiety and sleep |
| C | 56 | Bright light therapy delivered by a light box | Improved depressive symptoms and remission in winter seasonal affective disorder |
| C | 56 | Caffeinated coffee, at least four 150-mL cups/day, at least 600 mL | Prevention of incident clinical depression |
| C | 56 | A structured problem-solving intervention delivered by occupational-health consultants with the employee and manager | Reduced registered sickness-absence days among workers with occupational stress or common mental disorders |
| C | 56 | The five-session universal school programme Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM) | Fewer suicide attempts over 12 months in adolescents |
| C | 55 | Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS; noninvasive low-intensity direct-current brain stimulation through scalp electrodes) | Reduced depressive symptoms and increased response or remission in major depressive disorder |
| C | 54 | Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) | Stress, anxiety, and sleep |
| C | 54 | Intermittent theta-burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (iTBS, noninvasive neuromodulation delivered in a medical setting) | Induction of symptomatic response and remission in treatment-resistant major depressive disorder |
| C | 54 | Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR, trauma-focused psychotherapy) | Improvement in core PTSD symptoms and diagnostic status |
| C | 54 | The proportion of total dietary energy classified as NOVA group 4 ultra-processed food | Increased incidence of depressive symptoms |
| C | 54 | A four-week ICU-level positive-communication package called the Hello Bundle | Reduced burnout prevalence among ICU healthcare professionals |
| C | 54 | A three-week intervention limiting healthy university students' smartphone screen time to no more than two hours per day | Reduced depressive symptoms |
| C | 54 | The eight-session individual START coping-strategy program | Reduction of depression and anxiety symptoms in family carers of people with dementia |
| C | 54 | See title and evidence table for the studied intervention. | The stated clinical outcome in the title. |
| C | 54 | Shift work outside standard daytime hours, including night work | Association with increased incident diagnosed depression |
| C | 54 | Collaborative or case-managed depression care in primary care, with structured contacts, monitoring, clinician feedback, and specialist supervision | Reduction in PHQ-9 depressive symptoms |
| 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 | 52 | Prazosin (an alpha-1 adrenergic receptor blocker and prescription drug; use for PTSD is off-label) | Reduced PTSD-related nightmares and sleep disturbance |
| C | 52 | Bright light therapy (10,000-lux non-drug light treatment using a consumer-available device) | Improvement of depressive symptoms and remission in nonseasonal major depressive disorder |
| 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 | 50 | Hydroxyzine (a first-generation H1 antihistamine and sedating anxiolytic; Ucerax; prescription medicine) | Improvement of anxiety, tension, and treatment response in adults with generalized anxiety disorder |
| C | 50 | Brexpiprazole (dopamine D2 partial-agonist atypical antipsychotic; Rexulti; prescription drug) | Adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder with inadequate response to antidepressants |
| C | 50 | Structured breathwork (a nonpharmacologic mind-body intervention or app program using slow, diaphragmatic, or related breathing) | Relief of stress and anxiety symptoms in adults |
| C | 50 | An organization-level 25% reduction in weekly worktime with preserved salary and replacement staffing | Improved sleep, sleepiness, and perceived stress |
| C | 50 | Adolescents' self-reported everyday digital-technology use | Association with lower psychological well-being |
| C | 50 | Structured horticultural therapy led by trained practitioners using planting, potting, growing, and garden activities | Reduction of depressive symptoms in adults |
| C | 50 | Stepped or internet CBT-based tinnitus care combining education, cognitive restructuring, exposure or relaxation, and hearing management | Reduced tinnitus-related distress and functional impairment |
| C | 50 | H7-coil deep transcranial magnetic stimulation | Reduced six-week YBOCS score in treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder |
| C | 49 | SAMe (S-adenosyl-L-methionine) | Relief of depressive symptoms and antidepressant augmentation |
| 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 | 48 | Stellate ganglion block (local-anesthetic injection procedure targeting the cervical sympathetic ganglion) | Short-term relief of overall PTSD symptoms, hyperarousal, and anxiety |
| C | 46 | Cariprazine, an atypical antipsychotic | Reduction of depressive symptoms in bipolar I major depressive episodes |
| C | 46 | Gratitude lists, journals, or letters delivered as stand-alone psychological exercises one to 28 times over no more than eight weeks | Reduction in depressive symptoms |
| C | 46 | Unguided Headspace mindfulness app with ten minutes daily encouraged and 4.5 months of study access | Reduced stress among patient-facing NHS workers |
| C | 46 | One small desk plant chosen and cared for by the worker, placed beside a computer and viewed during fatigue breaks | Reduced anxiety and stress in office workers |
| 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 | 45 | Vortioxetine (Brintellix, oral prescription tablet) | Improved cognition, attention, and processing speed in major depressive disorder independently of antidepressant effects |
| 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 | 42 | Propranolol (nonselective beta blocker, Inderal, prescription medicine; use for performance anxiety is off-label) | Improved subjective anxiety and performance in speaking, examinations, and stage situations |
| C | 42 | Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR, a structured 8-week meditation program) | Reducing generalized anxiety disorder symptoms more than active stress education |
| 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 | 38 | N-acetylcysteine (NAC, a thiol drug indicated as a mucolytic in Korea; psychiatric use is off-label) | Reduced hair-pulling urges, behavior, and severity in adults with trichotillomania |
| D | 35 | Kanna extract (Sceletium tortuosum) | Relief of stress and anxiety |
| D | 35 | N-acetylcysteine (NAC, an oral thiol antioxidant and glutamate-modulating supplement used off label as an adjunct for OCD) | Relief of obsessive-compulsive symptoms measured by Y-BOCS when added to existing treatment in adults |
| D | 35 | L-theanine, a tea-derived amino-acid supplement | Reduction of stress and tension and promotion of subjective relaxation |
| D | 34 | One year of postdischarge specialized mood-disorder clinic care | Delayed first psychiatric readmission after hospitalization for severe unipolar depression |
| D | 32 | Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Lpc-37® | Reduced stress and anxiety and a steadier mood |
| D | 30 | A fourteen-week community singing group for adults aged sixty years or older | Reduction of depressive symptoms |
| D | 30 | Age-adjusted low-dose oral haloperidol added for delirium in palliative care | Relief of distressing behavioral, communication, and perceptual delirium symptoms |
| D | 30 | Ten-lesson universal school-based mindfulness training | Improved one-year depression risk, social-emotional-behavioral functioning, and well-being in adolescents |
| D | 30 | Facilitated physical-activity counseling added to usual care | Improved self-reported depressive symptoms at four months in adults with a depressive episode |
| D | 29 | Lion's mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus, functional mushroom supplement) | Clinically meaningful treatment of depressive and anxiety symptoms |
| D | 28 | Buspirone (prescription 5-HT1A partial-agonist anxiolytic; adjunctive use in major depressive disorder is off-label) | Remission and depressive-symptom improvement as augmentation for major depressive disorder with inadequate SSRI response |
| 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 |
| 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 | 28 | See title and evidence table for the studied intervention. | The stated clinical outcome in the title. |
| 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 | Propranolol (a prescription nonselective beta-blocker, marketed as Indenol in Korea) | Sustained treatment of core symptoms in panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and other anxiety disorders rather than one-time performance anxiety |
| 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 | Blue lotus extract oil (Nymphaea caerulea aromatherapy product) | Stress and anxiety relief and mind-body calming through inhaled or topical aromatherapy |
| ? | 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 |