Anxiety is one of the most common mental health disorders in the general population.
Rather than suffering in silence, many individuals are looking for natural remedies for anxiety.
This article will look at the best herbs to use for anxiety, their uses, and safety.
Table of Contents
The Best Herbs for Anxiety
Below are the best herbs for anxiety and overall mood improvement.
1. Passionflower
Researchers are looking at passionflower as a safer alternative to benzodiazepines, a class of pharmaceutical drugs that are typically prescribed for anxiety. While benzodiazepines are impactful for anxiety, they come with a long list of side effects.
A clinical trial compared passionflower and oxazepam (a benzodiazepine) in the treatment of GAD. The study showed that passionflower extract was comparable to oxazepam in the management of anxiety with no significant difference in efficacy. However, the passionflower group showed an advantage with a lower incidence of impairment in job performance as compared to the oxazepam group.
Before surgery, many patients experience anxiety. Patients who received an oral dose of 500mg of passionflower ninety minutes before surgery in a clinical trial had significantly lower levels of anxiety.
Another clinical trial looked at the impact of passionflower on patients with anxiety leading up to a dental procedure. The researchers found that taking 20 drops of passionflower extract the night before surgery and 20 drops the morning of surgery (90-minutes prior) helped to reduce measured anxiety levels.
Another human clinical trial studied the anxiolytic impact of passionflower and midazolam (a benzodiazepine) on patients undergoing dental extraction. The results showed that the group given passionflower had an anxiety-reducing effect similar to midazolam, with fewer adverse events noted.
Summary:
Due to its relaxing effect, passionflower appears to be an effective herb for reducing anxiety levels. It also appears to be better tolerated than the standard pharmaceutical approach.
2. Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb that may have the ability to alleviate anxiety and improve sleep quality. It grows native in parts of India, Africa, and the Middle East and the root is where most of its therapeutic properties lie.
Research shows that ashwagandha is one of the best adaptogens for anxiety and stress management.
A clinical study demonstrated that Withania somnifera extract (ashwagandha) helped in the treatment of depression and anxiety symptoms for those with schizophrenia. Participants were given 1000mg/day for 12 weeks and significant improvements were shown in reported anxiety and depression scores.
In an 8-week clinical trial involving chronically stressed adults, ashwagandha was shown to lower both anxiety and cortisol levels. It’s thought that ashwagandha was able to do this by balancing the HPA axis’s hormone response.
A recent review showed that ashwagandha helps to alleviate depression and insomnia symptoms in humans and animals. This may be a result of regulation of the HPA axis and/or the effects of neurotransmitters in the brain.
Summary:
Initial human trials show that ashwagandha appears to be helpful in treating anxiety and mild depression. More research is needed to corroborate these initial findings.
3. American Skullcap
In alternative medicine circles, skullcap is commonly used in natural remedies for anxiety. While this aligns with skullcap’s traditional usage as a nervine, clinical research is just now starting to prove its anxiolytic benefits.
Researchers performed a double-blind, placebo-controlled study and found that taking two 100mg capsules of skullcap extract daily helped to lessen anxiety.
Since skullcap has been traditionally used to treat anxiety and various nervous conditions, researchers have recently analyzed the phytochemical compounds of skullcap to find their anxiolytic action.
An animal study looked at the anti-anxiety effects of skullcap. Findings revealed that the skullcap group showed reduced levels of anxious behavior. The active phytochemical compounds in skullcap: baicalin and baicalein, appeared to contribute to the anxiolytic effects.
The amino acid GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. It has a relaxing effect on the central nervous system and promotes relaxation and sleep. It is thought that baicalin and baicalein, phytochemicals found in skullcap, might act to activate GABA within the brain, thus providing anxiolytic effects.
Additionally, the British Herbal Compendium recognizes the use of skullcap for anxiety, tension, or stress; headaches; migraine, panic attacks; restlessness; sleep disorders; premenstrual tension and period pain; and to assist withdrawal from benzodiazepines.
Summary:
A combination of human clinical trials and laboratory research shows that skullcap may be helpful for individuals with anxiety. Larger-scale human trials are needed to verify these initial promising findings.
4. Ginkgo
According to human clinical research, ginkgo may be one of the best herbs for reducing anxiety, stress, and depression.
In a study involving 80 participants with post-stroke depression, patients were given a treatment of either venlafaxine (a drug for depression and anxiety) or a combination of ginkgo and venlafaxine. The group treated with both ginkgo and venlafaxine experienced improved daily living and had significantly lower depression ratings than the group treate