4 Herbal Supplements for Mood Support
Lots of people struggle with low mood and depression. And while there is a place for antidepressant medication, the side effects and withdrawal symptoms can be concerning for the small benefits that are typically seen. It’s also worth noting that milder mood symptoms don’t always respond as well to standard treatments (Penn 2012).
Low mood can present a challenge for many of us at some point in our lives. And having safe treatment options with minimal side effects to help support low mood is an unmet need. While most people have heard of St. John’s wort for depression, there are other options that also show promise. Some of the latest research suggests that green tea, vitamin D, probiotics and curcumin may all safely help support and improve poor mood.
1. Green Tea
Green tea has long been a revered health tonic. The latest research shows potential benefits for a number of conditions, including depressed mood. Over the last few years, the research has found trends or significant correlations between green tea consumption and risks for depression (Bayes 2020, Kang 2018, Garcia-Blanco 2017). Based on the data, one review found that for every three cups of green tea per day, risks of depression decreased by 37 percent (Dong 2015).
While it’s not exactly known why green tea is helpful for mood, tea does have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects (Tipoe 2007). Depression has long been shown to have an inflammatory component, and research also clearly demonstrates anti-depressant effects with anti-inflammatory compounds (Yuan 2020). In addition, tea contains theanine, which is known to help improve mood and anxiety (Hidese 2019).
While these results are intriguing, it is possible to drink too much tea. Tea contains fluoride and there are rare cases of bone damage from individuals drinking excessive amounts. Generally, I recommend limiting tea consumption to three to four cups per day.
For preventing or treating low mood, I usually prefer green tea as a beverage over green tea supplements. Tea, when consumed in reasonable quantities, is very safe, while green tea extracts carry a small, but significant risk for liver damage (Dekant 2017). If drinking green tea is not possible, keeping the levels of epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG) in green tea supplements to 300 mg or less should reduce risks for liver injury.
2. Vitamin D
The story of vitamin D and its effects on mood are somewhat complex. Much of the research on vitamin D suffers from significant flaws. Some studies use either low doses or single large bolus dosing which has been shown to be ineffective (Griffin 2021). Other trials try to draw conclusions on health conditions that were not the original intent of the study. Many of the clinical trials did not test the patients’ vitamin D status, so the number of individuals with vitamin D deficiency—those who would most likely display the greatest benefits—is unknown.
This complexity is easily demonstrated from two studies published in 2020. One was a large analysis of vitamin D supplementation in older individuals. They found no benefit of vitamin D for preventing depression (Okereke 2020).
That same year, a review of the research on vitamin D for negative mood symptoms found that vitamin D was helpful for improving mood. Individuals with either major depression or vitamin D deficiencies appeared to benefit most. Even so, the authors warned that there might be some quality issues in the published research since the findings were somewhat variable (Cheng 2020).
At first glance, it might seem otherwise, but the two studies aren’t completely in opposition. The first was looking at using vitamin D for prevention while the second was reviewing the treatment of negative mood symptoms directly in patients already suffering from low mood. Based on animal research, vitamin D appears to help in maintaining adequate serotonin levels throughout the brain, which could explain some of its effects on mood (Sabir 2018).
In patients struggling with depression, testing and treating vitamin D deficiency has been a part of my treatment approach for years. Before supplementing, you always need to check blood levels to assess an individual’s needs.
3. Probiotics
The gastrointestinal tract contains a large quantity of bacteria, the intestinal flora, that can have beneficial or detrimental effects on health. These bacteria have a relationship with the immune system which, depending on the type of bacteria, can increase or decrease inflammation. Over the last few decades, it has become clear that there is a relationship between mental health and gut health. Part of that relationship is mediated by the type of bacteria present within the gut.
Probiotics are a simple strategy to try and influence gastrointestinal health with beneficial bacteria. Taking probiotics has been shown to be helpful in a number of gastrointestinal conditions (Li 2020, Zhang 2021).
For mental health, studies are also starting to suggest benefits with probiotics. A recent review of all the literature concluded that probiotics appear to improve depression and depression symptoms in patients with anxiety disorders. Like with a lot of things, the authors note that more research is needed to better understand the best use of probiotics (Chao 2020).
4. Curcumin (Turmeric)
Curcumin is the yellow pigment in the kitchen spice turmeric. Used historically for numerous health problems in India, curcumin has been found to possess significant anti-inflammatory properties. These anti-inflammatory effects may be one of the reasons why curcumin appears helpful in supporting mood.
Currently, there are at least ten published clinical trials in humans using curcumin as a treatment for depression. While the studies have some quality issues, they appear to suggest large effects of curcumin on depressive symptoms with minimal side effects (Fusar-Poli 2020). Curcumin appears to hold promise as a safe, natural agent to help improve low mood.
Conclusions
More than ever, individuals are struggling with stress which can lead to burnout, feelings of hopelessness and poor mood. Standard treatment approaches are not effective for everyone and often carry significant and concerning side effects. A number of natural treatments, including green tea, vitamin D, probiotics and curcumin appear to hold promise for safely improving mood in individuals struggling with depressive symptoms.
About Dr. Scott
After receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Iowa State University, Dr. Scott Buesing went on to acquire a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine in 2004 from Bastyr University. While in school, Dr. Buesing received an NIH research training grant to study the in-vitro effects of alternative cancer treatment from the 1930s. Upon graduation, he collaborated on several research studies at Bastyr University including the workout benefits of creatine for vegetarians and the weight loss effects of diets high in beans/legumes.
Along with private practice, he gained experience working in two separate multidisciplinary programs, including a partial hospitalization program for patients suffering from mental health conditions in Seattle and a multidisciplinary pain clinic focusing on integrative care. Dr. Buesing utilized treatments including dietary and lifestyle changes, oral and intravenous nutrient therapies, botanical medicine, biofeedback, mind-body techniques, and meditation. While in practice, he taught patient-oriented classes on meditation, nutrition, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and dietary approaches to wellness.