Supplements for Depression & Anxiety ------------------------------------ This is a list of some supplements that can give you a positive mood, reduce anxiety and help with depression. Don't expect any of these to be 100% full proof methods or work instantly. It takes time for depression and anxiety to go down with some of these supplements, especially St Johns Wart. Read my text at the bottom for more information. * NOW Mood Support - This supplement can be very helpful for depression and anxiety. It contains St. John's Wort, which is prescribed in Germany as an anti-depressant, Holy Basil Extract, Valerian, which attaches to the GABA receptors like a benzodiazepine, 5-HTP which converts to serotonin, GABA itself, which obviously relaxes you, Taurine & L-Theanine which both have some benefits for relaxation and mood. NOTE: If you're already taking an anti-depressant medication, do not use this. It can interact with those medicines in negative ways. https://a1-supplements.com/now-mood-support * 5HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan) - 5HTP converts to serotonin in the brain, so it's essentially doing what SSRIs are doing, just in a different method and in a different way. It's a version of the amino acid tryptophan, which you can also buy. However, 5HTP is more potent and is more orally bioavailable than Tryptophan, which is mainly used as a sleep aid. http://bit.ly/NOW5HTP * Tryptophan - You can take these before bed as they will help you sleep, but you can also take them during the day to relax you and boost your serotonin levels. I'd recommend reading about all the different ingredients on examine.com (see link below) and seeing which one might be right for you. https://bit.ly/NOWTryptophan NOTE: If you are already on an anti-depressant such as an SSRI/SNRI/MAOI, you don't want to be taking any form of tryptophan. It can cause a rare effect called serotonin syndrome in your body where your muscles tense up for many hours. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serotonin_syndrome You can read more about how 5HTP & Tryptophan works on Examine.com: https://examine.com/supplements/5-htp/ * NOW Kava Kava is like herbal Valium. One cap works to absolutely knock me out, but 2 is also good. It has 30% kavalactones extract which is one of the highest extracts on the market and NOW is one of the safest and most trusted supplement companies out there. I also combo Kava with the next 2 supplements for added benefit. http://a1-supplements.com/now-kava-kava-extract https://samedaysupps.co/now-kava-kava.html * NOW Lecithin - This one isn't so much a an anti-depressant, but it has fatty acids and tons of choline and inositol - both of which can sort of help sleep, but the main reason I take it with kava is because the kavalactones bind to the fat and make them more orally bioavailable. http://a1-supplements.com/now-lecithin (contains soy) Out of Stock as of the time of writing https://samedaysupps.co/now-sunflower-lecithin.html (Soy free) * NOW L-Theanine 100mg Theanine is great for relaxation, anxiety and sleep. There's tons of good studies on it and they add some decaf green tea extract for added antioxidant benefit. Check out https://examine.com/supplements/theanine/ http://a1-supplements.com/now-t-theanine-100-mg https://samedaysupps.co/now-l-theanine-100-mg-90-veg-caps.html https://samedaysupps.co/now-foods-l-theanine-200-mg-60-veg-caps.html - These are the 200mg caps. They may make you a bit more tired than then 100mg, but try it if you're not getting results from the 100mg. * Pregnenolone - Pregnenolone is a neurosteroid that was recently approved by the FDA for post partum depression in women, but it can also work for people who are depressed and lonely. They have been studying it as a treatment for loneliness and it works great in some people, and some people don't have any benefit. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurosteroid https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/26/pill-for-loneliness-psychology-science-medicine Buy Pregnenolone: https://amzn.to/3qrFiea * CBD Oil - CBD has been shown to have benefits for anxiety at around 300mg. I buy the 83mg from the CBDistillery, which batch tests all their products for purity, quality, and the proper dosages. I recommend the full spectrum CBD that has 0.03% THC. It works amazing for anxiety if you take about 2ml. http://bit.ly/TheBest-CBD from CBDistillery * Phenibut is a gabapentinoid and works well for sleep and anxiety. I really only use this one in emergency situations when I am super anxious. I think the REPP Sports Phenibut 250mg sells is it at the perfect dosage and they have a completely pure Phenibut. It works very well as an anxiolytic and mood booster. Here's a great old -article on Phenibut (linked below, the bitbin link) if you want to know all about the science behind it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabapentinoid Article on Phenibut: https://bitbin.it/jtsD2c9A/ Buy Phenibut: https://samedaysupps.co/repp-sports-phenibut.html However, if you feel like you need a stronger version of phenibut, then I would recommend Hi Tech Pharm's Somatomax. It has close to a whopping 14g (or close to it) of phenibut, which you can use before bed or several times a day. It also includes L-Dopa, which increases dopamine, and some other amino acids. Be careful with this, as phenibut IS ADDICTIVE if used continuously for long periods at high doses. Hi Tech Somatomax: https://samedaysupps.co/somatomax-by-hi-tech-pharmaceuticals.html * Lithium Orotate - Lithium is a well known anti-depressant and natural mineral. This mineral has so many uses, I couldn't even begin to list them all here. Just read this wikipedia article on it below. You can start off with 5mg and work up to 20mg. This is a good dose for reducing depression and anxiety. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_(medication) Buy Lithium Orotate: https://amzn.to/35QWbWm * Delta 8: Delta 8 is the chemical cousin of marijuana. Marijuana is Delta-9-THC, this is Delta-8-THC. It's technically legal under the Farm Act of 2019 since it's made from industrial hemp, just like CBD. The Sativa version has mood relaxing, relieving, and sleep inducing properties. The Indicia version is more if you're looking for a little stimulation. They sell it as gummies, oils, capsules, vape pens, and more. I often take a puff before bed to help me relax and fall asleep. I would recommend starting out with one of the disposable vape pens and see how it feels. To me, it feels very much like marijuana. It's a very interesting product and worth checking out. http://bit.ly/Delta8Market * GABA (gamma-Aminobutyric acid) - GABA plus Vitamin B6. GABA is a neurotransmitter involved in the feeling of relaxation. Taking the combination of GABA and the B6 will help GABA cross the blood brain barrier. With heavy doses of GABA you might have a flushing effect where it feels like it's hard to breath and and it can be a bit scary, but it goes away after maybe 10 minutes. GABA is the main neurotransmitter involved in relaxation and sleep, so taking it before bed it a no brainer. GABA taken in the daytime can sometimes make people tired, so you might want to start off with a lower dose. More info about GABA: https://examine.com/supplements/gaba/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma-Aminobutyric_acid Buy GABA: http://a1-supplements.com/now-gaba * Ashwagandha - Ashwagandha is labeled as an 'adaptogen' which is kind of pseudoscience term for meaning it can do anything. However, there have been many studies on Ashwagandha and many people tout it's benefits highly, however, I have never had any positive experiences with it myself. There are 3 forms of Ashwagandha on the market currently: Sensoril, KSM-66, and Shoden. This article from Nootropics Depot explains the differences. It sounds like the ideal version for depressed people would be the Sensoril or Shoden version. Nootropics Depot Article: https://nootropicsdepot.com/articles/ashwagandha-sensoril-vs-ksm66-/ http://bit.ly/NOWAshwagandha Sensoril: https://amzn.to/3GwdCN2 Showden: https://amzn.to/3EoazEJ * SAM-e - S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) is a methyl donating compound that circulates in the blood and provides methyl groups to maintain other metabolic reactions. Lowered SAMe levels are associated with depressive symptoms, and supplementation may aid a partial deficiency. Supplementation of S-adenosylmethionine tends to be in the 600-1,200mg range over the course of a day, divided into two or three separated doses with meals. The higher dosage (1,200mg) tends to be used more often, with the lower dosage (600mg) being used to cut costs. ** NOTE: This has been demonstrated to cause mania in some people, so be aware of that fact. https://a1-supplements.com/now-sam-e-200mg Here's a bit of a cheaper option with a higher dose: https://amzn.to/3jK0Joy https://examine.com/supplements/s-adenosyl-methionine/research/#interactions-with-neurology_depression But, if you're suffering from chronic anxiety or depression, I highly recommend you see a psychiatrist and look into some psycho-pharmacological medications that can help you in your daily life. You can get a prescription for some medications that will help you deal with your anxiety, and seeing a psychologist and doing cognitive behavior therapy can really help too. You don't have to suffer and self medicate to try and deal with your anxiety & depression. There is help out there, don't be to proud or too afraid to ask for it. If you have insurance, there's no reason not to at least get a consultation and see what your options are. Finally, I also highly recommend meditation. Using an app like Headspace daily to work on your breathing will help control your anxiety and negative thoughts. Fortune 500 companies are now teaching meditation classes in their businesses, because it's shown to increase cognitive function and has tons of other benefits. It's not a religious thing, it's more like breathing exercises where you just turn off your mind and focus on your breathing and after time it can really help. And PLEASE if you are feeling any kind of suicidal thoughts or feelings, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline call them at 1-(800)-273-TALK or visit their Twitter or website at @800273TALK or https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/. You can also contact The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Call or text them at 800-273-8255 / Text: 741741. Or contact them on Twitter or through their website at @afspnational and https://afsp.org/ The accounts are monitored 24/7. Anyway, hope that helps some of you out. Best of luck to you all. Oh yeah, and finally, here is an article on supplements that can help with depression. So look into these as well: Finally: here is another guide with supplements for depression which is different than mine by the great Andrew Novick: https://bitbin.it/79tgD1pJ/ I hope this guide helps you and I wish you all wellness! pogue