Literature Review Reaffirms Anxiety-Reducing Benefits of Dietary Supplementation

Depression and anxiety are common mental health issues, and psychological disorders are among the most frequent conditions seen in medical offices. Shaheen E. Lakhan , from the Global Neuroscience Initiative Foundation (California, USA), and colleagues conducted a literature review of 24 studies that investigated five different complementary therapies and eight combination treatments for anxiety disorder or depression.  Assessing  the effectiveness of passionflower, lysine, magnesium, kava, and St. John’s wort, the researchers reported that 71% percent of the trials reviewed showed evidence supporting the efficacy of dietary supplementation on anxiety, with reported side effects as mild. The team writes that: “Based on the available evidence, it appears that nutritional and herbal supplementation is an effective method for treating anxiety and anxiety-related conditions without the risk of serious side effects … Strong evidence exists for the use of herbal supplements containing extracts of passionflower or kava and combinations of L-lysine and L-arginine as treatments for anxiety symptoms and disorders.”