Many people will have heard about the benefits of taking vitamin D during the colder darker months but did you know there are plenty of other supplements capable of doing some heavy lifting for your mental health?
Ingredients such as saffron, ashwagandha, rhodiola and 5-HTP have all been used to soothe nerves, boost mood and stabilise happy hormones for hundreds of years. Plus, according to clinical trials, in the right doses, these ingredients can all have a positive impact on mental wellbeing.
There are several reasons you might be feeling anxious or struggling with low mood. The stresses of work and responsibilities of life can often leave us feeling burnt out and unable to cope. Chronic low mood can also be a symptom of perimenopause and andropause and, often, shifting hormone levels at different stages of the menstrual cycle can leave you feeling out of whack, too.
Feeling stressed all the time can also prevent you from sleeping well, and poor sleep can lead to a cycle of feeling anxious during the day, so many people turn to supplements to soothe worried nerves and improve their rest and recovery.
We looked into which supplements might help with promoting feelings of calm and stability and which might be best for giving you a boost and beating the symptoms of SAD (seasonal affective disorder). Read on to find out which ones hit the mark.
How we tested
Over the course of several weeks, we took a variety of supplements from trusted brands, and tracked any changes in mood. We took note of whether we slept better, felt less anxious and whether we felt more emotionally regulated after trying each remedy. Each supplement we tried contained slightly different ingredients and we took price and packaging into account, too, rating each product on its content, cost and whether the results matched the credentials.
The best mood-boosting supplements for 2024 are:
Thorne emotion balance support
A multi-faceted formula created to boost mood and provide mental clarity, Thorne’s emotional balance supplements blend a variety of nutrients and botanicals.
Each capsule contains 5-HTP, which can help raise serotonin levels in the brain; rhodiola, which is a powerful plant antioxidant used for energy and stamina; and gamma-aminobutyric acid, also known as GABA. GABA is an amino acid that acts as a neurotransmitter, reducing neuronal excitability and soothing the central nervous system.
These capsules also contain vitamin C, B vitamins for brain health, and L-Tyrosine, which is another component that can help support your brain’s neurotransmitters to work effectively.
Thorne advises taking two capsules twice daily. After doing so for a few weeks, our tester experienced less brain fog, better sleep and felt more calm and collected.
These capsules are the most expensive on our list but contain several ingredients the others don’t. However, with the addition of B vitamins and vitamin C, you get more bang for your buck and won’t have to supplement those nutrients separately, which could save you money overall.
Buy now £45.37, Iherb.com
Myvitamins ashwagandha KSM66 capsules
Ashwagandha, also known as Indian ginseng or winter cherry, is a traditional herb native to India and is commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine. It’s been widely studied for its effects on stress, sleep quality and physical performance.
KSM-66 ashwagandha is the root extract of the plant – the leaf doesn’t offer many benefits, so it’s always worth checking this if you’re looking for an ashwagandha supplement – and these capsules contain one of the highest concentrations, delivering 500mg of ashwagandha root extract per serving.
This humble herb is having a moment as one of the most popular stress-reducing supplements available and this iteration is very affordable, too. You’ll have to take it for a number of weeks to feel the potential soothing effects but, at less than £7 for a month’s supply, these capsules are a great investment.
Our tester found they felt more emotionally balanced and found it much easier to wind down before bed after taking these supplements for three weeks.
Read more: Ashwagandha for men – what are the benefits and should you take it?
Buy now £6.58, Myprotein.com
JSHealth mood and emotional balance
These supplements contain just one ingredient: saffron. Known as, the ‘king of spices’ saffron is an antixodiant-rich plant that has been used for centuries to help support emotional wellbeing.
Three bioactive compounds – crocin, picrocrocin and safranal – give saffron its anti-inflammatory and mood-boosting properties. Studies show that saffron supplementation has promising effects for people suffering from depression and these small tablets make it easy to take it every day.
Saffron is typically a very expensive spice and eating it as part of your daily diet could prove challenging. These tablets are easy to swallow and JSHealth’s experts recommend taking two a day for best results.
Our fitness and wellbeing editor says: “I’ve been taking these supplements for about two years to improve my mood. They were actually recommended to me by a friend who had heard that Justin Bieber takes saffron for his mental health and, obviously, I’m eternally curious about celebrity-approved health remedies. Taken combined with a few other supplements, I’ve found my mood and mental health have vastly improved over the past couple of years. However, I felt calmer and happier after just a few months of starting on these tablets.”
Buy now £24.99, Jshealthvitamins.com
Wild Nutrition mental resilience duo
Wild Nutrition’s take on mood boosters comprises a protocol of two different supplements. This mental resilience duo is a combination of ashwagandha and DHA.
KSM-66 ashwagandha is widely used as a natural remedy for anxiety and can aid better sleep and improved mood. DHA is an Omega-3 fatty acid that supports brain function and eye health. By taking these supplements together, the idea is brain fog will lift, and you’ll feel more focused and calmer.
If you’re going to combine two supplements as part of a protocol, sticking with one brand is a great idea, because the dosage will have been measured to complement anything else you’re taking from that brand. Wild Nutrition’s supplements are also high quality and bioavailable, so your body can benefit from the contents.
Take two capsules of the KSM-66 and two capsules of Omega-3 per day to get the dose you need. You won’t feel a dramatic shift but you are likely to feel less overwhelmed and more able to focus when you’re problem-solving after taking these supplements in tandem for a month or so.
Buy now £49.60, Wildnutrition.com
Organic Olivia mood juice
A callback to herbal “rescue remedies”, the mood juice from Organic Olivia is a herbal tincture, rather than a supplement in pill form. This makes it ideal for those who find it difficult to swallow tablets.
One of the stars of this supplement is St John’s wort – a plant that’s been used for years as an alternative to prescription antidepressants. Studies show that St John’s wort may help treat mild-to-moderate depression and generalised anxiety disorder. According to an NIH study, it “works to reduce the uptake of serotonin at neuronal synapses, as well as dopamine and norepinephrine. Elevated levels of neurotransmitters are believed to be helpful when treating depression.”
This remedy also contains antioxidant-rich holy basil (also known as Tulsi), kava for relaxation and motherwort, which is used to support heart health and supposedly reduces inflammation.
You can add a full dropper bulb of the liquid to any drink, or just take a dose on its own two to three times a day. For maximum absorption, it’s advised to take this supplement between meals, rather than with food.
Buy now £43.49, Healf.com
The Naked Pharmacy saffrosun calm
Using saffron as its hero ingredient, this product also offers a dose of vitamin D3 and vitamin B12. This combination of nutrients is particularly effective at combatting the symptoms of seasonal affective disoder (SAD).
During the winter months, it’s especially important to make sure you’re taking a vitamin D supplement, because most of the recommended amount comes from sun exposure and this is usually in short supply in the UK.
The three key ingredients can help reduce fatigue and maintain your mood throughout the colder months of the year. Saffron can also supposedly improve menopausal symptoms by increasing the mood-boosting neurotransmitter serotonin in the gut and this product contains all three active components of the plant.
Plus, The Naked Pharmacy’s packaging is biodegradable, so the brand has some great sustainability credentials, too.
Read more: How to know if you’re vitamin D deficient and what to do about it
Buy now £22.00, Thenakedpharmacy.com
Artah enhanced nootropics
Nootropics – also known as cognitive enhancers – range from mushrooms to roots and nutrients made naturally by the body. These supplements contain a mix of various nootropic herbs, vitamins and minerals, to support ideal brain function.
Inside, you’ll find ashwagandha KSM-66 and 5-HTP along with B vitamins, folate and magnesium for energy and improved recovery after a long day. This particular blend is not only intended to boost mood but to help you regulate and recharge when you’ve been in high-stress situations throughout the day.
Our fitness and wellbeing editor says: “I took these supplements for a month to see whether they could help me feel less wired after a busy day at work. They seemed to work and I generally felt like I had more power once I got home and that I wasn’t holding onto stress as much.”
Buy now £36.00, Artah.co
Mpowder mood food
This mood supplement has been specifically formulated to support mental health throughout menopause. Mood swings and low mood are common symptoms of hormonal fluctuations in midlife, and this blend of nootropic, antioxidant and adaptogenic ingredients aims to solve this problem.
Ingredients such as bacopa and KSM66 ashwagandha aim to reduce brain fog, enhance cognitive function and ease anxiety, while zinc, lemon balm and turmeric act as anti-viral and antioxidant pillars. These supplements also contain magnesium, B vitamins and biotin, to support brain and muscle health.
Our tester found their menopause-induced brain fog was lessened and they felt more vital after taking a month’s supply of mood food. They also reported feeling slightly calmer, despite the hot flushes persisting.
Although this product is sold out currently, you can sign up to be notified by email when it becomes available again.
Buy now £31.04, Healf.com
The verdict: Mood-boosting supplements
For those seeking a quick fix and something that’s easy to take, the JSHealth emotional balance supplements are a great option. However, our overall winner is the Thorne emotion balance support, thanks to its stacked blend of ingredients. If you’re looking for something a little more affordable, the Myvitamins ashwagandha supplements are a good place to start. For an all-round antidote to SAD symptoms, though, The Naked Pharmacy’s saffrosun also offers a dose of vitamin D, to help you through the winter and beyond.
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