Chronic stress, like sudden stressful situations, can affect the body in a great many ways:
- Nervousness and irritability
- Fatigue and loss of energy
- Digestive disorders
- Headaches and insomnia.
What helps us shed the after-effects of stress and turn its intensity down: regular physical exercise, a sensible diet, plenty of sleep and rest. These are among the best and most available ways to prepare your body for the impact of stress and to avoid its after-effects.
To fight stress we can, on top of all that, use dietary supplements and vitamins. These could be, for example:
- L-theanine
- Rhodiola rosea
- B vitamins
- Glycine
Green tea
More precisely, the amino acid held in tea leaves, L-theanine
Its ability to bring relaxation and lower anxiety without sedatives has been studied and confirmed more than once. Better memory and concentration were also noted in the participants. (a review of 21 studies)
These properties of tea have also been put down to the joint effect of caffeine and L-theanine. Each ingredient on its own had a smaller effect on the body.
However, L-theanine can clear away stress and its after-effects on its own too. This happens through a drop in heart rate and in the overall level of the stress hormone cortisol.
L-theanine is safe and well tolerated at therapeutic doses, which range from 200-600 mg a day.
To make that clearer: L-theanine makes up 1-2% of the dry weight of the leaves, which comes to about 10-20 mg of theanine per cup of tea.
On top of everything else, the tea drinking itself works on stress, as a spell of relaxation and awareness.
Rhodiola rosea
(Rhodiola rosea) is a herb that grows in the mountain regions of Russia and Asia.
It has long been known as an adaptogen that raises resistance to stress. This property of rhodiola comes from two active compounds in the herb - rosavin and salidroside..
A two-month trial involving 100 people with symptoms of chronic fatigue (disturbed sleep, poorer short-term memory and reduced concentration) showed that taking 400 mg of rhodiola extract daily reduced all the symptoms within just 1 week (from three reliable studies). The symptoms kept easing right up to the end of the study.
Another study confirmed that taking 400 mg of rhodiola extract daily for 12 weeks reduced stress-related symptoms, among them anxiety, loss of energy and irritability. Rhodiola is well tolerated and practically safe (at therapeutic doses)
B-complex vitamins
usually hold all eight vitamins of the group, which play an important part in metabolism and are needed for the health of the heart, the brain and the nervous system. B vitamins are found in grains, meat, legumes, eggs, dairy products and leafy greens.
High doses of B vitamins are used both in neurology and to clear the symptoms of stress (low mood, less energy, exhaustion). This works by lowering the level of homocysteine in the blood. A raised level of this amino acid is directly tied to stress and to a higher risk of heart disease, dementia and some kinds of tumours.
B-complex supplements are as a rule safe when taken within the recommended dose. They can, however, bring various side effects too, stomach pain for one. Besides, since these are water-soluble vitamins, the body passes any excess out in the urine, which means extra load on the kidneys.
Glycine
- is an amino acid our body uses to make proteins.
Glycine is able to lower body temperature and raise the body's resistance to stress, improving night-time rest and calming the central nervous system. A lower body temperature makes for sound sleep and helps us not to wake up during the night.
People who complained about the quality of their sleep and took part in one of the studies took 3 grams of glycine before bed and showed less fatigue and more alertness the next day than those who took a placebo. The effect appeared whatever the difference in how long they took to fall asleep or how long they slept.
compared with the placebo, which suggests that glycine improved the quality of sleep.
Glycine is well tolerated, and taking 3 grams of it is unlikely to bring any side effects.
The calming action of glycine improves the quality of sleep and lifts the sense of alertness and focus.
Various vitamins and other supplements, rhodiola rosea, green tea, glycine and B-complex vitamins among them, help to reduce the symptoms of stress and raise the body's resistance to the various situations life brings.
Always check first with a specialist or with your own doctor before you start a new supplement, especially if you are taking other medicines, are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant.
If stress is still a problem in your life, book a consultation and talk through the possible ways out. Take care and stay healthy!
