Stress & Anxiety: Natural Relief

References

Stress and anxiety are not new. In the past, as today, when faced with stress, the sympathetic nervous system increases the rate and force of heart contractions, dilates the bronchial tubes, dilates the pupils, stimulates sweat, stimulates the production of adrenal hormones, and inhibits the movement of food through the digestive tract. After the danger passes, the parasympathetic nervous system brings all of these functions back to normal.

Unfortunately in today’s world, the relative frequency of such stressful situations can heavily tax the nervous system without allowing adequate time for recovery. The biochemical ramifications of this situation are decreased immune response (with more frequent illnesses), mood alterations (anxiety), decreased energy/increased fatigue levels, and serious depletion of various nutrients in our bodies.

One of the most important steps to relieving anxiety is making dietary changes, including reducing or eliminating intake of refined sugars, refined carbohydrates, excessive alcohol and caffeine. In addition, the basic foundation provided by a vitamin and mineral program can prevent subclinical deficiencies. Adding generous amounts of the B vitamins, which are intimately involved in the function of the nervous system and needed in greater amounts under stress, can further fortify the defenses. However, if you have customers who are seeking a greater sense of calmness and balance, B vitamins alone won’t fill the bill. Fortunately there are many natural compounds that can help.

Asian cultures have often used teas for their relaxation effects, which science has now attributed to the presence of a neurologically active amino acid, L-theanine (gamma-ethyl-amino-L-glutamic acid). While tea does have slightly less caffeine than coffee, it is the L-theanine in the tea that lessens the stimulant effect of caffeine on the human nervous system. In a review by Russ Mason, he notes two small human studies showed that within 30 to 40 minutes of consuming 50 mg or 200 mg of L-theanine, there is an increase of alpha wave activity/electrical signals produced by the brain associated with sleep.¹ The perceived relaxation effect in the subjects coincided with the detection of alpha waves, as anxious people generally have fewer or smaller alpha waves. This shows L-theanine fosters a state of alert relaxation.

In the central nervous system, GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter. It exerts anticonvulsant, sedative and anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) effects at the cellular level.^4,5 Orally, people have used GABA supplements for relieving anxiety, elevating mood, relieving premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and treating attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).⁶ Some botanicals appear to work, at least in part, by affecting GABA in some way. Although some doctors have reported beneficial effects with GABA supplementation,⁷ a lack of published clinical trials makes it difficult to recommend a specific dose.

Valerian root (Valeriana officinalis) is a popular botanical used for its mild sedative and tranquilizing properties. The German Commission E recommends valerian root one or more times a day for “restlessness and nervous disturbance of sleep.”⁸ Various studies have found taking valerian orally seems to reduce self-reported stress in social anxiety and anxiety disorder.^9,10,11 The valerenic acid components of valerian can inhibit the breakdown of GABA,¹² which may explain some of the relaxing properties of this herb. Although most studies have used 400 mg to 900 mg valerian extract up to two hours before bedtime to improve sleep quality, this may be too high of a “daytime” dose to help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. A more appropriate dose for this purpose might be about 250 mg of valerian root extract standardized for 0.8 percent valerenic acid.

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) has been cultivated for more than 2,000 years, and was used in Europe during the Middle Ages for complaints related to nervous system disorders. The German Commission E approved the internal use of lemon balm for nervous sleeping disorders,¹³ while the European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy lists tenseness, restlessness, irritability among its internal uses.¹⁴ In a randomized, double blind, crossover study, lemon balm was shown to increase calmness in healthy volunteers.¹⁵ In another study, lemon balm combined with valerian root provided a significantly larger proportion of people with an improvement of quality of sleep compared to the placebo group (33 percent versus 9 percent).¹⁶

Passion flower (Passiflora incarnate) is used as a mild sedative, often in combination with other herbs. The German Commission E recommends it for “nervous unrest.”¹⁷ In a double blind trial of 182 patients with adjustment disorder with anxious mood, patients received a preparation containing six herbal extracts including passion flower and valerian, or a placebo.¹⁸ Improvements were noted in patients who took the herbal mixture compared with those who received a placebo. Likewise, a German study found the combination of valerian and passion flower to be useful for anxiety.¹⁹

Historically, scullcap (Scutellaria laterifolia) was used as a sedative for the treatment of insomnia and nervous tension.²⁰ A double blind, placebo-controlled study of healthy subjects demonstrated people who take a single dose of scullcap extract experienced noteworthy anxiety relief, which lasted for about two hours.²¹

July 2005 Health Supplement Retailer
"Stress & Anxiety: Natural Relief" References

1. Mason R. "200 mg of Zen: L-Theanine boosts alpha waves, promotes alert relaxation." Altern Comp Ther. 7, 2:91-95, 2001.

2. Brown RP, Gerbarg PL, Ramazanov Z. "Rhodiola rosea: A Phytomedicinal Overview." HerbalGram. 56:40-52, 2002.

3. [No author cited] "Rhodiola rosea monograph." Altern Med Rev. 7, 5:421-423, 2002.

4. Kalant H, Roschlau WHE, Eds. Principles of Medical Pharmacology. Oxford University Press, New York, N.Y. 1998.

5. Bloom FE, Kupfer DJ. Psychopharmacology: The Fourth Generation of Progress. Raven Press Ltd., New York, N.Y. 1995.

6. [No author cited]. "GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) monograph." Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 1995-2005 Therapeutic Research Faculty.

7. Braverman E, Pfieffer C. The Healing Nutrients Within. In Facts, Findings and New Research on Amino Acids. Keats Publishing, New Canaan, Conn. 1987.

8. Fugh-Berman A, Cott MJ. "Dietary supplements and natural products as psychotherapeutic agents." Psychosom Med. 61:712-728, 1999.

9. Cropley M et al. "Effect of kava and valerian on human physiological and psychological responses to mental stress assessed under laboratory conditions." Phytother Res. 16:23-7, 2002. www.interscience.wiley.com/jpages/0951-418X

10. Kohnen R, Oswald WD. "The effects of valerian, propranolol, and their combination on activation, performance and mood of healthy volunteers under social stress conditions." Pharmacopsychiatry. 21:447-8, 1988. www.thieme.de/pharmaco

11. Andreatini R et al. "Effect of valepotriates (valerian extract) in generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized placebo-controlled pilot study." Phytother Res. 16:650-4, 2002. www.interscience.wiley.com/jpages/0951-418X

12. European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy monographs on the medicinal use of plants. European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy, Exeter, U.K. 1997.

13. Fugh-Berman A, Cott MJ. op cit.

14. "Lemon Balm. Expanded Commission E Online." American Botanical Council, 2000.

15. Kennedy DO et al. "Modulation of mood and cognitive performance following acute administration of Melissa officinalis (lemon balm)." Pharmocol Biochem Behav. 72:953-964, 2002. www.elsevier.com/locate/pharmbiochembeh

16. Cerny A, Schmid K. "Tolerability and efficacy of valerian/lemon balm in healthy volunteers (a double blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study)." Fitoterapia. 70:221-228, 1999.

17. Fugh-Berman A, Cott MJ. op cit.

18. Bourin M et al. "A combination of plant extracts n the treatment of outpatients with adjustment disorder with anxious mood: controlled study versus placebo." Fundam Clin Pharmacol. 11:127–32, 1997.

19. Brown D. Quart Rev Nat Med. Fall:221–24, 1994.

20. Hoffman D. The Herbal Handbook: A User's Guide to Medical Herbalism. Healing Arts Press, Rochester, Vt. 1988.

21. Wolfson P, Hoffmann DL. "An investigation into the efficacy of Scutellaria lateriflora in healthy volunteers." Altern Ther Health Med. 9:74-8, 2003.

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