Supplement Your Emotional Health

Learn which nutrients can boost emotional health

There are a variety of herbal ingredients that may help improve your mood. Among the ones I find most impressive are:

• St. John's Wort can help ease anxiety, enhances a positive mental outlook and promotes healthy sleep patterns. I recommend taking 900 mg daily.
• Vitamin B3 in the form of niacinamide: helps ease stress (recommended dose 1,000 mg daily). [The B vitamin inositol (3,000 mg daily) and the amino acid gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) will increase niacinamide's effects (200 mg taken 4 times a day).] Dosages of all these supplements should be spread out through the day.
• Kava contains several compounds that relax the central nervous system (50 mg 3 times a day). Although valerian root is often cited along with Kava for its role in supporting healthy emotional response, I have found that long-term use of it weakens the adrenal glands. Anyone taking valerian root for extended periods will begin to experience fatigue, dizziness upon standing, headaches, and other symptoms commonly associated with hypoadrenia.