Boost Your Health with the Right Supportive Supplements For Stress
Feeling a little (or a lot) stressed? As you’re probably aware by now, you're not alone. The majority of people are living in a state of chronic stress. I feel like we’re all just walking around holding our breath, looking over our shoulder (but straining because our necks are so stiff), and waiting for the other shoe to drop…metaphorically speaking.
Stress really does a number on your body. It’s not just a mental battle, creating an emotional tug-of-war between what we want and what our capacity is. It’s also physically demanding, draining essential nutrients and causing points of pain and tension in the body. If you’re feeling a little extra exhausted these days and not sure why, take a gander at your stress. It’s often an underlying condition of symptoms.
So what do you do about these vital diminishing nutrients? Well, stress management, of course. Along with eating a nutritious variety of whole foods. And while I don’t normally recommend blind supplementation, there are a few that most people could find some benefit from if you’re unsure of where to get started.
In this article, I’ll talk about how stress affects nutrient levels and walk through some supplements that may help you feel your best.
Disclaimer about Supplementation
Before diving into the specifics, it's important to understand that blindly taking supplements isn't usually the best approach. I always recommend a holistic method when accessible — looking at the whole picture. When I work with clients, I use assessments, tests and other resources paired with their symptoms to identify patterns and potential areas of concern. From there, I can create personalized protocols that incorporate nutrition, lifestyle, and supplement recommendations to begin boosting their body’s ability to find internal balance and support overall health and wellbeing.
Remember that supplements should be just one part of your health strategy, never an “end all be all.” When combined with appropriate nutrition and lifestyle changes, supplements can help your body better handle stress and restore balance.
Some nutrients are easily excreted by the body when not needed, some vitamins and minerals can be stored and have some negative effects (iron and zinc, for example). Be your own health advocate — if you feel like something is off, talk to your doctor about getting the necessary tests done and ask plenty of questions to get the clarification you need on recommendations.
Also consider that all nutrients work together in the right balance. Supplementing with certain vitamins or minerals can help give you an extra boost in areas where you may be feeling depleted, but without a balanced diet of other vitamins and minerals, you may not absorb supplements adequately.
Common Nutrient Deficiencies Due to Stress
In today’s society, characterized by “do more” and “hustle-culture” it’s not uncommon for people to walk around in a chronic state of stress. And the sad part is – you might not even realize it! When you’ve been living in this state for so long, your chronic stress becomes your baseline and it feels normal.
Your body’s stress response requires energy. Remember that the only way your body can get the energy it needs is through the food you eat. Your body then uses the nutrients it absorbs from food for everything it does, from breathing to thinking to moving. This also means using nutrients to respond to stress.
And when we talk about chronic stress, certain nutrients are used up more than others which can cause deficiencies in the body. Here are some common nutrient deficiencies that many people face today:
Magnesium - Essential for muscle and nerve function. Low levels can lead to fatigue and irritability.
B Vitamins - Important for energy and brain function. Deficiencies can cause tiredness and mood swings.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Crucial for brain health and reducing inflammation. A lack of these can lead to poor mental health and chronic pain.
Vitamin C – Vital for immune function and antioxidant protection. Deficiencies can result in weakened immunity and more susceptibility to infections.
Zinc – Essential for immune function, healing wounds and DNA synthesis. Low levels can cause impaired immune function, hair loss and weakened healing.
Recommended Supplements to Combat Stress and Fatigue
Again, I don’t typically recommend supplementing without an understanding of what’s going on in your body internally. However, the supplements suggestions I offer here are generally helpful and the most common supplements that are supportive for most individuals. These are also least likely to overconsume.
(PS - to learn more about the individual items I recommend below, sign up for a free Fullscript account here and find them in the catalog under Supplements for Stress.)
Magnesium
To help support positive stress response and promote calm, relaxation and optimal muscle function. Keep in mind, there are multiple forms of magnesium. For stress and sleep support, I recommend magnesium glycinate. This one has calming properties and can help relieve symptoms of anxiety and stress without effecting digestion. Magnesium malate may also be a good option but may cause some digestive disturbance for some people.
Brands I like:
Vital Nutrients – Magnesium (glycinate/malate)
Thorne – Magnesium Bisglycinate
Gaia Pro – Magnesium Glycinate 400
B Vitamins
To support optimal energy and brain function. There are eight B vitamins and all of them play a role in energy and mental function.
Brands I like:
Biotics – Bio-GGG-B
Vital Nutrients – B-Complex
Thorne – Stress B-Complex
Omega-3
To support mental cognition and blood flow to the brain, and to combat inflammation, especially if you don’t eat fatty fish regularly or higher quality meats such as grass-fed beef or pasture-raised eggs which tend to have a higher concentration of omega-3 than conventionally raised animals.
Brands I like:
Thorne – Super EPA
Biotics – Biomega-500
Adrenal Support
Adrenal supplements provide specific nutrients to nourish the adrenal glands, the main player in stress response. The adrenal glands are responsible for producing stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. For higher-stress periods, an extra boost may provide additional support to the adrenal glands and help keep stress levels in check.
Brands I like:
Biotics – Cytozyme-AD
Thorne – Adrenal Cortex
Honorable Mentions
Here are a few other supplements I like to rotate into my own routine to supplement my diet and lifestyle.
Probiotic Support
Probiotics are living microorganisms that support a beneficial balance of microbes in your gut, which is important to overall health. Eating a larger variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains helps ensure a more diverse microbiome. Probiotic-rich foods, like yogurt, kimchi, tempeh, pickles, kombucha, kefir and miso, help feed the friendly bacteria in your gut.
Brands I like:
Pendulum – GLP-1 Probiotic Pro
Pendulum – Metabolic Daily Pro
Thorne – Women’s Daily Probiotic
Collagen
A type of protein found in connective tissue and the most abundant protein that provides structure to your body. It supports your joints, bones, muscles, skin and more. Your body makes collagen, but as you age, production naturally decreases, and collagen becomes fragmented and looser, causing more physical signs of aging, like wrinkles.
Brands I like:
Garden of Life – Grass Fed Collagen Peptides (plus probiotics!)
Vital Proteins – Collagen Peptides (multiple flavors available)
Ancient Nutrition – Multi Collagen Protein
What to Look for in Supplements
When choosing supplements, aim for professional-grade and third-party tested options, such as GMP or NSF-certified. I love using Fullscript for my clients because they meet these standards and offer a more accessible price to high-quality supplements. You can visit my Fullscript store for 15% off high-quality supplements. Just create an account, search the catalog and select what you need.
Other Diet and Lifestyle Factors for Stress Support
Supplements can definitely be helpful for extra support, but like I already mentioned, they work best when combined with healthy habits. Here are some key things to incorporate into your daily routine to start working toward feeling your best:
Proper Hydration – It’s essential to stay hydrated and drink enough water throughout the day. Aim for at least half your body weight in ounces, and add on more if you are active, outdoors often or sweat a lot. If you’re pregnant, you may want to add even more.
Adequate Protein Intake – I mentioned collagen as a supportive supplement, but overall protein intake is definitely crucial. Your body needs protein for maintaining muscles and tissues, supporting digestion, regulating metabolism and balancing blood sugar, and more. Aim for at least 100g of protein per day or 0.6-0.8 grams per pound of body weight. Ideal protein intake varies by person, but this is a good starting point for reference.
Fruits, Vegetables and Whole Grains – The more variety you have in your diet, the more essential vitamins and minerals you’ll get overall.
Daily Movement and Time Outdoors – Exercise is great, but movement throughout the day is more important. If you are mostly sedentary throughout the day, take a few minutes every so often to stand up, stretch and move around. And get outdoors when you can. Fresh air can do wonders for your health!
Quality Sleep – Sleep is essential to overall health and recovery. Make sure you’re getting enough restorative sleep, optimally 7-9 hours each night.
Stress Management – When talking about stress, this should be a no-brainer, but I know how hard it is to overlook sometimes. Find a good balance in the midst of work and activities, learn how to say no when you need to, and practice stress management techniques like mindfulness or yoga to help keep your body calm.
Final Thoughts on Supplements for Stress
Managing stress and boosting your health can be done with the right approach to supplementation, and always combined with nourishing lifestyle choices. Advocate for yourself and talk with your doctor about what tests and supplements may be right for you.
Check out my Fullscript store to browse high-quality supplements and get a discount on retail prices. And if you feel like you need more personalized support, reach out to me. Together, we can find the best ways to support your symptoms through nutrition and lifestyle practices.
