Why are so many people looking for supplements for stress and anxiety?

Stress and anxiety are among the most common reasons people turn to supplements. The demand is understandable — chronic stress affects sleep, energy, concentration, and quality of life, and the desire for a natural, accessible intervention is real.

But this is also an area where the gap between marketing claims and regulatory reality is enormous. Supplement brands routinely imply their products can "relieve anxiety" or "combat stress" — language that is not legally permitted in the UK without specific authorisation. The result is a market full of misleading claims, making it difficult to separate genuine nutritional science from wishful thinking.

This article covers what is actually authorised, what the clinical evidence shows, and where the honest limits of supplementation lie.

Important: supplements are not a replacement for professional support

Before we go any further, this needs to be stated clearly.

If anxiety or stress is significantly affecting your daily life — interfering with work, relationships, sleep, or your ability to function — the right first step is to speak to a GP, not to order a supplement.

Nutritional supplementation can support normal psychological function and nervous system function. It cannot treat anxiety disorders, panic attacks, or clinical depression. These are medical conditions that require professional assessment and, in many cases, evidence-based therapies such as CBT or medication.

The NHS mental health services page is a good starting point for finding support. You can also contact your GP directly or self-refer to NHS talking therapies.

Everything below should be read with that context in mind.

Which claims are legally authorised in the UK?

In the UK, health claims on food supplements must be authorised under EU Regulation 432/2012, retained in UK law and enforced by the Food Standards Agency. Only a small number of nutrients have authorised claims relevant to stress and psychological function:

These are the only authorised claims that directly relate to psychological function among common supplement ingredients. No vitamin, mineral, or botanical extract has an authorised UK health claim for "reducing stress" or "relieving anxiety."

If a supplement brand tells you their product "reduces anxiety" or "relieves stress," they are almost certainly making an unauthorised claim. We are transparent about this distinction because it matters.

Magnesium — the most evidence-backed nutritional intervention

Magnesium is the nutrient with the strongest convergence of authorised claims and clinical evidence in the context of stress and anxiety.

Its authorised claims — "contributes to normal psychological function" and "contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system" — are directly relevant. Magnesium is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body, including the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which governs the stress response. When magnesium status is low, the body's stress response can become dysregulated.

Boyle et al. (2017) — a systematic review published in Nutrients by researchers at the University of Leeds — examined the available evidence on magnesium supplementation and subjective anxiety. The review found suggestive but not definitive evidence that magnesium supplementation may have a beneficial effect on subjective anxiety, particularly in individuals who are vulnerable to stress or have low magnesium intake. The authors noted that existing studies had methodological limitations and called for larger, well-designed trials.

The practical relevance is significant. The National Diet and Nutrition Survey consistently shows that a substantial proportion of UK adults do not meet recommended magnesium intake from diet alone. For anyone experiencing stress alongside suboptimal magnesium intake, correcting that deficiency through supplementation is a reasonable, evidence-based step.

For more on magnesium's role in relaxation and rest, see our articles on magnesium for sleep and supplements for sleep.

Ashwagandha (KSM-66®) — the most clinically studied adaptogen

Ashwagandha does not have an EU-authorised health claim for stress, anxiety, or psychological function. That needs to be stated upfront. What follows is clinical trial evidence, not a regulatory approval.

Ashwagandha is classified as an adaptogen — a category of botanical extracts traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine and now the subject of modern clinical research. KSM-66® is a standardised root extract and the most extensively studied form.

Chandrasekhar et al. (2012) — a prospective, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in the Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine. Sixty-four adults with a history of chronic stress received either 300mg KSM-66® ashwagandha root extract twice daily or placebo for 60 days. The ashwagandha group showed a significant reduction in scores on all stress-assessment scales compared to placebo, as well as a substantial reduction in serum cortisol levels.

Salve et al. (2019) — a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study published in Cureus. Sixty healthy adults received KSM-66® ashwagandha root extract at varying doses or placebo for 8 weeks. The study found significant reductions in perceived stress scale scores and serum cortisol levels in the ashwagandha groups compared to placebo, with improvements observed across multiple stress and wellbeing measures.

These are well-designed trials with meaningful results. But it is important to understand the limitations: sample sizes are relatively small, the research is still developing, and the mechanism — thought to involve modulation of cortisol and the HPA axis — is not fully established. Ashwagandha is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment.

PARTICULAR includes KSM-66® ashwagandha — the same standardised extract used in these clinical trials — when your questionnaire responses indicate elevated stress levels.

B vitamins — hormonal regulation and nervous system support

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 contributes to normal psychological function and contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity — both authorised EU health claims.

The hormonal regulation claim is particularly relevant in the context of stress. Cortisol — the primary stress hormone — is regulated in part by pathways that depend on adequate B6 status. B6 is also a cofactor in the synthesis of neurotransmitters including serotonin and GABA, both of which play roles in mood regulation and the nervous system's response to stress.

This does not mean supplementing B6 will reduce anxiety in someone with adequate intake. It means that B6 deficiency can compromise the biochemical systems involved in normal stress response — and correcting that deficiency is a practical, evidence-based intervention.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 contributes to normal psychological function and contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system — both authorised claims.

B12 is essential for the maintenance of myelin sheaths that protect nerve fibres, and for normal homocysteine metabolism. Elevated homocysteine — which can result from B12 deficiency — has been associated with poorer psychological wellbeing in observational studies.

B12 deficiency is more common than many people realise, particularly among those following plant-based diets, older adults, and individuals with absorption issues. PARTICULAR uses methylcobalamin — the bioactive form of B12 — rather than the synthetic cyanocobalamin found in many supplements. See our detailed article on vitamin B12 forms for more on why the form matters.

Vitamin D — emerging evidence linking low status with psychological wellbeing

Vitamin D does not have an authorised health claim specifically related to psychological function or stress. Its authorised claims relate to normal immune function, maintenance of normal bones, and normal muscle function.

However, observational evidence is growing. Multiple studies have found associations between low vitamin D status and poorer psychological wellbeing. Vitamin D receptors are found throughout the brain, including in areas associated with mood regulation, which provides a plausible biological mechanism.

The practical consideration is straightforward: vitamin D insufficiency is widespread in the UK. Public Health England recommends that all adults consider supplementing vitamin D during autumn and winter at minimum. If your vitamin D status is low, correcting it through supplementation is sensible for general health — and the emerging psychological wellbeing data adds to that case.

PARTICULAR uses vitamin D3 from a vegan lichen source. For more on why D3 is preferable to D2, see our guide to vitamin D supplements.

What about 5-HTP, St John's Wort, CBD, and GABA?

These are among the most commonly discussed supplements for stress and anxiety, so they deserve an honest assessment.

None of these are included in the PARTICULAR formula. That is not because they have zero merit — some have genuine evidence in specific contexts — but because the evidence does not meet the threshold we require for inclusion, their safety profiles involve significant caveats, or they fall outside the scope of personalised nutritional supplementation.

Why stress supplementation should be personalised

Stress manifests differently in different people, and the nutritional factors involved are not the same for everyone.

Someone whose stress primarily disrupts sleep has different nutritional correlates than someone who experiences daytime anxiety or physical tension. A person with a plant-based diet and low B12 intake has different needs from someone with adequate B12 but poor magnesium status. Someone who spends most of their time indoors during winter faces different deficiency risks than someone with high outdoor exposure.

A single "stress supplement" cannot address all of these scenarios effectively. This is why PARTICULAR builds your formula around your individual profile.

The PARTICULAR questionnaire captures:

Based on your responses, your personalised formula adjusts the inclusion and dosage of magnesium, ashwagandha KSM-66®, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin D3, zinc, and other ingredients to match what your body actually needs.

Your formula arrives as loose microgranules in a pouch — one daily scoop, with each granule individually coated so that ingredients are released and absorbed independently in the gut. This avoids the competitive absorption issues that affect standard multivitamin tablets.

For more on how stress intersects with other health goals, see our guides to supplements for sleep and supplements for energy.

Key takeaways

  1. No supplement has an authorised UK health claim for "reducing stress" or "relieving anxiety." Be sceptical of any brand that implies otherwise.
  2. Magnesium has the strongest combined evidence — authorised claims for normal psychological function and nervous system function, plus clinical evidence suggesting benefit for subjective anxiety, particularly in those with low intake.
  3. Ashwagandha KSM-66® has multiple RCTs showing reductions in perceived stress and cortisol levels — but no authorised EU health claim. The evidence is promising, not conclusive.
  4. Vitamin B6 and B12 contribute to normal psychological function and nervous system function. B6 also contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity. Deficiency in either can compromise normal stress response.
  5. Vitamin D has emerging observational evidence linking low status with poorer psychological wellbeing. Supplementation is already recommended in the UK for general health.
  6. 5-HTP, St John's Wort, CBD, and GABA have varying degrees of evidence but significant caveats — drug interactions, regulatory uncertainty, or questions about bioavailability. None are in the PARTICULAR formula.
  7. Supplements are not a substitute for professional mental health support. If anxiety is significantly affecting your life, speak to your GP.
  8. Stress supplementation works best when personalised to your specific nutritional gaps and stress profile. Take the questionnaire to find out which ingredients are relevant for you.

Sources cited in this article: