Dr. John Kasper, DO
Internal medicine
30+ Years
Stress signals can spike when we feel pressured, uncertain, or have a lot of tasks to juggle. I recommend these supplements for people who want to feel relaxed enough to focus without stimulants. They use botanicals like L-theanine (from tea) and ashwagandha (a shrub often used in herbal formulas) because of its potential to quiet those signals so your brain can stay on task. For instance, for ashwagandha, in randomized, placebo-controlled trials of concentrated ashwagandha root extract taken for 6-8 weeks, participants showed about 25-30% lower stress scores and modest stress hormone reductions versus placebo. The research data strengthens my confidence in recommending this to my patients. The potential benefits may be better built over time. Gradual recalibration of stress pathways can be more stable than quick boosts and can help avoid tolerance or rebound dips. So I would suggest being consistent with it to see the full potential extent of benefits it can offer you.
