5 mood-boosting supplements

Host Defense Lion’s Mane mushroom extract

Maybe the most beautiful mushroom of all (and in the most beautiful box), lion’s mane has been studied for an ability to promote focus, memory and overall cognitive function, as well as balance moods. This product includes mycelium with its above-ground mushroom fruiting bodies.

Terry Naturally St. John’s Wort 900

Back in the late ’90s, St. John’s wort was the hottest botanical around for mild to moderate depression. It still works, and this formula gives you the recommended dose of 900 mg per day in a single capsule, a major improvement over the old-school three capsules a day.

Jarrow Formulas Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is the king of adaptogens, which have a seemingly magical ability to chill you out when you’re stressed and energize you when you’re down. This option contains the much-studied KSM-66 ingredient, at 300 mg per capsule. Some studies show 600 mg per day works better, so go ahead and take it twice a day.

Youtheory Saffron

Who isn’t wild about saffron? This stuff is more valuable than gold! It’s long been used in Persian traditional medicine for depression.

A recent small-scale study found it was just as good as the leading pharmaceutical for postpartum depression. Both helped about one in five women—but saffron had none of the drug’s side effects.

SFH WSO3

We haven’t seen any other omega supplement as potent as this one. Bonus: It’s not a pill but a single teaspoon a day, which gives you a whopping 2,500 mg EPA and 1,005 mg DHA. Double bonus: It’s aimed at women and is a combination of fish oil (from sustainably caught Alaskan pollock, sardines, herring and anchovies) and enough vitamins to count as a bona fide multi.