Condition

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Generalized anxiety disorder is a condition of persistent, hard-to-control worry about many parts of life, often with muscle tension, restlessness and poor sleep, driven by an overactive stress response in the brain. Passionflower has the strongest evidence, and trials found anxiety symptoms eased, as they did in smaller bodies of research on saffron and ashwagandha. Still, the studies were small, so the evidence is moderate for passionflower and limited for the others.

Sources: PMID 27918731; PMID 27928252; PMID 31135916

Updated 30 September 2026
How we grade
1 study cited
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) protocol

Supplements studied: 11
Graded outcomes: 8
Trials: 13
People studied: 739

Evidence by supplement

Strong
Moderate
Limited
Very limited

11 supplements

Passionflower

Passionflower: outcomes studied for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Anxiety Symptoms Moderate Improvement	Improves (the measure goes down)	Moderate effect	6 studies	66 people
Studies that measured anxiety symptoms Herbal medicines as anxiolytics prior to third molar surgical extraction. A randomized controlled clinical trial.Clin Oral Investig · PMID 32951121 Effects of passiflora incarnata and midazolam for control of anxiety in patients undergoing dental extraction.Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal · PMID 27918731 Effects of Passion Flower Extract, as an Add-On Treatment to Sertraline, on Reaction Time in Patients ‎with Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study.Iran J Psychiatry · PMID 27928252 and 3 more on the Passionflower page
	Reaction Time	Improves (the measure goes up)			30 people

Saffron

Saffron: outcomes studied for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Anxiety Symptoms Small Improvement	Improves (the measure goes down)	Small effect	6 studies	40 people
Studies that measured anxiety symptoms Crocus sativus L. versus Citalopram in the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder with Anxious Distress: A Double-Blind, Controlled Clinical TrialPharmacopsychiatry · PMID 27701683 The effects of alcoholic extract of saffron (Crocus satious L.) on mild to moderate comorbid depression-anxiety, sleep quality, and life satisfaction in type 2 diabetes mellitus: A double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled clinical trialComplement Ther Med · PMID 30477839 A double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) in the treatment of anxiety and depressionJ Complement Integr Med · PMID 27101556 and 3 more on the Saffron page
	Weight	Improves (the measure goes down)		3 studies	40 people
Studies that measured weight Satiereal, a Crocus sativus L extract, reduces snacking and increases satiety in a randomized placebo-controlled study of mildly overweight, healthy womenNutr Res · PMID 20579522 A placebo controlled randomized clinical trial of Crocus sativus L. (saffron) on depression and food craving among overweight women with mild to moderate depressionJ Clin Pharm Ther · PMID 31602695 Effects of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) on anthropometric and cardiometabolic indices in overweight and obese patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Phytother Res · PMID 35866520

Ashwagandha

Anxiety Symptoms: improves
Insomnia Signs and Symptoms: improves
Memory: improves

Ashwagandha: outcomes studied for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Anxiety Symptoms Moderate Improvement	Improves (the measure goes down)	Moderate effect	5 studies	86 people
Studies that measured anxiety symptoms A double-blind, placebo-controlled evaluation of the anxiolytic efficacy ff an ethanolic extract of withania somniferaIndian J Psychiatry · PMID 21407960 Naturopathic care for anxiety: a randomized controlled trial ISRCTN78958974PLoS One · PMID 19718255 Safety and efficacy of Withania somnifera for anxiety and insomnia: Systematic review and meta-analysis.Hum Psychopharmacol · PMID 39083548 and 2 more on the Ashwagandha page
	Insomnia Signs and Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)		1 study	86 people
Studies that measured insomnia signs and symptoms Effect of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) on the development of chemotherapy-induced fatigue and quality of life in breast cancer patientsIntegr Cancer Ther · PMID 23142798
	Memory	Improves (the measure goes up)			86 people
	Subjective Well-Being	Improves (the measure goes up)			86 people

Theanine

Anxiety Symptoms: improves
Insomnia Signs and Symptoms: improves
Depression Symptoms: improves

Theanine: outcomes studied for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Anxiety Symptoms Small Improvement	Improves (the measure goes down)	Small effect	2 studies	46 people
Studies that measured anxiety symptoms L-Theanine reduces psychological and physiological stress responsesBiol Psychol · PMID 16930802 The Effects of Green Tea Amino Acid L-Theanine Consumption on the Ability to Manage Stress and Anxiety Levels: a Systematic Review.Plant Foods Hum Nutr · PMID 31758301
	Insomnia Signs and Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)		1 study	46 people
Studies that measured insomnia signs and symptoms L-theanine in the adjunctive treatment of generalized anxiety disorder: A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trialJ Psychiatr Res · PMID 30580081
	Depression Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)			46 people

Tulsi

Anxiety Symptoms: improves
Depression Symptoms: improves

Tulsi: outcomes studied for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Anxiety Symptoms Small Improvement	Improves (the measure goes down)	Small effect	1 study	35 people
Studies that measured anxiety symptoms Controlled programmed trial of Ocimum sanctum leaf on generalized anxiety disordersNepal Med Coll J · PMID 19253862
	Depression Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)			35 people

Gotu Kola

Anxiety Symptoms: improves
Attention: improves
Depression Symptoms: improves

Gotu Kola: outcomes studied for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Anxiety Symptoms Small Improvement	Improves (the measure goes down)	Small effect	1 study	33 people
Studies that measured anxiety symptoms A clinical study on the management of generalized anxiety disorder with Centella asiaticaNepal Med Coll J · PMID 20677602
	Attention	Improves (the measure goes up)			33 people
	Depression Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)			33 people
	Stress Signs and Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)			33 people

Kava

Aggression: improves
Anxiety Symptoms: improves
Subjective Well-Being: improves

Kava: outcomes studied for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Aggression Small Improvement	Improves (the measure goes up)	Small effect		141 people
	Anxiety Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)		7 studies	238 people
Studies that measured anxiety symptoms Kava extract for treating anxietyCochrane Database Syst Rev · PMID 12535473 Clinical efficacy of kava extract WS 1490 in sleep disturbances associated with anxiety disorders. Results of a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trialJ Affect Disord · PMID 14706720 Kava treatment in patients with anxietyPhytother Res · PMID 15162364 and 4 more on the Kava page
	Subjective Well-Being	Improves (the measure goes up)		3 studies	141 people
Studies that measured subjective well-being Kava-kava extract WS 1490 versus placebo in anxiety disorders--a randomized placebo-controlled 25-week outpatient trialPharmacopsychiatry · PMID 9065962 Treatment of anxiety, tension and restlessness states with Kava special extract WS 1490 in general practice: a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind multicenter trialPhytomedicine · PMID 14692723 Efficacy of kava-kava in the treatment of non-psychotic anxiety, following pretreatment with benzodiazepinesPsychopharmacology · PMID 11605083
	Depression Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)			60 people

Apigenin

Anxiety Symptoms: improves

Apigenin: outcomes studied for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People	Studies list
	Anxiety Symptoms Moderate Decrease (via chamomile extract containing apigenin)	Improves (the measure goes down)	Moderate effect		179 people

Lavender

Anxiety Symptoms: improves

Lavender: outcomes studied for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People	Studies list
	Anxiety Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)		4 studies	77 people
Studies that measured anxiety symptoms How Strong is the Evidence for the Anxiolytic Efficacy of Lavender?: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Asian Nurs Res · PMID 31743795 Ambient odors of orange and lavender reduce anxiety and improve mood in a dental officePhysiol Behav · PMID 16095639 The effects of lavender scent on dental patient anxiety levels: a cluster randomised-controlled trialCommunity Dent Oral Epidemiol · PMID 19968674 and 1 more on the Lavender page

Valerian

Anxiety Symptoms: improves

Valerian: outcomes studied for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People	Studies list
	Anxiety Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)		1 study	36 people
Studies that measured anxiety symptoms Effect of valepotriates (valerian extract) in generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized placebo-controlled pilot studyPhytother Res · PMID 12410546

Ginkgo Biloba

Anxiety Symptoms: improves

Ginkgo Biloba: outcomes studied for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People	Studies list
	Anxiety Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)		1 study	82 people
Studies that measured anxiety symptoms Ginkgo biloba special extract EGb 761 in generalized anxiety disorder and adjustment disorder with anxious mood: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trialJ Psychiatr Res · PMID 16808927

Key findings

Anxiety SymptomsPassionflowerImproves (the measure goes down)
AggressionKavaImproves (the measure goes up)

The Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) protocol

2 primary supplements · 6 supporting supplements

Kava (Piper methysticum)120–250 mg kavalactones daily (divided doses)
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)400–900 mg extract daily or 1–2 g dried herb as tea

See the full protocol

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Studies cited

1 study from PubMed

Controlled programmed trial of Ocimum sanctum leaf on generalized anxiety disordersNepal Med Coll J · PMID 19253862

Evidence by supplement

Key findings

The Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) protocol

Shop the evidence-backed picks

Studies cited

Related conditions

Supplement stack for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)