Liz Meszaros, MDLinx, February 18, 2020
As reported by a new research from the American Medical Association (AMA), 43.9% of physician surveyed, notified at least one symptom of burnout and as compared with other working adults in the United States were at a high risk for burnout. The initial cause of physician stress, reported by a survey are administrative burden, lack of time, and long hours.
To fight stress, there are many other options. But sometimes, exercising regularly, eating right, and getting enough sleep may not be sufficient to reset physician, particularly when they face every day with these stressors.
Following are five supplements and vitamins that could give physician’s body and mind some little more strength to alleviate the stress of life as a physician.
B vitamins: Peak on the list of stress relieving vitamins and supplements are the B vitamins. Eight B vitamins form the B complexes; those are important for heart and brain health. They include thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), vitamin B6, biotin (vitamin B7), folic acid (folate), and vitamin B12. The B vitamins are identified in a various kind of foods, including grains, meats, eggs, dairy products, leafy greens, and legumes. As a group, they are essential for nervous system, cell metabolism, red blood cell production, and converting food into energy. Multiple data have correlated high doses of the B vitamins with lower symptoms of stress, which may happen because the B vitamins work to reduce serum homocysteine levels. High levels of this amino acid are linked with stress and high risks of heart disease, dementia, and colorectal cancer.
Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea): Rhodiola is an adaptogenic herb developed in the cold mountains of Russia and Asia. Utilized for hundreds of years in Chinese and Ayurvedic healing, adaptogenic herbs are non-toxic plants that are supposed to assist the body resist stressors – both chemical and biological. Rhodiola’s adaptogenic properties are associated to two of its active ingredients: rosavin and salidroside. Investigators of an 8-week study in 100 subjects with symptoms of chronic fatigue observed that 400 mg/d of rhodiola extract resulted in improvements in symptoms – like poor sleep quality and short-term memory and concentration impairments in just 1 week, and symptoms continued to improve for the rest of the study.
Glycine: Glycine is supposed to raise the body’s ability to oppose stress by encouraging a good night’s sleep. It has soothing effects on the brain and can reduce the basic body temperature, thereby, promoting sleep. Glycine also stimulates production of serotonin, the feel-good hormone, and favours regulation of nerve impulses in the CNS, essentially those in the spinal cord, retina, and brainstem. Primary dietary sources for glycine are foods rich in protein which includes meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and legumes. Multiple study outcomes reported that glycine improved sleep quality. In another study, a bedtime dose of 3 g of glycine improved not only sleep quality, but also achievement on memory recognition tests.
Ashwagandha: Ashwagandha may lower stress, anxiety, and depression. Like rhodiola, ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an adaptogenic herb. It is also called Indian ginseng, poison gooseberry, and winter cherry. Native to India, ashwagandha has been utilized in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. In a recent, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 60 subjects with mild stress, doses of 240 mg of ashwagandha extract for 60 days were linked with higher reduction in stress, anxiety, and depression vs. placebo. It was also associated to a 23% decrease in morning levels of cortisol, a known stress hormone. Conclusively, other investigators reported that ashwagandha, taken at doses of 600 mg/d for 60 days, was safe and well tolerated. Ashwagandha is traditionally taken as a powder mixed with honey and warm milk.
L-theanine: L-theanine is a natural compound obtained in tea leaves that has been proved to lower stress and enhance relaxation. In a large review which includes nearly 68,000 subjects, investigators observed that drinking green tea was linked with lower anxiety and improvements in memory and attention. But L-theanine by itself may also relieve stress. According to one study, supplementation with 200 mg of this compound lowers measures of stress produced by performing a mentally stressful task.
