The Top 5 Natural Mood-Boosting Nootropics

People use nootropics for a lot of different reasons. Some use them simply to increase focus. Others use them to reduce anxiety, which can lead to increased focus and productivity. Today, we’re going to talk about using nootropics to boost mood. Your mood can have a dramatic effect on your ability to focus, your productivity, and your overall sense of well-being. If you don’t feel decent, at least, you’re not going to be able to get as much done as you would otherwise. Fortunately, there are several nootropics that can improve your mood and increase your productivity. But before we get to our list of the top 5 natural mood-boosting nootropics, let’s first explore what exactly mood is and how nootropics can help to improve it.

What Is Mood?

Mood is a temporary emotional state that can be influenced by a variety of different things like how well we’ve been sleeping, what we’ve been putting in our bodies (food, water, drugs, etc.), how things are going at work, and how things are going in our social relationships. It is usually said to be positive or negative. In other words, we are either in a good mood or in a bad mood.

Your mood can affect your ability to focus, your productivity, and even your level of self-control. Not only can being in a bad mood have a negative affect on these things, but being in an exceptionally good mood can, too. That’s why it’s important to make sure your mood is good – but not too good – if your goal is to increase productivity.

If your mood is excessively high or low for a long time and it negatively affects your life (work, family, etc.), it is considered a mood disorder. When you’re in a bad mood for an extended period of time, it can be diagnosed as major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as clinical depression. When you’re in such a good mood that it negatively affects your well-being, you’re said to be in a state of mania or hypomania (mild mania). This condition can lead to a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

Nootropics and Mood Enhancement

These are serious medical conditions and should be treated by a professional. The nootropics we’ll discuss below are not intended to treat any of these conditions. That being said, there are countless reports around the internet of people using them to successfully self-medicate their own mood disorders. If you’re currently taking any prescription drugs, you should always check with your doctor before taking any supplements, making changes to your diet, or increasing your level of exercise.

Speaking of fitness and nutrition, they can both have a dramatic affect on mood. Before even thinking about using nootropics to improve your mood, you should make sure your diet is good, you’re getting enough exercise, and enough high-quality sleep.

As they say: You are what you eat. The foods that you put in your body not only affect how you look but also how you feel. Eating healthy foods can significantly improve your mood.

Exercise can also have a huge affect on your mood, as well as your anxiety level and even your immune system. Even just 20-minutes of exercise was able to reduce the symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in young men diagnosed with the disease. If you’re not getting enough exercise, try gradually increasing the amount and it will almost definitely improve your mood.

The last thing you should be doing for your mood before taking nootropics is getting enough good-quality sleep. Most people seem to need around 8 hours a night, though others thrive with as little as 6 or as many as 10. If you don’t get enough sleep, it can have a drastic, lasting affect on your mood.

Now that we’ve taken a look at what mood is, let’s get to our list of the top 5 natural mood-boosting nootropics.

The Top 5 Natural Mood-Boosting Nootropics

All the mood-boosting nootropics on this list are totally natural. In other words, they grow naturally out of the earth in one or more parts of the world. All of these are either plants or mushrooms and have been used in traditional medicine for centuries.

1. Kratom

Of all the mood-boosting nootropics out there – natural or otherwise – none of them give me the mood boost that kratom does. I’ve been using it for years to boost mood, increase energy, and improve overall productivity.

Kratom is a plant that grows naturally in parts of Asia. It has been used for centuries by several different cultures to boost mood and for its many other health benefits. Over the past couple of decades, kratom has become popular in the United States and many other English-speaking countries. Millions of people are using it to improve mood, reduce anxiety, treat chronic pain, and for a variety of other reasons.

So, we know that kratom is being widely used to improve mood – among other reasons – and has been for centuries. But what does the science have to say about it? While more research is still needed, there have been a number of studies published that support kratom’s safety and effectiveness.

A 2013 paper published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, a respected scientific journal, examined the evidence for kratom’s effectiveness. It found a number of studies that showed kratom to have a positive effect on mood, pain, and anxiety, among other things. A similar review from 2015 published in another respected journal, BioMed Research International, also found kratom to have a number of potential benefits, including improved mood.

2. Lion’s Mane

This is a mushroom that has a variety of health benefits. One of those benefits is improved mood. Lion’s mane, which goes by many names, has been used all over the world for centuries to reduce anxiety, improve productivity, boost mood, reduce inflammation, and for a number of other reasons.

There are countless reports around the internet of people using lion’s mane to boost mood. In fact, mood improvement seems to be one of the most-widely reported benefits of this fascinating mushroom. In addition to anecdotal reports, lion’s mane has some science behind it to support its use as a mood booster.

A 2010 study found that lion’s mane was able to reduce the symptoms of depression in menopausal women. In addition to improving mood, the women that were given lion’s mane also showed a reduction in anxiety.

A 2015 review published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry looked at the existing evidence for the use of lion’s mane. Though the review states that further research is necessary, it found studies that support the use of lion’s mane to improve mood, reduce anxiety, and improve overall cognition.

Many lion’s mane users report that it improves their mood. Some users even claim that lion’s mane has helped them to overcome serious depression. It seems to be incredibly safe and most people who try it notice at least some positive effects.

3. Rhodiola Rosea

This is a plant that grows naturally at high altitudes. It has been used for its many medicinal properties for centuries in China, Russia, and in other parts of the world. In recent years, nootropic users have been using rhodiola to improve mood, reduce stress, and increase physical performance.

Rhodiola rosea, often simply called rhodiola, appears to be a safe and effective way to boost mood. Not only are there many reports from users, there is also a lot of science to support both its effectiveness and safety.

In a study from 2007, researchers gave either rhodiola or a placebo to participants with mild-to-moderate depression. The participants in the rhodiola group showed a significant improvement in mood, while those receiving a placebo did not.

A 2011 review published in the respected journal Phytomedicine looked at 11 randomized controlled studies that had been done on rhodiola (one being the 2007 study mentioned above). The review concluded that rhodiola could have a beneficial effect on mood and other aspects of mental performance. It also concluded that rhodiola was very safe.

Rhodiola rosea has a long history of safety and effectiveness which is supported by plenty of research.

4. Bacopa Monnieri

Here we have yet another adaptogenic plant, bacopa monnieri. Often simply called bacopa, it is an herb that has been used for centuries in traditional medicine to improve mental functioning and to treat a variety of conditions.

In modern times, bacopa is being used to improve mood, reduce anxiety, and to improve overall cognition. Though it is often taken on its own, bacopa is sometimes stacked with rhodiola rosea, mucuna pruriens, or other nootropics for increased effects.

Bacopa has been the subject of scientific study in both animals and humans. Human studies have been done on healthy volunteers, older people, and in people with various illnesses. The results of these studies show that bacopa is very safe and, quite often, very effective.

A 2008 study done on older people showed that after 12 weeks, those given bacopa had lower depression scores while those in the placebo group actually had slightly higher depression scores.

A study from 2013 explored the acute effects of a single dose of a bacopa extract. This study found that the participants given bacopa showed an improvement in mood and a reduction in cortisol (sometimes called “the stress hormone”) after just one hour. Unlike rhodiola and some nootropics, bacopa swiftly enhances mood, contrasting with the weeks-long onset of others’ effects.

Bacopa monnieri can quickly boost mood and seems to be very safe. It also has powerful anxiety-reducing and other effects.

5. Mucuna Pruriens

This is a bean that grows naturally in several parts of the world. Mucuna pruriens, also known as mucuna, has ancient roots in traditional medicine, treating diverse ailments like Parkinson’s Disease. More recently, mucuna has been used to improve mood, increase motivation, and improve productivity.

Mucuna contains the amino acid l-dopa. L-dopa is a precursor to the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is known to play a role in memory, mood, and motivation. This may explain, at least in part, the nootropic effects that people report from taking mucuna, including improved mood. There have also been both human and animal studies done that support its use as a mood booster.

A 2014 study found that a mucuna pruriens extract had an antidepressant effect in mice. The researchers concluded that this effect was likely do to mucuna’s influence on the neurotransmitter dopamine. A human study from 2010 examined the effect that mucuna has on fertility and stress in adult men. The study didn’t assess mood directly but noted mucuna’s ability to lessen stress and enhance general well-being.

Mucuna enhances mood and possesses anti-diabetic, anti-microbial, anti-venom, antioxidant, and neuroprotective qualities.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a number of natural nootropics that can improve mood. Some are as potent as prescription antidepressants, minus the adverse effects.

Your mood dramatically affects how productive you are. Consider trying these nootropics to enhance mood and boost productivity effectively. To learn more about these natural mood boosters and other nootropics, make sure to sign up for the Noo-tropics.eu newsletter. You’ll get a free copy of The Ultimate Nootropics Quick Reference Guide.

Also read our blog on How to Get in a Flow State Using Nootropics