Useful for: Mild depression, which means you have symptoms but can get through the day without affecting your life too much. (If you’re not sure if yours is lightweight, check out a PHQ-9 rating scale like this one.)

What to take: Start with one gram a day; you can go up to two. Fish oil has two components: EPA and DHA. Look for at least 60% EPA (40 DHA). Be patient: it may take six to eight weeks to have an effect.

What else to know: IIf your cholesterol level is high, monitor your lab tests; fish oil can slightly raise LDL, which isn’t always ideal (although it can also lower triglycerides and blood pressure, which is a good thing). And it can thin the blood, so talk to a doctor before taking it if you take blood thinners.

Useful for: Stress and anxiety. May also help with insomnia, but not the first night.

What to take: The dose used in research studies tends to be 300 mg twice daily for at least six weeks.

What else to know: Don’t expect results from adding it to a smoothie at the juice bar; you need it every day for several weeks for it to work. Be careful if you’ve had a hormone-sensitive disease like prostate cancer; this herb can affect hormone levels.

Useful for: A slight depression; may be useful if you cannot take fish oil.

What to take: It can boost energy, so start low and go slow. I suggest starting at 200mg per day for a week; going to 400 next week. I recommend no more than 800mg twice a day. It may take six weeks to notice a change.

What else to know: It has been studied for depression since the 1970s and is approved as an antidepressant in some countries in Europe.

Useful for: Mild depression and mental fatigue, although further studies are needed. Research is mixed on whether it helps with anxiety.

What to take: Research has shown that 340 mg once or twice a day for at least six weeks can improve your mood and help you feel more emotionally stable.

What else to know: Look for a product that contains active ingredients in the concentrations that have been studied; it’s one with 3 percent of the component called “rosavins” and at least 1 percent “salidrosides.”

Useful for: Performance anxiety, such as passing a tense meeting or a test; this can reduce the body’s stress response during these tasks. The effects are mild. May also help with attention and reaction time.

What to take: 200mg; many studies suggest it works in about an hour to create a calm yet alert state. (This is one of my favorite supplements.)

What else to know: L-theanine is found in green and black teas, but there are only about 6 mg of L-theanine in a cup of tea.

This article originally appeared in the January/February 2022 issue of Men’s health.