Study Finds Ayurveda More Effective than Popular Anxiety Drug

Researchers with India’s National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) have made a dramatic discovery about the effectiveness of ancient Ayurvedic practices in the treatment of anxiety disorders. They have found Ayurveda to be more effective than one of the most popular conventional treatments, and able to deliver this relief without side-effects.

The study tested 72 patients who had been diagnosed with severe generalized anxiety disorder for seven years or more. Most also had a diagnosis of comorbid generalized social phobia. Researchers analyzed their anxiety using something called the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS).

Participants were split into three groups. One group received a standard daily dose of Clonazepam (Klonopin); the second received 200 mg of Manasamitra Vataka, an herbal Ayurvedic remedy, and the third group received the Manasamitra Vataka and something called Shirodhara therapy, where the forehead is treated with warm Brahmi taila oil.

The three treatment regimens were used for 30 days.

Read: 4 Herbs for Anxiety

While the Clonazepam group saw a 67% improved disposition, the Manasamitra Vataka group experienced an average improvement  of 73%. The group who also received Shirodhara therapy saw the most dramatic change, with a 91% improvement in symptoms.

“Thirty days of treatment with Manasamitra Vataka reduced the anxiety, severity of the disease, increased quality of life and improved clinical profile significantly. Shirodhara as an add-on therapy to Manasamitra Vataka decreased the daytime sleepiness and improved the quality of life in the patients, said the researchers.”

And of course this is far from the first study on the remarkable benefits of Ayurvedic treatments. This ancient healing art has been around for more than 5,000 years and is one of the world’s oldest. It has been credited with healing some of the most common diseases and ailments.

Some of the most extensive research has been done on the effects of Ayurveda in the treatment of cancer, with some studies marking a 90% success rate.

Though the components of an Ayurvedic formula are all natural and plant-derived, they are complex. The Manasamitra Vataka used in this anxiety study, for example, had no less than 73 ingredients and natural extracts.

Natural medicine isn’t always the simplest, but it is usually the safest. For the millions that suffer from anxiety disorders, Ayurveda could offer a side-effect-free solution.