Publications
Improve
Recover
Protect
Immediate
20-60mins
Mental
Alpha-GPC
Boosts mental agility in just 30 minutes. In tests against a control group taking 200 mg of caffeine, participants in the Alpha-GPC group completed mathematical subtraction tasks 18.1% faster than those in the caffeine group.
​​
Mental
Rhodiola Rosea
Improves your capacity for mental work in stressful situations. Performance on psychometric tests measurably improves.
Physical
Rhodiola Rosea
It increases the time until exhaustion when exercising, and the peak VO2 max is achieved when used 1 hour before testing.
60 - 90mins
Mental
Ginkgo Biloba improves blood flow within the brain, improving brain performance which peaks at 2.5 hours after ingesting. Improvements in calculation ability are still detectable 6 hours after use. ​
Mental
N-acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC)
​
Military personnel who had immediate treatment of NAC after blast-induced TBI had an 86% chance of symptom resolution with no reported side effects versus 42% for those seen early who received placebo.
Mental
Ashwagandha
improves reaction time (psychomotor performance) and cognitive processing power 3 hours after consumption.
Mental
Lemon Balm
Alleviates negative mood and improves mathematical processing speed after one hour.
Mental
Mental
Repeated use of Rose Root (Rhodiola Rosea) improves energy and several cognitive functions.
It likely does this by increasing the fuel your brain cells have available known as ATP synthesis. Rhodiola Rosea boosts a protein called AMPK (adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase) this is a regulator of cellular energy which optimises the battery part of every cell called the mitochondria.
The outcomes seen in trials has been increased
associative thinking, short-term memory, calculation, prolonged concentration, and speed of audio-visual perception.
Mental
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), aids tolerance to stressors and improves sleep quality. In scientific trials, it resulted in significant improvements in both sleep parameters and anxiety indicators, with treatment over 10 weeks. It offers
improve sleep quality in athletes with insomnia and mood issues during a season
and helps get rid of unnecessary connections in the brain making more storage available for new memory formation. This process is known as synaptic pruning. It aids tolerance to stressors and improves sleep quality.​​​​
Mental
Tumeric (Curcuma longa) in the correct dosage improves decision making and learning and memory.
To discribe the positive biochemical and morphological effects of the Curcuma on the prefrontal
cortex (PFC) and hippocampus, which are the brain regions affected by chronic stress, and
crucial for learning and memory performance.
High levels of corticosterone in the
hippocampus and the PFC with chronic stress cause atrophy of the dendrites of the key
neurons and dendritic structural plasticity. Recent reports have demonstrated that curcumin
not only increases levels of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus and
PFC.
Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) increases blood flow and BDNF in the hippocampus, the part of the brain involved in learning and memory.
​
When mice were stressed using a restraint, it showed increases in liver damage and reactive oxygen species(ROS). Levels associated with this stress were restored to normal levels by administering bilberry extract, together with enhanced mitochondrial function (the battery part of our cell's, with the bilberry treatment.
Tumeric (Curcuma longa) protects neurons from dying
it aids chronic stress by boosting BDNF a key protien in the brain.
Tumeric contains Curcuma which is not only benificial to mental preformance via the boost of BDNF but in improving cognitive longevity.
​
Curcumin has been shown to activate the expression of thioredoxin, an antioxidant protein in
the Nrf2 pathway, which protects neurons from death caused by oxygen-glucose deprivation
in an in vitro model of ischemia/reperfusion
The well-established anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-
apoptotic pharmacological properties of Curcuma sugest that it is beneficial in treating brain injury and maintaining cognitive longevity.
Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) supplementation reduced both soluble Aβ40 and Aβ42 (two hallmarks for Alzheimer's disease) levels compared to blackcurrant. This suggest bilberry supplements offer a potential protective strategy for delaying long-term neurodegenerative disease.
Mental
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) has both fast-acting anti-anxiety
effects and long-term increases the ability to cope with stress effects. In human studies, Lemon Balm increases self-rated
'calmness' using established mood scales. Additionally, when human subjects are subjected
to laboratory stressors, Lemon Balm also increased calmness in the face of external stressors.
The calming effects likely involve the suppression of hyperactive voltage-gated sodium channels.
​
To explain this, normally, the inside of a neuron has a negative charge compared to the outside. Depolarisation occurs when the charge becomes less negative which can be triggered by a positively charged sodium ion rushing in.
So, hyperactive voltage-gated sodium channels allow more positively charged sodium ions to flood in, causing a rapid change in charge that travels along the neuron. This results in neuron misfiring and a poor state of mind. Preventing hyperactivity may help with headache pain and muscle cramps.
​
Rosmarinic Acid is an active compound in Lemon Balm and increases the amount of acetylcholine (AcH) a key neurotransmitter involved in interbrain communication. More availability by preventing the breakdown of the neurotransmitter from the enzyme Ache makes for agile and speedy interbrain communication.
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) stops brain inflammation by inhibiting immune cells (microglia) from being over active and migrating to a point of the brain that has been stressed. This helps reduce brain fog.
​
It is neuroprotective and neuroreparative in neuronal cells,
suggesting therapeutic potential to target factors involved in any form of head injury including long-term
sequelae of mild TBI
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) increases the availability of Gaba, the neurotransmitter associated with relaxation and balancing mood. More Gaba means increased relaxation, reduced stress, a more calm, balanced mood, alleviation of pain, and even speeds up recovery by improving sleep efficiency.
Rose Root (Rhodiola Rosea) is a fast-acting stress reliever that can work to reduce acute stress.
​
When applied for a 4-week period, it was shown to be a safe and
an effective way of improving life-stress symptoms to a clinically relevant degree; the effects
were observed even after 3 days of treatment.
​
​
When used consistently an interesting study looking at stress during
a student exam period showed R Rosea produced significant improvement in a series of physical
fitness, mental fatigue and neuro-motoric tests.
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) contains Eugenol an antioxidant 5x more potent than Vit E. Antioxidants protect the brain because they scavenge loose electrons known as free radicals or oxidative stress that can damage cells.
Physical
Physical
Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) is one of the richest natural sources of anthocyanins. It has
clear anti-inflammatory and lipid-lowering effects, and has been shown to lower oxidative
stress.
​
Bilberry significantly increased, weight-loaded swimming time prolonged; their lactate, ammonia,
BUN, and CK activity decreased, and muscle and liver glucose and glycogen content increased
compared with the vehicle group.
Thus, anthocyanins-rich plants appear to have anti-fatigue
activity and an ability to increase exercise tolerance.
Physical
Rhodiola Rosea increased time until exhaustion and peak VO2 max when taken one our before testing.
Physical
Ashwagandha supplementation has been strongly associated with significant increases in muscle mass and strength, which suggests that Ashwagandha may be useful, in conjunction with a resistance-training program. A recent study also showed a significant enhancement in VO2max in healthy adults and athletes, with Ashwagandha supplementation. Ashwagandha root extract can also successfully enhance cardiorespiratory endurance and can aid in attaining better physiological, metabolic, and functional abilities in humans. Importantly no adverse events were reported by any of the subjects in these studies.
Mental
Mental
Alpha-GPC
Boosts mental agility in just 30 minutes. In tests against a control group taking 200 mg of caffeine, participants in the Alpha-GPC group completed mathematical subtraction tasks 18.1% faster than those in the caffeine group.
​
32 healthy volunteers took Alpha GPC or a placebo for 10 days on the 11th day they were injected with a chemical causing amnesia. The study found the Alpha GPC was able to prevent the impairment of attention and memory.
Acetylcholine (AcH) is a well-known neurotransmitter essential for a wide range of brain functions. Those with Alzheimer's have lower levels of AcH. Alpha GPC is a choline precursor, choline precursors were given to Alzheimer's for 180 days and it improved their cognitive function likely due to the increase in AcH production.
Mental
Vitamin C
Is the most researched molecule for health in history. This is a sister molecule to glutathione - see right. As it recycles critical neurochemicals.​
​
Vitamin C reacts with oxidised glutathione and oxidised vitamin E to bring them back to their original anti-oxidant status so that they can be used. It works n a very similar way to neurons that release oxidised vitamin C and then astrocytes recucle it back to its original useful Vitamin C state
Mental
Vitamin B12 (Methylcobalamin)
Known to wrap around the brain's hardware improving the quality of electrical signals as well as improving the speed of recovery of damaged brain wiring.
​
Methylcobalamin protects against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity.
​
Some humans are predisposed to neurodegenerative diseases because of their genetic makeup. Vit B12 influences the expressions of proteins and genes this is a process called Methylation.
Following a brain injury, large amounts of glutamate (excitatory neurotransmitter) accumulate in spaces outside of cells. ​This matters because excessive glutamate can over-activate its receptors, especially the NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors, leading to an influx of calcium ions into the neurons. This can trigger a cascade of biochemical reactions that damage cell structures and can eventually lead to neuronal death.
Mental
N-acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC) has been shown to boost Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor, it blocks COX-2 and PGE2 inflammatory enzymes and reduces the expression of interleukin-6 (iL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-a(TNF-a) inflammatory cytokines.
Researchers have concluded that it prevents neurotoxicity and improves neurological function while suppressing inflammation and oxidative stress responses.
​
A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted with 81 active duty service members in Iraq. All service members in this study were exposed to significant ordinance blasts and met the criteria for TBI.
Service members were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC) for 7 days. The resolution after 7 days of all the TBI symptoms listed above was the main outcome measure of this study.
The researchers concluded that NAC was a safe countermeasure of blast-induced TBI, whilst it performed better than the placebo with statistical significance.
interestingly the analysis revealed subjects receiving NAC within 24 hours of blast had an 86% chance of symptom resolution with no reported side effects versus 42% for those seen early who received placebo.
The researchers warranted the use of NAC in sport-related TBI.
Mental
Glutathione
A very powerful anti-oxidant that limits the amount of brain damage following head acceleration events., It supports the immune system of the brain by calling Astrocytes effectively (which carry high concentrations of Glutathione) and optimising the signalling and function brain cells . ​
Mental
Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)
improves levels of brain energy by raising levels of ATP and improving mitochondrial function.
With ALA present intracellular glutathione is raised protecting the brain from oxidative damage (see above). ALA has even been show to reduce the levels of brain damage following a stroke.
Mental
Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALC)
Long-term use of ALC increases the connections between neurons and the space that those connections cover which results in better cognitive function. Double-blind placebo-controlled trials have shown these effects in humans over a period of 40 days
.ALC supplementation led to significant improvements in mental fatigue and cognitive functions compared to placebo for patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
​
Carnitine assists fatty acids across the mitochondrial membrane of cells offering a non-carbohydrate fuel source, this is important because if fatty acids linger they become oxidative, this process known as lipid peroxidation, causes damage. Because ALC encourages fatty acids to be used as a fuel source they are considered to be antioxidants.
Carnatine and ACL have an important distinction between them. Acetyl supplies the neuron with energy yet carnitine alone doesn't have this ability. Studies have shown that ACL has better effects than just carnitine alone on nerve regeneration.
Mental
Ginkgo biloba is one of the oldest plants in the world and is well known to improve blood flow within the brain contributing to better cognitive ability in peaking at 2.5 hours after ingesting. Improvements in calculation ability are still detectable 6 hours after use.
​
When used in conjunction with exercise it increased the production of BDNF.
Mental
Lecithin has a very important component called Phosphatidylcholine (PC). Concentrated Lecithin is 90% PC.
​
PC has been shown to improve memory 90 minutes after supplementation by raising Acytlecholine levels (Ach).
Physical
Physical
Using Alpha GPC 90 minutes before exercise leads to a higher concentration of growth hormone GH in the blood after the workout than would have been present without the Alpha GPC being taken. This increase in GH is often linked to benefits like enhanced muscle recovery and growth.
​
Increasing hormone response in the workout was likely responsible for the increase in peak force production during resistance training.
Physical
Ginkgo Biloba (GB)
​
​Found that 7 weeks of GB ingestion combined with Rhodiola Rosea (in CONKA 1) improve endurance performance (higher VO2max) and time to exhaustion in healthy young athletes.
​
With healthy trained adults when GB is used in conjunction with exercise, it increases the production of BDNF, an essential protein responsible for the creation of new neurons. It can also contribute to improvements in endurance performance and VO2 max.
Physical
Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALC)
A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial examined the effects of ALC on muscle soreness and recovery in resistance-trained athletes and found ALC supplementation resulted in reduced muscle soreness and faster recovery post-exercise.
​
​The meta-analysis concluded that L-carnitine supplementation effectively lowers certain inflammatory markers, such as CRP and TNF-α, and liver enzymes like ALT and AST.
Physical
N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
​​
​Athletes who take NAC experienced reduced muscle damage and faster recovery after high-intensity workouts compared to placebo groups.