Relarian: A nutraceutical for stress and anxiety reduction.

August 22, 7:42 PMNY Health Technology ExaminerBenjamin Weeks

Previous

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the NY Health Technology Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Insert photo caption or credit here

Clinical research studies have shown that stress and anxiety are correlated with insomnia, obesity and other indexes of poor health.  While pharmaceutical and medical industries have sought to develop medicines to alleviate stress and anxiety related disorders, the side effects of pharmaceuticals can be far ranging and extreme.  In this regard, natural herbs and nutrients have been used to treat stress and insomnia since the time of Hippocrates.  These natural products, or nutraceuticals, often have milder effects compared to pharmaceuticals and side effects which are therefore more easily managed.  The purpose of this article is to present nutraceutical formulations designed to naturally reduce stress and anxiety and to refer also to the clinical research which support their effectiveness.  In some cases, data will be presented that demonstrate that nutraceuticals can have equivalent if not better effects than pharmaceuticals for stress and anxiety relief.   Lastly, the form which the supplements take will be mentioned.  For example, the most recently formulated nutraceutical for stress relief is known as Relarian which is available in a 2.0 ounce drink (minichill.com). 

Magnolia and Phellodendron (Cork Tree) extract have been blended to formulate Relora.  Relora comes as a pill and has been shown to reduce stress in clinical studies (www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi).  Relora demonstrated no negative side effects, but did reduce stress and anxiety in premenopausal women when examined by the Speilberger STATE-TRAIT questionnaire.  Relora also reduced salivary cortosol levels and  appetite in these women while improving sleep quality.  In animal studies, Relora also reduced social separation-induced stress in chicks (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11205422).

Green tea has often been reported to have multiple health benefits.  In addition to being rich in antioxidants, green tea has been used to promote relaxation and focus.  Recent clinical research has shown that L-Theanine is the component in green tea responsible for the feeling of relaxation, serenity and focus associated with drinking green tea.  L-Theanine is available in capsules and a wide variety of beverages and clinical studies have shown that this amino acid from green tea can reduce stress and anxiety (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16930802).  Further, in animal studies, treatment of chicks with L-theanine reduced analgesia-induced stress (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18161300).

Kava (Piper methysticum) is an herb which is an ancient crop of the western Pacific where it has been traditionally used to relax.  In western Europe Kava is used medicinally to reduce stress and anxiety.  Kava is available in capsules and also in beverages and teas.  Indeed, the popularity of Kava has lead to the establishment of Kava bars where people gather to enjoy together the relaxing sensation associated with Kava consumption.  Clinical studies have demonstrated the ability of Kava to reduce stress and also the anxiety associated with agoraphobia and generalized anxiety disorder.  In this regard, while a variety of herbal and nutriceutical supplementations, including those already discussed, have been shown to reduce anxiety, only Kava has been demonstrated to have medicinal value in fighting anxiety disorders (anxiety diseases) (www.aafp.org/afp/20070815/549.pdf).  Kava has also been shown to be potentially hepatotoxic, causing liver damage in some consumers.  In this regard, while Kava may be a great natural drug for people with real anxiety disorders, Kava may not be the best herbal supplement for the avarage stressed-out New Yorker.   

Valerian root was used by Hippocrates in ancient Greece to reduce stress and anxiety.  Valerian is a plant native to Europe and Asia and the source of the anti-seizure medicine, valproic acid.  Valerian root has been shown in clinical studies to reduce stress and anxiety without reducing mental alertness.  Recent molecular studies have shown that valernic acid, a component of the root, reduces stress and anxiety by binding to GABA receptors in the brain (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19123457).  GABA is a natural neurotansmitter in the human brain and is the chief inhibitory neurotransmitter.  By binding to GABA receptors in the brain, GABA naturally reduces over excitation and helps to maintain a balanced neurochemistry under stressful conditions.  Therefore, by binding GABA receptors, the valernic acid components of valerian root act like GABA to reduce stress and maintain balance and focus.  Valerian root extracts can be found in capusules and more recently in beverages.  Indeed several studies have shown that GABA capsules can also reduce anxiety and stress (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18477857).

Mini Chill is a 2.0 ounce beverage (minichill.com) which contains Relarian.  Relarian is a proprietary blend of Valerian Root, GABA, L-theanine and 5-HTP.  This 2.0 ounce "shot" is convenient and contains the natural products appropriate for use by the average New Yorker trying to reduce the stress of a normal day through natural means.