At UTONIC®, we believe that you are what you eat – and drink. UTONIC® drinks are made with targeted nutrients and concentrated whole foods to support specific functions in everyday life, helping you transform the way you feel. But how do they work? Here’s the science:
UTONIC® Calm is designed to relax your body and alleviate feelings of anxiety.
The key ingredients in UTONIC® Calm are sour cherry, containing natural melatonin that is known to aid in restful sleep, and decaffeinated green tea, containing L-theanine, which research has shown to reduce anxiety.
Sour cherries are one of the only foods that naturally contain melatonin. Melatonin influences the sleep wake-cycle and has been linked to sleep promoting properties, consequently sour cherry juice is thought to be effective in improving sleep quality (Howatson et al, 2012). Sour cherries also contain anti-inflammatory properties that may impact pro-inflammatory cytokines involved in regulating sleep (Opp 2005).
The effects of green tea on relaxation have been known for many years. For UTONIC® Calm we have used decaffeinated green tea to reduce the stimulatory effect of caffeine and maximise the calming effect of L-theanine. L-theanine is a non-proteinic amino acid which is thought to have a calming effect on the brain. A study on healthy volunteers showed that L-theanine supplementation can reduce anxiety and lessen an increase in blood pressure during a high stress response (Yoto et al 2012).
These nutrients are combined with chamomile and passionflower, which are also known to aid in relaxation and calming.
Passionflower is a herb that is used by indigenous tribes in the Amazon for its sedative and pain-relieving properties. A study comparing passionflower to known effective anti-anxiety medication suggests that passionflower is effective in managing anxiety (Akhondzadeh et al 2001). It is also thought that passionflower may help improve sleep quality (Ngan et al 2011).
Chamomile is widely used as a herbal remedy for its calming effect. Studies supplementing chamomile or a placebo compared its effects on the anti-depressant and anti-anxiety attributes of people with mood and anxiety traits. Results suggest that chamomile may have a clinically meaningful effect on mood and anxiety measures (Amsterdam et al 2009 & Amsterdam et al 2012).
UTONIC® Calm is a source of vitamin C.
References
Amsterdam JD, Soeller I, Rockwell K, Mao JJ, Shults J (2009). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral Matricaria recutita (chamomile) extract therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. J Clin Psychopharmacol, 29(4):378-82.
Amsterdam JD, Shults J, Soeller I, Mao JJ, Rockwell K, Newberg AB (2012). Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) may have antidepressant activity in anxious depressed humans – an exploratory study. Altern Ther Health Med, 18(5):44-49.
Howatson G, Bell PG, Tallent J, Middleton B, McHugh MP, Ellis J (2012). Effect of tart cherry juice (prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. Eur J Nutr, 51:909-916.
Ngan A, Conduit R (2011). The double-blind, placebo controlled investigation of the effects of passiflora incarnate (Passionflower) herbal tea on subjective sleep quality. Phytotherap Res, 25:1153-1159.
Opp MR (2004). Cytokines and sleep: the first hundred years. Brain Behav Immun, 18(4):295-7.
Yoto A, Motoki M, Murao S, Yokogoshi H (2012). Effects of L-theanine or caffeine intake on changes in blood pressure under physical and psychological stresses. J Physio Anthro, 31:28.
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