Traditional & functional energy products both have significant limitations

At a physiological level, feelings of energy and focus are affected by a multitude of systems all intricately tied to the activity of neurotransmitters within the brain. For the purpose of this overview we'll primarily be focusing on Dopamine, Norepinephrine, and Acetylcholine - neurotransmitters we wanted to modulate when developing the product.

Dopamine (DA)

Arguably the most discussed neurotransmitter today, Dopamine (DA) plays a critical role in attention and focus levels, motivation and reward processing, movement, and mood regulation, and even working memory and executive function (planning, decision-making, and problem solving). DA plays a crucial role in regulating focus and motivation by incentivizing us to pursue rewards and engage in "challenging" goal-directed behavior, particularly when anticipating pleasurable outcomes in the future.

Dysfunction in the dopamine system can have significant negative implications for focus and cognitive function. For example, mental conditions characterized by low dopamine levels, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or Parkinson's disease, often manifest with symptoms of poor concentration, impulsivity, and difficulty initiating or sustaining tasks. In individuals with ADHD, the diminished dopamine activity in certain brain regions impairs the ability to maintain attention and regulate behavior effectively.

Norepinephrine (NE)

Norepinephrine (NE) - structural siblings with Epinephrine (AKA Adrenaline) plays a crucial role in the sympathetic nervous system. In the brain, NE focuses attention, increases arousal and alertness, and even enhances formation and retrieval of memory.

Imbalances in the NE system have been associated with a range of cognitive dysfunctions, including anxiety, problems with focus, and "brain fog"

Acetylcholine (ACh)

Acetylcholine was the first neurotransmitter ever discovered by Nobel Laureate, Otto Loewi in 1921. ACh functions as a chemical messenger that allows neurons to communicate with each other. In the brain, ACh impacts attention and focus levels and contributes significantly to processes related to learning and memory.

ACh is instrumental in orchestrating synaptic plasticity, the brains ability to adapt and form new connections in response to experiences and stimuli.

With these pain points in mind, we set out to identify ingredients for a comprehensive energy, focus, and hydration formula that would actively enhance cognitive function - here's what we came up with:

Natural Caffeine

As we previously discussed - caffeine works as an adenosine antagonist, blocking adenosine from binding with its receptors (Receptor Types A1 and A2a) reducing the sensation of tiredness. When caffeine does this, it also can also enhance DA signaling in the brain by blocking its reabsorption. This is incredibly significant for our formula's synergistic approach, working directly with more dopaminergic nootropics to promote optimal dopamine levels. (Volkow et al., 2015)

L-Theanine

L-Theanine is a widely-used amino acid often paired with caffeine that's been proven to mitigate the potentially adverse effects of the stimulant such as jitteriness and anxiety. L-Theanine has also been shown to enhance cognitive function by modulating brain Serotonin, Dopamine, and GABA levels (Sohail Ortiz et al., 2021). In recent studies, L-theanine has also been proven to have favorable effects on cardiovascular health and protective properties for the liver and kidneys. (Li et al., 2022)

L-Tyrosine

L-tyrosine is a precursor for the catecholamine neurotransmitters (Dopamine, Norepinephrine, and Epinephrine) meaning it's a building block of both dopamine and norepinephrine leading to enhanced cognitive performance, particularly in short-term stressful and/or cognitively demanding situations when DA and/or NE is temporarily depleted. (Jongkees et al., 2015) L-tyrosine is really our secret weapon ingredient, directly impacting the availability of neurotransmitters that have massive implications on mood, focus, and the body's ability to react to stress.

Taurine

Taurine is an extremely popular ingredient in traditional energy drinks, and has historically received a bad rap for a pretty funny reason. Once speculated to come from the testicles of bulls, Taurine is an amino sulfonic acid that naturally occurs in the body that helps regulate minerals and supports the general function of the nervous system. Taurine has also been proven to have significant synergistic effects with caffeine, showing enhanced efficacy when co-administered as opposed to individual administration. This combined supplementation has been shown to augment both cognitive and athletic performance. (Ozan et al., 2022)

Vitamin B Stack

We chose to use Vitamin B1, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine HCl), and Vitamin B12 (as Methylcobalamin) as our B-vitamin stack. B-Vitamins act as coenzymes and support every aspect of cellular physiological functioning, including major functions within the brain and nervous system. (Hanna M et al., 2022) B-vitamins are critical to the synthesis of neurotransmitters and aid with converting the food you consume into useable energy.

Alpha-GPC

Alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine (Alpha-GPC) is a precursor to ACh - the chemical messenger we mentioned earlier that impacts cognitive performance, learning, and memory. Studies have also demonstrated Alpha-GPC's ability to augment physical performance after only 6 days of supplementation. (Bellar D et al., 2015)

Rhodiola Rosea

Rhodiola Rosea is an adaptogenic herb with a long history of use in traditional medicine. It's uses include enhancing mental and physical performance, decreasing symptoms of fatigue and depression, increasing work productiviy, and providing antioxidant and inflammatory effects. (Ivanova Stojcheva E et al., 2022)

Advanced Electrolyte Complex

We wanted to create an advanced hydration stack that could be strong even as a standalone product - for this we combined three complex electrolyte profiles: Himalayan Pink Salt, Sea Salt, and Potassium Chloride. Himalayan Pink Salt is a beautiful mineral-dense salt found in the Himalayan Mountains of Pakistan. This salt boasts a number of unique benefits stemming from a wide range of trace minerals like magnesium, calcium, and potassium. It also contains a marginally reduced sodium content compared to standard table salt, all while introducing a complex (and cool looking) electrolyte profile to our formula. Sea Salt is made from evaporating ocean water and has uses dating back to prehistoric times. Sea Salt boasts more trace minerals than your standard table salt and adds a familiar yet potent electrolyte profile to our formula. Last but not least we have Potassium Chloride, the final electrolyte to close out our formula. Rich in Potassium - an essential mineral needed by all tissues in the body that plays a critical role in nerve function.