Zensera™ | Supporting cognitive performance¹ in stressful situations
Zensera™
Supporting cognitive performance¹ in stressful situations
Scientifically backed lemon balm for inner Zen
Zensera™ is a scientifically backed, patent-pending lemon balm extract that has been shown to support both cognitive performance¹ under situations of stress.² This clean label ingredient is effective at a low dose and is suitable for use in beverages as well as more traditional dietary supplement applications. Sustainably sourced in Europe, Zensera™ can help stressed consumers support cognitive performance¹, such as mental clarity, mindfulness and multitasking.
Benefits
Cognition
Lemon balm: a crucial ally for modern life
70% of adults in the US feel stressed out by work and daily responsibilities³, meanwhile 37% of adults say they cannot bring themselves to do anything when they are stressed.⁴ But with the ever-increasing pace of modern life, being able to function under stress has never been more crucial. Lemon balm offers an appealing natural option that is increasingly recognised by consumers for its association with wellness and stress relief.⁵ With benefits lasting several hours², Zensera™ offers stressed consumers a natural option for supporting cognitive performance¹ in areas such as attention, alertness, focus and problem-solving.
Clinically substantiated:
research shows Zensera™ supports cognitive performance¹ for stressful days
Efficacy in a low dose:
only one dose of 300 mg/day²
Same day support:
Zensera™ supports cognitive performance for at least 5 hours after consumption.²
Ease-of-use:
Zensera™ is well-suited to a variety of applications, including non-alcoholic beverage applications, gummies, chocolate and hard candies
Sustainably sourced:
our lemon balm is responsibly cultivated in Europe
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The science behind
Zensera™
Zensera™: shown to support cognitive performance¹ under stress
Zensera™ is a standardised extract of lemon balm that has been clinically shown to support cognition in situations of stress. Developed through a reverse engineering process utilising high-throughput screening, Zensera™ is optimised to enhance GABA activity by activating GABA receptors and inhibiting GABA transaminase, helping to support cognitive performance¹ for stressful times.
Zensera™
responsible sourcing
Sustainably cultivating lemon balm in Europe
We cultivate and harvest the lemon balm used to make Zensera™ in Europe, with a firm commitment to sustainability, aligned with the principles of our Sourcing4Good programme. This initiative encourages responsible practices throughout our supply chains, enhancing the livelihoods of producers while minimizing the environmental impact of our products. Through strong partnerships with our lemon balm suppliers, we ensure sustainability is integrated throughout the value chain. Together, we actively implement measures that safeguard the environment and support the well-being of the communities where we source our ingredients and operate our facilities.
Lemon balm through the ages
Lemon balm, a perennial herb from the mint family, originates from south-central Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean Basin, where it continues to be cultivated. Its properties have been recognized since Ancient Greece, where it was cherished for its calming effects on nerves and anxiety. Historically, people in Europe and the Middle East have utilized lemon balm for relaxation purposes.⁹
Explore our articles to learn more about
Zensera™
Ingredient characteristics
Why formulate
with
Zensera™
?
With a low dosage and great taste, Zensera™ is a great companion for powdered and RTD beverages, as well as traditional dietary supplement applications. It also performs well in innovative nutraceutical formats, such as gummies and chocolate. With a lighter taste than typical lemon balm extracts and excellent solubility, Zensera™ can add both health and sensorial appeal to your products.
FAQs
1. How does Zensera™ work?
2. How long does it take for Zensera™ to work?
3. How long do the effects of Zensera™ last?
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References
The science behind Zensera™
The clinically backed lemon balm ingredient
Results from a clinical study show that Zensera™ can help support cognitive performance in situations of stress, with lasting effects.² This carefully developed extract has been optimised for potency.²
Increased potency and GABA activation
In an in vitro screening study, 10 fractions were screened to determine the best target compound - hydroxycinnamic acids. The leaves of the plant were then selected for their richness in this compound and a patent-pending process was developed to deliver maximum effectiveness and applicability. The resulting extract has been shown to deliver stronger GABA activation vs. other products on the market.² GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the human central nervous system,⁶ and low levels of it are associated with mild anxiety.⁷
Supporting executive function⁸ under stress
In a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT), 106 moderately stressed but otherwise healthy subjects were given either 300 mg of Zensera™ or a placebo in the morning.² They were then asked to perform a long and demanding cognitive assessment designed to stimulate a stressful day. The results showed a significant change in mental performance during stressful situations vs. placebo, as measured by accuracy scores on a Task Switching Task (TST), which evaluates the ability to quickly and efficiently switch between mental tasks. Subjects also showed significantly higher performance under stress on a Modified Attention Network Test (ANT) after five hours vs. baseline. Both findings indicate that Zensera™ may be helpful in supporting cognitive performance¹ during prolonged stress.
Lasting benefit throughout the day
The study also showed that Zensera™ helped support cognitive performance for at least 5 hours after consumption.² This lasting efficacy makes it an excellent option for better managing long days that involve sustained cognitive demands.
References
Zensera™ Responsible Sourcing
Driving impacts across the value chain
As part of our commitment to source all materials and services in a way that protects people and the environment by 2030, we work with our lemon balm suppliers to ensure trust and compliance across our entire supply chain. Together, we aim to provide a sustainable supply of lemon balm with a limited environmental footprint, while implementing an active stewardship programme including training, knowledge sharing and careful field management.
‘’From seed to dried leaves, we ensure, with our dedicated growers, full traceability of our supplies and maintain best in class quality to match our clients’ needs.“
Carla Magny,
Global Category Buyer EMEA
Our Commitment
Working in partnership with our suppliers
Our lemon balm is sustainably sourced from the French, Italian and Polish countryside through cooperative partnerships. We make long-term agreements with our suppliers, typically with partnerships which provide a stable and profitable outlet for their volumes. Lemon balm is a high-value crop for farmers, offering excellent diversification opportunities for those with existing drying facilities.
Limited environmental footprint
The crop is harvested from year one, and from year two, up to three cuts per year are possible, from May to October (prior to blossom). With over 15 years of experience sourcing lemon balm and our main supplier located close to our production facility, we work directly on the field for a sustainable supply with a limited environmental footprint. Our suppliers are also engaged in improvement plans to lower their carbon emissions by setting up biomass boilers, solar panels, biogas stations and switching to green electricity.
Stewardship programme
As part of our commitment to protecting the environment, we have an active stewardship program in place, including:
- Third-party audits of suppliers at the factory and farm level
- Regular field visits and training in good agricultural practices by agronomists, with one agronomist dedicated to following the crop through its life cycle
- Knowledge sharing with help from experienced producers
- Manual weeding to minimise inputs during cultivation, with strict limitations on pesticide use
- Careful field management to ensure regrowth
As part of our commitment to source all materials and services in a way that protects people and the environment by 2030, we work with our lemon balm suppliers to ensure trust and compliance across our entire supply chain. Together, we aim to provide a sustainable supply of lemon balm with a limited environmental footprint, while implementing an active stewardship programme including training, knowledge sharing and careful field management.
Botanical expertise
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Science & technology
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