This National Stress Awareness Month, premium nutraceutical provider Ethical Naturals is highlighting the potentially devastating impacts of chronic stress and how supplement manufacturers can help calm consumer stress with natural, science-backed functional ingredients.
A key perpetrator in chronic stress is cortisol, a steroid hormone designed to assist the body in coping with stressful situations — regulating blood sugar and maintaining blood pressure to ensure proper bodily functioning.
However, the persistance of high cortisol levels can have wide-spanning negative health effects, including:
- Weight gain/issues with the metabolism: High cortisol levels can increase the presence of abdominal fat, while promoting insulin resistance and boosting the risk of developing conditions such as obesity and type II diabetes
- Impacts on mental health: A chronic increase in serum cortisol can also contribute to anxiety, depression and issues with memory. Long-term stress can impair brain function and enhance a person's risk of developing mental health disorders
- Cardiovascular risk: Excessive cortisol levels can raise an individual's blood pressure, which can contribute to heart disease and stroke risk
- Weakening of the immune system: Long-term exposure to chronic stress can suppress the immune system, increasing the likelihood of infection and illness
- Bone and muscle degradation: Persistent high serum cortisol can lead to a reduction in bone density and muscle mass
- Digestive issues: By impacting gut motility and digestion, cortisol can impact digestion — making chronic conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or acid reflux worse
- Hormonal imbalances: Since cortisol can interact with sex hormones, its chronic and high presence can lead to a reduction in the production of key hormones such as testosterone, oestrogen and progesterone — potentially leading to irregular menstrual cycles, a lowered libido and fertility issues
- Poor sleep: High cortisol levels can disrupt the production of melatonin, a key hormone involved in the sleep cycle; which can lead to insomnia symptoms and daytime fatigue
"Reducing salivary cortisol levels is a key step consumers can take to protect themselves from the impact that stress has on the body," noted CEO of Ethical Naturals, Cel Bewicke.
"Notably, our L-theanine ingredient, AlphaWave, can reduce salivary cortisol levels, as proven by a clinical study. This effect was seen one hour post-dose after a single dose of the nutraceutical."
"Another two clinical studies have proven the potential of AlphaWave in boosting frontal region alpha power, as well as physiological indicators of stress in response to the MAT test.
According to Ethical Naturals, AlphaWave L-theanine can be formulated in supplements and functional beverages alike due to its water solubility, and is FDA GRAS affirmed.
It is also the only source of L-theanine that has been approved by Australia's TGA, meaning it is readily commercialisable in the area.