This shared biological context will take centre stage at SupplySide Global, where Activ’Inside Inc, a US subsidiary of the French-based company, Activ’Inside will showcase new clinical evidences on
Safr’Inside™, its patented saffron extract standardised to a high, content of real safranal (≥0.2%, measured by UHPLC), at booth #6173.
By precisely characterising and standardising the naturally occurring compounds associated with its biological activity, Safr’Inside™ is designed to deliver fast, perceptible benefits. At the show,
Activ’Inside Inc will explore how this evidence-backed ingredient may help address some of the challenges associated with two distinct periods of hormonal change: PMS and menopause.
From PMS to menopause, connecting the dots
Hormonal fluctuations can influence far more than reproductive health. They can interact with pathways involved in emotional well-being, sleep, stress response and inflammation, as well as the complex communication network between the gut and the brain.
One reason is that hormones do not act in isolation or on a single biological system. Changes in oestrogen and progesterone can influence interconnected pathways involving serotonin signalling, the stress response and inflammatory processes. Emerging research is also highlighting the role of the gut microbiota and the gut-brain axis within this broader network.
This understanding provides a framework for exploring how a well-characterised botanical ingredient could support women’s well-being across different stages of hormonal transition.
One ingredient, two stages of hormonal change
According to market insights, saffron was the fastest-growing ingredient in women’s health launches last year, reflecting increasing interest in botanical solutions for women’s well-being (1). But as saffron moves from an emerging trend to a more established ingredient, an important question arises: not simply why saffron?, but which saffron?
Safr’Inside™ goes beyond the growing popularity of saffron by combining precise extract characterisation with an expanding body of scientific and clinical research. It is a patented saffron extract protected by patents in over 20 countries, including the US, Australia, and South Korea, and standardised to a high and precisely quantified content of real safranal (0.2%, measured by UHPLC), a key marker associated with the extract’s biological activity.
Activ’Inside has identified six complementary mechanisms of action that may contribute to Safr’Inside™’s effects, including neuroprotection, the modulation of serotonin pathways, activation of the calming nervous system, cortisol response, inflammatory processes and the gut microbiota.
Most recently, two clinical studies* have investigated Safr’Inside™ in women experiencing PMS and menopausal symptoms separately. Together, these two studies provide a unique perspective on how one well-characterised botanical ingredient may support women across two distinct, yet biologically connected, stages of hormonal change.
Clinical evidence in PMS
In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, supplementation with 30 mg/day of Safr’Inside™ over three menstrual cycles significantly reduced overall PMS symptom severity compared with placebo.
Improvements were observed from the first cycle, with significant benefits reported after just seven days of supplementation.
Clinical evidence during menopausal transition
Research in healthy women experiencing perimenopausal symptoms has also generated promising results.
After 12 weeks of supplementation with Safr’Inside™ at 30mg/day, the total Greene Climacteric Scale (GCS) score, the study’s primary endpoint, decreased significantly compared with placebo, with a 68% reduction from baseline by the end of the study.
Improvements were also observed in specific areas, notably night sweats, emotional disturbances and vitality. Benefits became clinically relevant from week 6 and continued to increase through week 12.
Connecting the science across hormonal transitions
PMS and menopause are distinct conditions that occur at different stages of life and involve different hormonal patterns. Yet both illustrate how hormonal fluctuations can influence interconnected biological systems involved in emotional well-being, sleep, stress response and overall quality of life.
By acting across multiple pathways involved in neuroprotection, serotonin signalling, parasympathetic nervous system activation, cortisol regulation, inflammatory processes and gut microbiota modulation, Safr’Inside™ may help support women’s well-being across multiple dimensions during periods of hormonal change.
The emerging clinical evidence in both PMS and menopause adds to the scientific rationale for exploring saffron as a versatile botanical solution for women navigating different stages of hormonal transition.
Taking the science to the stage
The conversation will continue beyond the Activ’Inside Inc 6173 booth.
On 29 October at 9:30, Activ’Inside Inc will present its latest findings as part of the “Women’s Wellness Matures: Frontiers in Solutions for Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause” session at the Supplement Solutions Stage, Booth #1359, Shoreline, Level 2.
The session will provide an opportunity to explore the latest developments in women’s wellness and discuss how evidence-based botanical solutions may help address the evolving needs of women throughout hormonal transitions.
*Articles pending publication
For more information, please contact Ines CHEE at i.chee@activinside.com
Reference
1- https://www.nutritioninsight.com/nutrition-focus/womens-health-trends.html
