Finzelberg, a global supplier of active botanical extracts for the pharmaceutical and dietary supplements industry, is committed to protecting and promoting health naturally. It does this by developing and optimising safe and effective botanical products for a wide range of customers.
Menopause is under increasing scrutiny, in particular the requirement for non-stimulant, plant-based ingredients that can target cognitive health and improve anxiety markers in menopausal women.
Given this requirement, Finzelberg trialled a study with its branded ingredient CONCENTAL based on Greek Mountain Tea Extract (Sideritis species) at the Brain Performance and Nutrition Centre (BPNRC) at Northumbria University in the UK.
One of the aims was to examine the effect of CONCENTAL in managing the symptoms of anxiety in women between the ages of 50 and 70 who are either in menopause or post- menopause. Menopause is typically a time when psychological symptoms may increase, such as the risk of developing anxiety disorders.
“Hormonal changes experienced during menopause could have a direct impact on the body’s nervous system, which could lead to a series of physical manifestations,” Dr Cynthia Suarez-Rizzo, project manager, of new product development at Finzelberg explains. “This is because the chemical processes that occur in the reproductive system and the brain affect mood, predisposing women to feelings of nervousness, tension, or worry.”
With traditional hormone replacement therapy under scrutiny, more women are looking to dietary supplements that could impact or treat their unique symptoms, particularly around improving mood, and the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
“Here, dietary supplements containing branded ingredients such as CONCENTAL, with its efficacious natural active compounds derived from Sideritis species, are showing great results and numerous positive effects when dealing with anxiety states,” she says.
In this study from Wightman et al, the positive effects of using 950mg of Greek mountain tea extract vs placebo was shown to significantly reduce anxiety relative to the placebo control following 28 days of consumption.1
The study at Northumbria University2 was used as a platform to do a data analysis considering a subgroup of women from 50 to 70 years old, typically the age of menopause and post-menopause to investigate the effectiveness of CONCENTAL against anxiety.
“CONCENTAL showed bigger improvements (up to 19%) compared to placebo in the group of 50-60 years old with a 475mg dose. While in the group over the age of 60, the higher dosage seems to be more effective (up to nearly 12%). While the age of the women and/or the period of menopause could influence the level of anxiety, different concentrations may provide benefits to these two groups in particular,” Dr Suarez-Rizzo concludes.
Award-winning CONCENTAL can be used in a wide range of applications ranging from powders and tablets to gummies and shots.
For more information on CONCENTAL or to discuss the results of this study and what it can mean for your new product developments, contact the Finzelberg team at www.finzelberg.com or download the White Paper here Finzelberg. The Experts in Botanical Efficacy.
References:
- Wightman EL, et al. The Acute and Chronic Cognitive and Cerebral Blood Flow Effects of a Sideritis scardica (Greek Mountain Tea) Extract: A Double Blind, Randomized, Placebo Controlled, Parallel Groups Study in Healthy Humans. Nutrients. 2018;10(8):955
- The acute and chronic cognitive and cerebral blood flow effects of a sideritis scardica (Greek mountain tea) extract: A double blind, randomized, placebo controlled, parallel groups study in healthy humans — Northumbria University Research Portal – accessed September 2024
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