NOW has introduced a new cognitive support supplement, Calm & Focus, which features the key ingredients GABA and a Sceletium tortuosum extract marketed as Zembrin by PLT Health Solutions.
 
The formulation is designed to offer consumers a rapid-onset cognitive support product which provides a sense of calm. The ingredient is considered to have tangible effects, with clinical studies suggesting that it begins working within a two-hour window, and it has been subject to studies confirming that it is safe to use daily for several months.
 
“The clinical science behind Zembrin shows that it can help give people power over their lives by introducing a sense of calm serenity or alert focus,” said Kim Perkins, vitamin brand manager for NOW. “We also feel our customers will be intrigued by the fact that it is a highly sustainable and socially responsible ingredient. Calm & Focus with Zembrin and GABA features 25 milligrams of Zembrin and 300 milligrams of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, known as GABA, which is an amino acid that is known to reduce the stress of everyday life, relieve tension and improve sleep.”
 
An Ancient Remedy with Modern Science
 
Sceletium tortuosum is a succulent native to Southern Africa which has been traditionally used as a mood enhancer and stress reliever by the Khoi-San, a group of people considered to be the oldest ethnic group in Africa whose culture dates back 20,000 years.
 
This herb was brought through a clinical science program which included several preclinical studies, a full array of safety and toxicity evaluations, and five double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Studies have shown that a 25 mg daily dose of Zembrin can reduce anxiety-related activities within two hours of administration.
 
A Sustainability Story
 
Sceletium tortuosum is a protected species in Africa, and wild harvesting is not sustainable for commercial products. As such, the innovator of Zembrin, HG&H Pharmaceuticals, employs a seed-to-shelf ingredient management program with its specially-cultivated raw materials. The company is committed to using only cultivated plant material to avoid depleting threatened wild plant stocks and ensure consistent product quality.
 
HG&H Pharmaceuticals shares the proceeds of every bottle of Zembrin sold to the South African San Council, as a means of acknowledging the contribution of the Khoi-San people who discovered and used Sceletium tortuosum for millennia. Zembrin is endorsed by the South African San Council, which provides Zembrin with exclusive use of its trademark.
 
“Zembrin sits at the nexus of traditional ethnobotany, modern science, sustainability, and social responsibility and is a model of how a traditional plant can be transformed into a modern nutraceutical ingredient to help people live happier, healthier lives,” said Steve Fink, vice president of marketing for PLT Health Solutions. “We’re excited to partner with NOW and for the help this product will bring to their customers.”