However, if you want to be as proactive and intentional as possible, it’s worth adding targeted and functional brain-loving bioactives like Sceletium tortuosum, aka kanna, to your routine.* The powerful botanical is one of the main active ingredients in mbg’s brain guard+ trio, our comprehensive nootropic supplement—and it might very well be your brain’s new BFF.* The plant has been used as an herbal remedy by Indigenous tribes for hundreds of years, according to a 2021 review article1 in Molecules. Its first use has been documented as early as the 17th century2 (1685, to be exact). While kanna teas and tinctures dominated its use for centuries, in the 21st century, the nootropic botanical extract can now be found in select capsule, tablet, and raw powder formulas. So much so that it’s a star ingredient in mbg’s newest nootropic supplement, brain guard+. In this powerful neuronutrient-powered formula, Sceletium tortuosum is delivered as Zembrin® (the clinically researched, premium form) and in the highest, full-potency dose studied in clinical trials (50 milligrams). Alkaloids are essentially compounds that contain nitrogen, says registered dietitian Maddie Pasquariello, M.S., RDN. They exert a wide range of health effects on the body, and in Sceletium tortuosum specifically, are responsible for the plant’s multidimensional functional brain-related actions and benefits:* Specifically, in terms of serotonin, the alkaloids in kanna enhance serotonin reuptake inhibition actions in the brain, thereby increasing levels of serotonin, explains Pasquariello.* Translation? These compounds help kanna delay the body—neurons, specifically—from quickly reabsorbing serotonin, ultimately extending its availability and activity in our brain and body, according to Engler.* Pretty cool, right? Needless to say, kanna can be a game-changer for balancing emotions, as serotonin plays a key regulatory role in supporting mood, behavior, and other important functions related to the nervous system, Engler explains.* “These actions are also supported by clinical trial evidence4 where kanna has been shown to promote stress resilience, demonstrating a positive impact on emotional brain response,”* she adds. As mbg’s vice president of scientific affairs Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN, explains, “Mood support is like the mothership health area, and an important one, but honing in further are specific benefits like stress resilience and anxiolytic pathways (i.e., fewer feelings of anxiousness and stress). The South African botanical kanna supports our cognitive ability to be emotionally tougher when coming up against stressors (um, daily). How? By interacting with our brain.”* Ferira dives deeper: “Mechanistically, this unique, adaptogenic Sceletium tortuosum plant has been shown in clinical research using advanced MRI brain imaging to buffer our brain from stress by positively impacting our neurocircuitry.”* She points to a robustly designed randomized clinical trial4 leveraging 25 milligrams of Zembrin® kanna extract, which focused on the amygdala section of the brain and reactivity to threats. As seen in the results, participants were less reactive to these fearful stimuli.* As mentioned earlier, we also know from preclinical animal research3 that Zembrin® kanna extract exerts dual-action benefits in the central nervous system by increasing serotonin levels and inhibiting PDE4.* “These two pathways net sustained neurochemical benefits for mood, as well as neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties—all of which are certainly helpful for our very active brain cells and resilience to inevitable stress in our life,”* says Ferira. Specifically, in a six-week clinical trial, daily intake of Zembrin® kanna extract significantly increased alpha1 and alpha2 brain frequencies during various cognitive tasks.* As Engler notes, an uptick in these brain-wave frequencies is associated with greater calmness (plus, as mentioned before, helps with mood and memory). The result is what we call “alert serenity.” As Jeremy Appleton, N.D., director of scientific and medical affairs at PLT Health Solutions, explains further, “The clinical research has shown impact on improving executive function and cognitive set flexibility while at the same time attenuating activity in the part of the brain that registers threat and stress.”* Together, these effects maintain your ability to stay on your A-game without feeling tense or uptight. Fortunately, it’s possible to support executive function with premium botanicals like kanna.* In a compelling clinical study examining the cognitive effects of 25 milligrams and 50 milligrams of Zembrin® kanna extract, “both doses increased [the] power of certain brain-wave frequencies related to attention and memory,”* notes Appleton. As Engler expounds, this includes alpha2 brain waves—which are associated with memory and shown to be significantly influenced by Zembrin® kanna extract during various cognitive tasks—as well as delta and theta brain waves, which are related to mental activation during processing (i.e., attention and performance).* But how does this kanna benefit work, exactly? Ferira explains: “The mechanisms behind these beneficial cognitive effects are thought to be driven by the stress resilience impact on key brain circuits4, as well as the mood-lifting impact of blocking reuptake of serotonin (i.e., keeping it around longer) and inhibiting the PDE4 enzyme.”* Several of these key mechanisms have been elucidated via important preclinical research3. “Indeed, the PDE4 enzyme pathways are major cascades involving cellular signals for processes like apoptosis (programmed cell death), neuroplasticity, and connections of neurons,” shares Ferira. “What’s more, PDE4 inhibition has anti-inflammatory and longevity implications at the cellular level.” A quick explainer: Cognitive flexibility is the ability to adapt our thoughts and actions based on our environment, demonstrating agility and flexibility in our thinking and doing, Ferira explains. Additionally, it enables us to seamlessly pivot between mental tasks (i.e., task switching), which has obvious implications for juggling life like a pro, she adds. Ferira breaks it down further: “If we think of our brain as a muscle (though it’s technically not), it’s useful to explain cognitive flexibility. Imagine the actual muscles in your arms, legs, core, etc. (which are interestingly controlled by your brain), were rigid and lacking in flexibility, so you were lacking full range of motion to move, walk, run, dance, etc. Flexibility is so important, right? Now imagine that your brain was rigid and slow to react and adapt, instead of quick and flexible. We need to be able to flex, whether it be our muscles or our brain. In this way, kanna helps us flex our brain for agility and resilience.”* If the rare case that side effects do occur, they may include mild gastrointestinal upset5, headaches, or bowel movement irregularity. It’s important to remember that “kanna does have clinical trial evidence demonstrating increases in serotonin neurotransmitter levels (which directly supports cognitive and mood-enhancing benefits),”* explains Engler, “so, for those with specific psychological and psychiatric considerations, have a chat with your doctor before incorporating kanna into your routine.”* The serotonin reuptake inhibition actions of kanna may interact with other medications and/or supplements, so it’s wise to speak to your health care team before introducing kanna (or any new supplement, for that matter) to your regimen, notes Pasquariello.* If you want to leverage the brain-supporting effects of kanna, a premium nootropic supplement containing the ingredient might be just what you need.* mindbodygreen’s brain guard+ features kanna extract as Zembrin®, the premium clinically researched form of the plant. Our scientifically advanced formula combines botanical kanna with the brain nutrient citicoline (Cognizin®) and polyphenol resveratrol (Veri-Te™), resulting in a powerful neuroprotective trifecta in just two daily capsules.* Who’s ready to flex their brain?
