Stress Management Supplements: Key Ingredients

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines stress as a state of physical or emotional tension triggered by any event or thought. As the body’s natural response to perceived pressure or threats, feeling stress at varying degrees is a universal experience. However, its impact differs widely depending on individual coping mechanisms. When stress becomes chronic or unmanaged,it can lead to significant problems, affecting both mental and physical health. 

Stress management is integral to keeping your mind and body healthy. Practicing mindfulness and meditation, eating nutritiously, incorporating regular physical activity, deep breathing, and getting adequatesleep are vital aspects of stress management. Taking a nutritional supplement may also be a beneficial tool for managing stressand occasional mild anxiousness.  

Get the answers to common questions  about stress management supplements, their key ingredients, and advanced supplement formulations that can promote your mental and emotional well-being. Use the links below to jump ahead to different topics on the page.

Dietary Supplementation for Stress Management

Various biochemical processes in the brain play a crucial role in regulatingour emotions and moods. The body’s stress response largely depends on the upregulation of stress hormones, such as cortisol; whereas, neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins modulate mood. Dietary inadequacies can gradually decrease an enzyme’s efficacy in biochemical processes, adversely influencing stress responses and mood stability. 

When diet alone does not provide sufficient intake of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and other important nutrients, supplements can fill the nutritional gaps to promote emotional and mental well-being.* Nutrients like vitamins B and C, essential fatty acids, magnesium, and zinc are critical for optimal nervous system function, influencing energy metabolism, cognitive performance, affective processing, hormone and neurotransmitter synthesis, and stress response regulation.* Additionally, amino acids, endocannabinoids, and short-chain fatty acids are important components of stress management supplements. .    

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Anandamide for Stress and Mild Anxiety Support

Anandamide, or arachidonyl-ethanolamide (AEA), a lipid-based neurotransmitter that binds to the cannabinoid receptors in different regions of the body and brain.* Anandamide is an integral part of the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) and is found in high concentrations in specific food sources, such as cocoa beans and truffles.

Notably, it has been observed that stress-induced environments trigger a dip in anandamide levels, and continuous exposure to high-stress environments results in the down-regulation or the loss of CB1 receptors to which anandamide binds. Aging and an unhealthy lifestyle can also adversely affect anandamide levels in the body. 

Why should you take anandamide as a stress management supplement? 

• Enhancing absorption: A low concentration of anandamide can limit nitric oxide (NO) levels in the blood. Supplement formulations that contain L-citrulline improve NO production and promote brain blood flow.*  

• Filling nutritional gaps: Dietary sources contain trace amounts of anandamide, which maybe insufficient to maintain an optimal level of the endocannabinoid. 

• Micro-dosing: Advanced supplement formulations enable micro-dosing, which involves taking anandamide in a lesser amount than previously required to achieve the endocannabinoid’s benefits. 

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How does Butyric Acid Promote Neurological Health? 

The gut microbiota’s presence, activity, and metabolism influence brain functions through the gut-brain axis. A fiber-rich diet increases the amount of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) from bacterial fermentation in the colon. Butyric acid, or butyrate, stands out among SCFAs because it beneficially influences brain function.* 

Several studies^4,5 indicate that high-fiber diets increase the blood level of circulating butyrate, raising the possibility that enhancing circulating butyrate levels can directly benefit the functioning of the central nervous system (CNS) by promoting neuroprotection and supporting the integrity of the blood-brain barrier.* 

Why should you take a butyrate supplement for stress management? 

• Enhancing palatability: When exposed to moisture, butyrate mineral salts emit the distinctively foul smell of butyric acid, making it unpalatable to ingest orally. Advanced butyrate supplement formulations mask butyric acid’s unpleasant taste and odor to achieve improved patient compliance. 

• Enhancing absorption: The rapid absorption of butyric acid in the upper portion of the GI tract adversely impacts its efficacy. Advanced butyrate supplement formulations enable targeted delivery of the butyric acid molecules at the desired point in the intestinal tract for optimal absorption and promoting stress management.* 

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L-Citrulline Promotes Healthy Cognitive Function

L-citrulline is an amino acid and a major precursor of L-arginine in the nitric oxide (NO) cycle.* In the central nervous system (CNS), NO plays a critical role in cell death or survival mechanisms in brain cells. The enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in neuronal tissues modulates physiological functions, such as learning and memory. 

Why should you take an L- citrulline stress management supplement? 

• Enhancing bioavailability and absorption: A combination of the essential amino acids L-lysine and L-arginine⁸ may be a useful dietary intervention for addressing mild anxiety and stress. However, natural L-arginine displays a poor gastrointestinal uptake rate. In contrast, orally ingested L-citrulline is absorbed in the small intestine’s enterocytes. L-citrulline has higher activity, bioavailability, and absorption than L-arginine. As a result, the oral intake of an L-citrulline supplement increases the concentration of circulating L-arginine.*

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Glutathione for Brain Health*

Glutathione is a tripeptide made up of cysteine, glycine, and glutamic acid. It exists either in its reduced form (GSH) or its oxidized form (GSSG). Glutathione is the primary antioxidant in cells throughout the body, including brain cells.* Glucocorticoids, the primary hormones secreted in response to stress, can negatively impact GSH levels due to prolonged stress. 

Why you should take a glutathione supplement for stress management 

• Enhancing bioavailability and absorption: Conventionally, glutathione is a molecule with reduced bioabsorption. Advanced glutathione supplement formulations utilize innovative approaches that enhance the bioavailability and absorption of glutathione to limit oxidative stress in brain cells.*   

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Advanced Stress Management Supplement Formulations

Tesseract Medical Research has developed a wide range of stress management supplements that contain key ingredients — anandamide, butyric acid, L-citrulline, and glutathione. Tesseract’s proprietary CyLoc® – DexKey® nutrient delivery nanotechnology enables targeted delivery of a supplement’s active nutrients while maintaining their integrity during their transit through the stomach. The unprecedented absorption of the supplement’s active nutrients at the desired point in the intestinal tract achieves their benefits in managing mild anxiety and stress.* 

The following advanced stress management supplements are available from Tesseract:

• AnaQuell®: The formula contains anandamide and L-citrulline to support a healthy response to mild anxiety, stress, and mood changes.*

• AuRx®: This gold-standard medical food is specially formulated for ASD children to address their nutritional requirements and alleviate behavioral changes.  

• ProButyrate®: The hypoallergenic formulation ensures palatability and maximum absorption of butyric acid molecules to promote good gastrointestinal and neurological health.*

• SafeCell®:  The acetylated form of glutathione neutralizes free radicals and maintains an optimal glutathione level in the body to promote healthy brain function.* 

With proven ingredients delivered through an advanced proprietary smart nutrient delivery system, Tesseract Medical Research’s stress management supplements promote your mental and emotional health and well-being.* 

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Citations: 

¹Reggio PH. Endocannabinoid binding to the cannabinoid receptors: what is known and what remains unknown. Current Medicinal Chemistry vol. 17,14 (2010):1468-1486. doi:10.2174/092986710790980005

²Haj-Dahmane S, Shen R-Y. Modulation of the serotonin system by endocannabinoid signaling. Neuropharmacology vol. 61,3 (2011):414-420. doi:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2011.02.016

³Metzdorf J, Tönges L. Short-chain fatty acids . . . . Neural Regeneration Research vol. 16,10 (2021): 2015-2016. doi:10.4103/1673-5374.308089

⁴Bourassa MW, et al. Butyrate, neuroepigenetics and the gut microbiome: Can a high fiber diet improve brain health?” Neuroscience Letters vol. 625 (2016): 56-63. doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2016.02.009

⁵Bienenstock J, et al. Microbiota and the gut-brain axis. Nutr Rev. 2015;73 Suppl 1:28-31. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuv019

⁶Burrage E, et al. Cerebrovascular dysfunction with stress and depression. Brain Circulation vol. 4,2 (2018): 43-53. doi:10.4103/bc.bc_6_18

⁷Yabuki Y, et al. Oral L-citrulline administration improves memory deficits following transient brain ischemia through cerebrovascular protection. Brain Research vol. 1520 (2013):157-167. doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2013.05.011

⁸Smriga M, et al. Oral treatment with L-lysine and L-arginine reduces anxiety and basal cortisol levels in healthy humans. Biomedical Research (Tokyo, Japan) vol. 28,2 (2007):85-90. doi:10.2220/biomedres.28.85

⁹Iskusnykh IY, et al. Glutathione in brain disorders and aging.” Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 27,1 324. 5 Jan. 2022, doi:10.3390/molecules27010324