Relora supplement shows stress management potential for athletes

By Stephen DANIELLS

- Last updated on GMT

Relora has been used exclusively in supplements in both tablet and capsule form until recently, and is featured by some major manufacturers such as Now Foods, Source Naturals, HVL and Reliance Vitamins.
Relora has been used exclusively in supplements in both tablet and capsule form until recently, and is featured by some major manufacturers such as Now Foods, Source Naturals, HVL and Reliance Vitamins.
Daily supplements containing extracts of Magnolia (Magnolia officinalis) and Phellodendron (Phellodendron amurense) barks – branded as Relora – may reduce stress in moderately stressed healthy subjects, says a new study.

Four weeks of supplementation with the bark extract supplement was associated with significant reductions in overall stress, tension, depression, anger, and fatigue, compared to placebo, according to findings published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition​.

In addition, the Relora supplement was found to improve mood and vigor in a study with 56 men and women.

“The present study indicates a significant ‘anti-stress’ benefit of magnolia/phellodendron bark (Relora) supplementation in moderately stressed non-athletes, and suggests a possible benefit for athletes to recover from ‘training stress’ induced by the physical and psychological demands of competition and training,” ​wrote the researchers, led by Shawn Talbott from SupplementWatch.

“Future studies should examine the potential benefits of Relora in helping athletes to enhance post-exercise recovery and possibly to help prevent overtraining syndrome.”

The supplement

Relora was introduced in 2000 and was recently was approved for sale in Canada. The supplement is produced by Next Pharmaceuticals and the company funded the new study. The supplement is a leader in the stress relief category in supplements, with it is claimed to alleviate stress, curb stress-related eating and promote weight management. It has been used exclusively in supplements in both tablet and capsule form until recently, and is featured by some major manufacturers such as Now Foods, Source Naturals, HVL and Reliance Vitamins.

According to Talbott and his co-workers, extracts from magnolia bark and Phellodendron bark have been used in are traditional herbal medicines for about 2,000 years for treating ‘stagnation of Qi’ in Chinese medicine (or ‘burnout’ in modern Western parlance).

The benefits are linked to anti-stress and anti-anxiety compounds honokiol and  berberine in magnolia and Phellodendron bark, respectively.

The new study indicates that the supplement may also have potential in the sports nutrition category.

“Although our study was not conducted in competitive athletes, a number of our moderately stressed healthy subjects were recreational runners and cyclists who commented about feeling more ‘balanced’ in their workouts when their stress levels were balanced,” ​explained Talbott et al.

Study details

Talbott and his co-workers recruited 35 men and 21 women to participate in their randomized placebo-controlled, double-blind study. The participants were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or the 500 mg/day of  Relora for four weeks.

Results showed that cortisol levels in the saliva were significantly lower in the active supplement group, compared to placebo (18% lower), while of overall stress was reduced 11%, tension reduced by 13%, depression by 20%, anger by 42%, and fatigue by 31%.

Improvements were observed for of mood (+11%) and vigor (+18%) for the supplement group, compared to placebo.

“These results suggest an effective natural approach to modulating the detrimental health effects of chronic stress in moderately stressed adults,” ​wrote the researchers.

Source: Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
2013, 10​:37 doi:10.1186/1550-2783-10-37
“Effect of ​Magnolia officinalis and ​Phellodendron amurense (Relora) on cortisol and psychological mood state in moderately stressed subjects”
Authors: Talbott SM, Talbott JA, Pugh M.

Related news

Related products

show more

Pycnogenol® for Sport: eNOS and Beyond

Pycnogenol® for Sport: eNOS and Beyond

Content provided by Horphag Research | 21-Mar-2024 | White Paper

Engaging in physical activities immediately triggers a number of physiological responses from our body (1). First, our liver glucose output and adipose...

MOROSIL:INGREDIENT OF THE YEAR

MOROSIL:INGREDIENT OF THE YEAR

Content provided by BIONAP BIOACTIVE NATURAL PRODUCTS | 07-Mar-2024 | Product Brochure

MOROSIL™ has won as Ingredient of the Year in the category Weight Management at 2023 Nutraingredient USA. MOROSIL ™ is a standardized extract derived from...

Go Beyond the Ordinary: Cognitive Health-BacoMind

Go Beyond the Ordinary: Cognitive Health-BacoMind

Content provided by Natural Remedies Private Limited | 27-Feb-2024 | White Paper

Experience the potency of BacoMind®, the #1 branded bacopa with 9 key bioactives for unparalleled cognitive support.

Stay one step ahead in the collagen market

Stay one step ahead in the collagen market

Content provided by Bioiberica | 26-Feb-2024 | White Paper

It's no secret that interest in collagen is at an all-time high – especially for joint health. This presents a real opportunity for manufacturers...

Related suppliers

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars