Adaptogens? More Like Adaptogems!

By, Matthew Linderman, Organizational Consultant

If you find yourself turning to that cup of coffee to get that report in to your boss by the end of the day or getting the most out of those late-night cram sessions, then this is for you.

For the longest time, coffee has been a staple in diets all over the world, whether it's at the breakfast table or in the office. Humans crave coffee, and with good reason. It’s been shown people tend to participate more in discussion at work and even perceive their coworkers in a more positive light[1]. Sounds nice, right? Until those notorious caffeine jitters kick in, followed by an inconvenient mid-day crash.

Coffee drinkers finally have an evidence-based answer for this predicament.
Krios coffee takes their Medium Roast Colombian Heirloom Blend and infuses it with brilliance (literally). Below is a breakdown of the key ingredients Krios has infused to create their Brilliance Blend.

Bacopa Monnieri Extract

This herbs’ use is native to India and has often been shown to improve overall brain function. Furthermore, researchers conducted a meta-analysis, which congregated eligible data from nine different reputable studies. They found that across these nine experiments the significant trends showed improvements in response time to questions and overall improved cognitive functioning[2].

Summary: Bacopa Monnieri on its own provides cognitive benefits that are not attributed to the effects of caffeine. So, having this ingredient infused in the Brilliance Blend truly magnifies cognitive functioning.

Rhodiola Rosea Extract

This plant’s utilization was first used in European medicine for its effects on blood circulation. This notion is what brings it into the Brilliance Blend. When we are struggling to keep our attention focused, it means your brain is under-stimulated. On the other hand, when one has their attention narrowly focused on a task, dopamine is flooding the brain’s prefrontal cortex. This leads to “tunnel vision,” which allows us to filter out irrelevant external stimuli, in effect; tasks are completed more efficiently.

Furthermore, researchers examined the impact of Rhodiola Rosea on attentional resource allocation, attention span and response time. To carry this out, the researchers recruited fifty adult participants and had them complete a series of tests before and after administration of Rhodiola Rosea over the course of 12 weeks. The results demonstrated increased reaction times, decreased error rates, and evidence alluding to the improvement of mental resource allocation[3].

Summary: Rather than settling for the alertness caffeine brings you, add mental clarity to the list of benefits your coffee offers. Mental clarity occurs when there’s adequate cognitive resources available to sustain attention and focus. This can be thought of like fuel in a car. The more fuel available, the longer the vehicle may be operated. Our brain and mind function similarly in this regard. Rhodiola adds more fuel to your brain.

L-Theanine

The amino acid L-Theanine is caffeine’s best friend. The stimulating effects of caffeine, such as increased vigilance, alertness, and the overall energizing feeling, often leads to jitters. A group of researchers looked to examine the relationship between L-Theanine while used in combination with caffeine and its effect on cognition and mood. To do this, they utilized a placebo controlled double-blind structure, while measuring and tracking ratings from Rapid Visual Information Processing (RVIP) accuracy tests, self-reported mental fatigue, self-reported headaches, digit vigilance tests, and measures of alertness and tiredness.

When caffeine and l-theanine were consumed together, there were significant increases in RVIP accuracy, alertness, digit vigilance response time / accuracy, and self-reported alertness compared to when caffeine was consumed alone. In addition, self-reported headaches, tiredness, and mental fatigue decreased [4].

Summary: L-Theanine enhances the desired, productive effects of caffeine, while mitigating the negative effects such as jitters and anxiety.

The Takeaway

Coffee is what many turn to in the morning to wake up, power through work after a lack of sleep, make it through late night study sessions, crush a tough workout or just a quick jolt of energy when feeling tired. Often times our body needs more and more coffee as we become tolerant to its effects. This leads to anxiety, jitters, and more stress. Imagine how much better coffee could be if it was designed to naturally boost your energy and focus without the negative effects of caffeine. That’s exactly what you get with the Brilliance Blend. This evidence-based coffee has become a staple in my day-to-day life. My increased productivity over regular coffee has been a game changer. It has my full stamp of approval!

References

1. Unnava, V., Singh, A. S., & Unnava, H. R. (2018). Coffee with co-workers: role of caffeine on evaluations of the self and others in group settings. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 32(8), 943-948.
2. Kongkeaw, C., Dilokthornsakul, P., Thanarangsarit, P., Limpeanchob, N., & Scholfield, C. N. (2014). Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on cognitive effects of Bacopa monnieri extract. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 151(1), 528-535.
3. Koop, T., Dienel, A., Heldmann, M., & Münte, T. F. (2020). Effects of a Rhodiola rosea extract on mental resource allocation and attention: An event‐related potential dual task study. Phytotherapy Research, 34(12), 3287-3297.
4. Haskell, C. F., Kennedy, D. O., Milne, A. L., Wesnes, K. A., & Scholey, A. B. (2008). The effects of L-theanine, caffeine and their combination on cognition and mood. Biological psychology, 77(2), 113-122.