Cognitive enhancing substances are also called nootropics and improve concentration, memory, focus and other cognitive functions. The market for this kind of product has been growing in recent years. Emerging research has helped to understand which nutrients and ingredients can contribute to a healthy brain function. Today there are many different actives in this space on the market, caffeine being one of the most popular ones. The younger generation struggling with work and studies, working professionals and golden agers consume more frequently mental stimulants. E-sports is to be mentioned here in particular, as the players need their brain to be highly alert for a very long period. Amazingly competitive players can coordinate up to over 500 movements per minute on average – these are 8 moves per second. This requires ahigh level of concentration, alertness, information processing, endurance, and visual skills. They spend up to 12 hours a day playing games and it is not surprising that the cognitive challengeduring gaming is very high.
The e-gaming industry has seen tremendous growth in recent years, driven by the increasing popularity of competitive online gaming and rise of esports. There are an estimated 2.7 billion video gamers worldwide and this rapidly growing industry has significant potential for development in the coming years. Gaming sales increased by 37% annually in the US in the last years. It is believed that more than 200 million Americans play video games. As this market continues to grow, there is an increasing demand for nutritional supplements within this market.
Timut Pepper (Zanthoxylum armatum) is native to the southern parts of the Himalayas, especially Nepal, where it is commonly used as a spice to flavor dumplings and beef dishes. As a fun fact, the timut pepper is not a “real pepper” but belongs to the citrus family. The Nepalese pepper, as it is also called has a characteristic grapefruit-like taste and a tongue-tingling sensation like the closely related Sichuan pepper.
After flowering in spring, the wild Timut pepper bush forms red berries, which then dry and are being harvested. They are rich in alkylamide hydroxy-α-sanshool. This lead substance is known for having promising brain health benefits and the ability to diffuse from the gastrointestinal tract to the blood stream directly. This allows a quick absorption into the body and brain.
SaraPEPP™ Nu is a cognitive booster containing hydroxy-α-sanshool. It is available as a powder and liquid, produced through a gentle extraction process of these dried Timut pepper fruits. Various tests confirmed that this extract has cognitive stimulating effects.
In a randomized, double blind, and placebo-controlled clinical study clinical the immediate and long-term effect of SaraPEPP ™ Nu on cognitive performance was investigated. 81 healthy volunteers of both genders participated in a 57-day clinical study. Their average age was 42.4 years. They were taking daily supplementation of either 2800 mg of SaraPEPP™ Nu or a placebo. Computerized cognitive assessments tests were used to test cognitive performance. A well-established Computerized Mental Performance Assessment System (COMPASS) method was used in this case, allowing an analysis across major cognitive abilities such as attention, alertness, executive function, and memory in a simple and efficient way. These test batteries were performed on day one, right after the first intake and at the end of the study period. The participants had to thereby perform cognitive assessment tests at both time points, after 1 h, 3 h and 5 h of supplement intake. Reaction times, number of false alarms and accuracy of performed tasks were measured at all points.
Study results revealed that with SaraPEPP™ Nu has significant effects on three cognitive parameters, immediately after first intake as well as long-term intake. SaraPEPP™ Nu improved reaction time significantly immediately after first supplementation. Further, participants were able to improve their accuracy, tested by a rapid visual information processing (RVIP) method. This allows the measuring of working memory and attention. This was assessed by measuring the numbers of false alarms. Remarkable is the long-lasting acute effect after a single dose of SaraPEPP™ Nu, especially when comparing with other investigated nootropics like caffeine, as effects could be demonstrated even after 5 hours after intake.
Further, SaraPEPP™ Nu showed same significant results on these cognitive tasks after 57 days supplementation. This shows that the innovative Timut pepper extract also has an impact on long-term mental performance next to the immediate effect. At the end of the extensive 5 hours test series, mental fatigue was assessed by a questionnaire. Participants experienced much less mental fatigue than those receiving placebo. No side effects were reported during the entire study and SaraPEPP™ Nu was well tolerated by the study volunteers.
In addition, SaraPEPP™ Nu can also be an interesting candidate for the ´healthy aging´ category, because it may counteract processes typically involved in brain aging. For instance, the reduction of neurotransmitters release or cardiovascular function in the brain. Interestingly, SaraPEPP™ Nu was able to extend significantly the mean lifespan, demonstrated in another study model.
Overall, SaraPEPP™ Nu is a natural cognitive booster, improving neural efficacy, working memory and attention. This ingredient gives people in need of acute mental support, like students, professionals, athletes, and e-gamers an immediate boost in their mental performance and helps to reduce mental fatigue during prolonged cognitive performance. SaraPEPP™ NU alone or in combination with other brain health ingredients, such as B-vitamins, minerals, other botanicals and nootropics allows the development of tasty, unique, innovative, safe and science proven nootropics. SaraPEPP™ Nu is easy to formulate into beverage applications because of the pleasant taste and high solubility.