Hush the
noise.

L-theanine is an amino acid naturally found in tea. Small human studies have measured changes in alpha brain-wave activity after people swallowed L-theanine. These electrical rhythms are associated with relaxed wakefulness. Researchers have also investigated its effects on attention and the body's response to stressful tasks. The precise biological mechanisms—and the effects of this pouch—have not been established.

Research sources

• Human EEG study
• Attention study with a theanine-only condition

GABA is a chemical messenger your brain naturally uses to make nerve cells less likely to fire. That inhibitory signaling helps regulate brain activity. GABA taken by mouth has also been studied for responses to mental stress and fatigue. Those supplement findings are preliminary: scientists have not established that taking GABA produces the same direct brain effects as the GABA your brain makes.

Research sources

• Established GABA receptor physiology
• Human GABA beverage study (PDF)

Affron is a standardized saffron extract containing plant compounds including crocins and safranal. In a four-week placebo-controlled trial, adults experiencing low mood who swallowed 28 mg daily reported greater improvements in mood scores than those taking placebo. Researchers are still investigating the mechanisms behind these results. This research concerns daily supplementation over weeks, not an immediate effect from one pouch.

Research sources

• Four-week affron trial

Kanna contains plant compounds called alkaloids. In laboratory studies, some standardized extracts interact with the serotonin transporter, which helps clear serotonin after nerve cells release it, and PDE4, an enzyme involved in regulating signals inside cells. Small human studies of particular extracts have also examined responses to stressful cues. Results are preliminary and depend on the extract; they do not establish how Hush's 50 mg kanna will affect you.

Different kanna extracts have different alkaloid profiles. Research on a high-mesembrine extract, Trimesemine, used cells to investigate changes in neurotransmitter transport and release. It should not be treated as a human trial or as equivalent to findings from Zembrin.

Research sources

• Laboratory study of Zembrin and its alkaloids
• Small human Zembrin study
• Trimesemine cellular study