Natural Remedies(Bangalore, India) launched Holixer holy basil/tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum), an adaptogen that in vitro and in vivo studies has shown inhibits and/or reduces cortisol release from the adrenal glands in response to stress-induced production of adrenocorticotropic hormone. The release of excess cortisol can impair sleep and immune function.
Narender Reddy, CEO of Natural Remedies, said in a press release that it took five years to develop Holixer. “[It] is made with Bioactive Optimization Technology, yielding a unique profile, Ocimum-Bioactive Complex (OBC), which is a potent collection of different bioactives, creating a unique holy basil ingredient with potent actives,” Reddy explained.
A 2022 randomized, double-blind, placebo, controlled clinical study1, published in Frontiers in Nutrition, administered 250 mg/d of Holixer or a placebo for eight weeks to 100 healthy participants who reported stress and poor sleep. The Holixer group showed significantly greater improvements in stress and cortisol levels as well as sleep scores compared to those in the placebo group. According to Perceived Stress Scale scores, after eight weeks, perceived stress decreased by 37% in subjects taking Holixer, compared to a 19% decrease in the placebo group. Scores from the Athens Insomnia Scale decreased by 48% in the Holixer group, compared to 27% in the placebo group, and data collected from a Fitbit found that supplementation with the herb was associated with a 3.4% increase in sleep efficiency over time.
“The impact of high stress on sleep cannot be undermined,” said Abey Thomas, head of marketing for Natural Remedies, in a press release. “According to NBJ’s 2022 Condition Specific Report, consumers spent approximately $600 million on supplements for sleep in 2017, and by 2025 that number is expected to surge to nearly $1.6 billion. Within this, the herbal sleep segment is expected to nearly quadruple in sales from 70 million in 2017 to 323 million in 2025.”
Holixer is available in 250 mg/d doses and is 100% water-soluble for formulation such as for gummies, shots, sachets and tablets and capsules.
Reference
- Lopresti AL et al. “A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigating the effects of an Ocimumtenuiflorum (Holy Basil) extract (HolixerTM) on stress, mood, and sleep in adults experiencing stress.” Frontiers in Nutrition, 9:965130. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.965130