RCT: Sage extract offers working memory and cognitive performance benefits
A sage extract and essential oil combination can significantly improve cognitive performance, according to a new industry funded RCT.
The Lamiaceae family of plants includes psychoactive herbs such as rosemary, lemon-balm, peppermint and sage, which have been shown to express high levels of phenolic acids and polyphenols.
Extracts from this family of plants often share common mechanisms of action relevant to the brain - such as inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and binding allosterically to gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABAA), nicotinic and muscarinic receptors - attributable to their terpene content.
The phenolic constituents have also demonstrated cognitive effects such as increases in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in neurons. A recent trial by Kennedy. D. O., et al demonstrated the more robust effects - acutely on energy and mood - which can be achieved when combining phenolics (coffee berry, apple catechins and blueberry anthocyanins) and terpenes (sage and ginseng) into a single supplement.