Taurine is an amino acid that occurs naturally in the body across numerous organs with a wide array of functions. In fact, it is one of the most abundant amino acids in the human body and is also found in animal meats, fish, and eggs. In the context of anxiety, Taurine has been proven to calm anxiety through numerous mechanisms. First, Taurine binds glycine receptors, which are like GABAA receptors in that they slow down neuron firing^2,3. In addition, Taurine increases the expression and activity of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) enzymes⁴. GAD enzymes are responsible for converting glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter, into GABA. So not only does Taurine increase inhibitory signaling via glycine receptors, but it also increases natural GABA production. As if this wasn’t good enough, this powerhouse molecule also blocks NMDA receptors⁵, which prevents the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate from ramping you up. Thus, Taurine is not only promoting inhibitory brain signaling, but also blocking excitatory brain signaling!

While balancing excitatory and inhibitory signaling is critical for anxiety, inflammation has also been linked to anxiety⁶. Luckily, Taurine has even been demonstrated to quell inflammation through a conversion into Taurine chloramine in response to inflammation⁷. This metabolite stops the production of interleukin-6 and -8, which are pro-inflammatory cytokines produced by white blood cells to promote inflammation⁸. This inflammation-anxiety link works both ways, as high stress has also been shown to initiate inflammation⁹. In today’s world of processed foods and pollutants, minimizing inflammation can not only be an uphill battle, but also a critical component in reducing stress. Given the wide array of calming mechanisms exerted by Taurine, it comes as no surprise that Taurine deficiencies are very common in not only anxiety, but epilepsy, and depression as well. Whether its intranasal administration of Taurine to mice¹⁰ or long term taurine supplementation in aging humans¹¹, Taurine has been definitively proven to enhance not only GABA, but overall inhibitory signaling to reduce overexcitation.

L theanine is an amino acid analog of the amino acids L-glutamate and L-glutamine. It is primarily found in green and black tea leaves. Similar to taurine, L-theanine also blocks NMDA receptors and boosts natural GABA production. However, L-theanine has also been shown to elevate serotonin and dopamine levels. Not only does theanine lower anxiety, but also improves your overall mood so you’re calm AND happy! In addition to this, human trials have shown that L-theanine supplementation also decreases cortisol production¹². Cortisol is the body’s primary stress hormone released during stressful situations, with chronically elevated cortisol being a hallmark of anxiety^13,14. Increases the expression of glutamate receptor subunit zeta 1 (GluN1). To keep it simple, this is a subunit that NMDA receptors are comprised of. The less GluN1, the more likely hyperactivity and anxiety is to occur^15,16. In short, L-theanine promotes the formation of NMDA receptor types that promote more stable neuron firing, which synergizes greatly with the NMDA blockage caused by both L-theanine and Taurine. Putting these all together, it makes sense why L theanine has been shown to increase focus and attention for those with anxiety by promoting alpha frequency brain waves¹⁷. These waves are critical for focus and attention by silencing excessive intrusive thoughts so you can focus clearly on the task at hand!

When neurotransmitters are released, they are eventually degraded by enzymes to turn off their signaling. We wanted to design iCalm in a way that you wouldn’t need to drink a bottle per hour to maintain your zen state. How could this be accomplished? By preventing the degradation of the GABA not only ingested directly from the product itself, but also the GABA that the Taurine and L-theanine signaled your own body to create! When looking for natural ingredients that blocked the GABA degrading enzyme GABA transaminase, we identified numerous possible candidates. We decided to use whole plant extracts of Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm), as not only is it known to inhibit GABA degradation¹⁸, but also has multiple human trials indicating it is effective in relieving anxiety and other stress-related symptoms^19,20. Keep in mind these trials were using just Lemon Balm alone, imagine the degree of calming effects iCalm achieves when combining it with so many synergistic natural compounds! We also decided to use Lemon Balm because it has been shown to promote acetylcholine signaling in the brain, which is responsible for memory and learning. This is achieved by inhibiting the acetylcholinesterase enzyme, which is responsible for degrading acetylcholine²¹. This means on top of the calming effect, Lemon Balm can keep your brain sharp so you can power through any task in a calm, focused fashion. In addition, Lemon Balm has been shown to reduce inflammation and acts as a potent antioxidant by elevating key antioxidant cellular machinery^22,23. These mechanisms made Lemon Balm stand out as the clear winner for the ingredient that would sustain iCalm’s effects, and further testing confirmed this.