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There exists not much variety in the
OTC – ingredients used for products claiming an action on
stress, anxiety and depression, and the few products which
are existing only have a limited efficacy or none at all!
Herbal products
The first class are products with
still a pharmacological activity. It are herbal products
which are at once registered as a drug (obliged in many
countries!) or at the other hand placed in the market as
food supplement. With the changing European laws, this last
category is likely to disappear, at least in Europe where
these plants will have to be registered as traditional
herbal products.Hereunder we
summarize a few well known stress treating products and
highlight their activity and possible side effects. As
the below mentioned overview will show you , there is no
single stress product on the market with the same unique
and extensive activities as in PRO-GOLF +
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)
Probably this herb is known by
everybody and its use is widespread throughout the whole
world. There are existing many different brand names,
formulations, pack sizes and even posology schemes,
combinations with other substances etc…
Main indications
for Valerian are sleeplessness and nervous tension.
The product has a light hypnotic effect, but not at all like
the Benzodiazepines. It is not known how Valerian is
working. Basically Valerian shortens the period before
falling into sleep and decrease the periods of wakening.
This is basically the activity of each hypnotic.
The substance in the Valerian plant
which is responsible for the activity is not known with
certainty but is probably Valerianic acid, a so called
“sesquiterpenic acid.
The product gives
few side effect although a certain addiction to the drug
is demonstrated (like to each sleeping extract) and in
higher dosages there is tendency to develop hang – overs
due to the hypnotic effect. So, these products surely do
not increase focus and attention!
Valerian can be a usefull product to
find a better sleep for stressed people but it does not
affect the basics of stress, which is the brain messenger
system which is out of balance. So, Valerian does few or
nothing on the anxiety, the depressed feeling and other
stress symptoms. In fact it is not treating stress, but it
can give stressed people a certain relief when symptoms are
mild. When the stress symptoms are really marked, Valerian
has few to no effect
Saint John’s Worth (Hypericum perforatum)
This is another
herb used for mild stress symptoms.
Saint John’s Worth is a more serious candidate for treating
stress because it involves directly in the Serotonine
metabolism and so regulates immediately one of the basic
problems in stress. Saint John’s worth is in fact a light
natural SSRI and is mainly used to treat light cases of
depressions.
Saint John’s Worth
has also similar side effects as SSRI’s, namely gastro –
intestinal complaints, serious headaches, anorgasm,
fotosensibility, interactions with lots of types of
drugs. For this it is perhaps better that this product
only would be allowed after prescription (which is the
case in different countries).
Sanit John’s Worth is also used in
various combinations, like for instance together with
Valerian. However in these products the concentration often
is so low that one can doubt if there is still any effect
left at all.
Passion flower (Passiflora incarnata)
Passionflower extract is the third
herbal product with anti –
stress properties.
Passion flower is in some countries a
folk remedy for anxiety. Some clinical studies demonstrate
these activities and there are now several preparations
containing Passionflower extract to combat anxiety and to
calm down. Passionflower is non – sedative but its activity
(which is also unclear) seems to be similar to these of
certain MAO – inhibitors (mono – amino – oxydase
inhibitors). However Passionflower only has weak activity
and / or the mechanism of action is still different and yet
not discovered. Passionflower is seldom used in monotherapy,
often the product is combined with others, mainly Valerian.
No real side
effects although no strong activity either
Other products – energizers
In the Health care segment are many
other products where stress or stress induced or related
symptoms are the main indication.
Most of these products are
“energizers” or complex multivitamin products, meant to give
back energy. Most of these products are non – specific and
to be used in every situation of fatigue, tiredness or lack
of energy. But sometimes there are products which really
focus on the stress market and have brand names like
“stresstabs” or other similar names.
All these products have very
limited power and do absolutely nothing on the real
stress problem, the rebalancing of the brain messengers.
People only will feel revitalized or energized for a
very short period.
PRO-GOLF +®
The originality of Pro-Golf + is the combination at the
one hand of a product which really is capable to decrease stress and anxiety
because it is a “natural benzodiazepine – like product” and
at the other hand a product
which decreases oxidative stress and so optimizes
performance, resistance and finally increases focus and
attention.
All studies also concluded that the efficacy of the
product increased in cases of more marked stress. So, its
power is not limited to “light” cases of stress or anxiety.
Contrary of all “herbal
medicinal” products, Pro-Golf + also is free of any side
effects, even at higher doses.
The combination of these effects (lower stress/ anxiety,
increased resistance focus and energy, without side effects)
makes the product really original between all stress
products on the market.
Return to
product information
Here
Further
side effect information
Here |
