The research behind every ingredient in Relm.

These are published studies on the individual ingredients in Relm. The amounts in Relm's blend are proprietary and are not published. In several cases they are lower than the doses used in the studies below, so read these as what is known about each ingredient rather than as a prediction of what one strip will do. Relm has not been clinically tested as a finished product.

How to read the research below

For each ingredient we give the doses used in human studies, who funded the work, and what has not been tested. Where the amount in one strip is below the studied range, we say so plainly.

Who paid for the studies

Most human research on paraxanthine and Dynamine was funded by the companies that make them. That's common in supplement research, and we name the funder on each ingredient.

What hasn't been studied yet

No study has tested these seven ingredients together, and none has measured how Relm affects sleep. If stimulants tend to keep you up, take it earlier in the day.

Paraxanthine

What it is

Paraxanthine is the main compound your liver turns caffeine into. Taken directly, it works on the same adenosine receptors that caffeine does, which is why we say Relm has no added caffeine rather than calling it stimulant-free.

What studies found

In small placebo-controlled trials with healthy adults, single doses between 50 and 200 mg improved some measures of attention, working memory and reaction time, and side effects were infrequent and mild (Yoo 2021, Xing 2021).

The fine print

The amount in one Relm strip is proprietary and sits below the lowest dose tested in people. Most of these trials were funded by Ingenious Ingredients, which makes paraxanthine. No human study has measured its effect on sleep, and animal research suggests it promotes wakefulness for hours, so avoid taking it close to bedtime.

Sources: Yoo et al. 2021, Xing et al. 2021

Dynamine (methylliberine)

What it is

Dynamine is a brand of methylliberine, a compound related to caffeine that occurs naturally in small amounts in coffee and kucha tea. Your body clears it quickly, with a half-life of roughly one to one and a half hours.

What studies found

In a four-day crossover study, 25 healthy adults taking 100 mg a day reported more energy, concentration and motivation than on placebo within one to three hours, although their scores on objective thinking tests didn't improve (La Monica 2023). A four-week study in 125 adults taking 100 to 150 mg a day found no meaningful changes in heart rate, blood pressure or blood work (VanDusseldorp 2020).

The fine print

No study has tested the amount in one Relm strip, which is lower than the doses below. The efficacy and safety studies were funded by Compound Solutions, which makes Dynamine.

Sources: La Monica et al. 2023, VanDusseldorp et al. 2020

L-theanine

What it is

L-theanine is an amino acid found naturally in tea leaves, and a cup of tea can contain about as much as one Relm strip.

What studies found

At 200 mg, it lowered physical stress responses during a mental task (Kimura 2007), and taken daily for four weeks it improved self-reported stress and sleep scores (Hidese 2019). Paired with caffeine, 200 mg of theanine blunted caffeine's rise in blood pressure but didn't reduce jitteriness (Rogers 2008), and reviews credit most of the attention benefit in those combinations to the caffeine.

The fine print

The amount in one Relm strip is proprietary and is below the doses studied, and no study has paired L-theanine with paraxanthine or Dynamine. The Hidese study included staff from Taiyo Kagaku, a theanine supplier.

Sources: Kimura et al. 2007, Hidese et al. 2019, Rogers et al. 2008

Huperzine A

What it is

Huperzine A comes from Chinese club moss. It slows the breakdown of acetylcholine, a brain chemical involved in memory and attention.

What studies found

Most of the research is in people with Alzheimer's disease taking 200 to 800 mcg a day for weeks, and the results are mixed, with many trials rated at high risk of bias (Yang 2013, Rafii 2011). In healthy adults, a single 200 mcg dose didn't improve scores on cognitive tests (Wessinger 2021).

The fine print

The amount in one Relm strip is proprietary and is below every dose studied. Huperzine A can slow heart rate and interacts with some heart, asthma and dementia medications, so talk to your doctor first if you take any of them.

Sources: Yang et al. 2013, Rafii et al. 2011, Wessinger et al. 2021

Vitamins B6, B12 and folate

Vitamin B6: 2 mg · 118% DV
Vitamin B12: 10 mcg · 417% DV
Folic acid: 2 mg (2,000 mcg)

What they are

Vitamins B6 and B12 contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism, which is the process your body uses to release energy from the food you eat.

What studies found

In people who aren't deficient, reviews generally haven't found that taking extra B vitamins creates a noticeable energy boost or sharper thinking (Markun 2021). They're in Relm to cover the basics, and they aren't what creates the lift.

Sources: Markun et al. 2021, National Academies Dietary Reference Intakes