Sage for e-gamers: Single intake of Nexira’s Cognivia found to boost working memory

12 Jul 2021 --- Nexira’s nootropic Cognivia has shown it can increase numeric working memory by 9 percent, effective from a single intake, in a new clinical study. 

The sage extract blend also demonstrated a significant decrease in reaction time, leading to higher attention during e-gaming. Moreover, Cognivia also decreased the rate of perceived exertion during physical activity compared to placebo. 

“This new study is a great opportunity because Cognivia is proven to be efficient on active people and now also on athletes and by extension on e-gamers,” Nexira’s marketing manager Julie Impérato tells NutritionInsight.

“Brands and manufacturers are offering more finished products for this target. This market is rising and very demanding for new ingredients with proven benefits on cognitive performance,” she adds.

The publication of the clinical study is still in progress. The authors link working memory to direct implications in learning, language, comprehension and reasoning, but also allow ignition of long-term memory.

Cognivia is a blend of garden sage leaf extract and Spanish sage encapsulated essential oil.An unexpected sports angle?
Cognivia is a combination of garden sage leaf extract and Spanish sage encapsulated essential oil. The product is developed for people wishing to boost their memory and concentration, and is available in a free-flowing granulated powder. 

It has EU-pending claims on cognitive performance: “Helps maintain optimal mental well-being, concentration, attention and memory” and “Helps to maintain memory with age decline and to preserve cognitive function.” 

At Nutraceuticals Europe 2020, Ştefan-Emil Sitaru, sales manager health division at Nexira, told NutritionInsight that using Cognivia for sports nutrition “was not our initial idea.”

Consecutive clinical research
The new research builds upon findings from a first clinical study that Cognivia can have an acute and chronic effect on working memory in active healthy adults.

In the first clinical study, Cognivia was initially tested on healthy men and women aged 30 to 60 years old who led an employed, active life. 

In the new study, the ingredient was tested on men and women with an average age of 26 years old. Moreover, they were physically active with 5.4 ±1.9 hours of exercise per week. 

Participants performed a workout on an ergometer normalized based on their individual MAP. Cognitive tests were performed at warm-up, exercise and recovery time points. The assessment was made with numeric working memory (digit span memory test).

“What has been specifically shown through the second study is that Cognivia improves cognitive functions during intense physical activity. This could lead to higher performance in attention-demanding sports and improves reaction time in healthy people,” Impérato explains.

Nexira’s natural nootropic can boost both physical athletes’ and e-gamers’ working memory by 9 percent.Nootropics gain ground
According to Innova Market Insights, nutritional cognition boosters are on the rise, as specific “nootropic” claims witnessed an average annual growth of 62 percent in both the dietary supplements and F&B market (Global, CAGR 2016-2020). 

Other major claims revolve around memory, mental focus, alertness, clarity, performance, stamina as well as antistress, anxiolytic, comforting and soothing properties.

On numerous accounts, industry has highlighted how crucial scientific evidence is for ingredient efficacy. In May 2020, Impérato shared in a NutritionInsight video interview how the R&D pipeline of its immunity-boosting botanical ingredients persevered throughout the pandemic.

By Anni Schleicher

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