Study finds Enfinity paraxanthine enhances cognitive and memory measures “better than caffeine”

A new animal model study, which builds on the results of human studies, demonstrates the effects of paraxanthine — the main metabolite of caffeine — in enhancing memory and neuroplasticity. 

The research, published in Experimental Brain Research, focused on Enfinity, a pure and patent-pending form of paraxanthine distributed exclusively by TSI Group, finding that it outperforms caffeine in enhancing memory and neuroplasticity.

“Combined with previous human clinical studies and preclinical work, this news may help pave the way for a new era of cognitive enhancement,” states TSI Group.

“We are excited about the continued paraxanthine research and about bringing this effective and well-tolerated ingredient to consumers,” says TSI Group president Larry Kolb. “It is opening huge opportunities in the functional beverage/energy space.”

Enfinity is suitable for any application where caffeine is currently used, including gummies, RTDs, energy drinks, fat burners, nootropics and pre-workout powders.

Alternative to caffeine

Traditional caffeine can sometimes bring unwanted side effects like jitters or crashes, compelling consumers to seek alternatives. Enfinity paraxanthine offers a “smoother boost that enhances focus and mental clarity,” according to TSI Group.

Previous research, including four human clinical studies and a robust body of preclinical work, has revealed that Enfinity supplementation increases measures of cognition, memory, reasoning, response time and sustained attention.

It is also less bitter and easier to formulate with than caffeine, according to its supplier.

Enfinity partner Shawn Wells notes that this follow-up preclinical study was inspired by the need to discover the paraxanthine mechanism of action. “Additionally, aging is associated with a decline in cognitive function, including reduced neurotransmitter synthesis and receptor activity.”

“To investigate the potential effects of aging on cognitive performance, we included both young and old animals in this study.”

Possible mechanism of action

Researchers compared the effects of paraxanthine with caffeine on memory and related biomarkers in young and old rats. Two different doses of paraxanthine and caffeine were measured, and a control group was used.

Study results support the previously identified neuroprotective benefits of paraxanthine. “Not only did paraxanthine significantly improve cognitive performance, it also showed significant improvements compared with the control and caffeine groups in several key markers,” observes researcher and Enfinity partner Dr. Ralf Jäger.

“These included markers of oxidative stress (catalase, glutathione), indicators of long-term brain health (beta-amyloid) and neurotransmitters (acetylcholine, dopamine, GABA) in the brain.”

Compared with both the control and caffeine groups, paraxanthine supplementation also led to significantly higher levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein essential for neuroplasticity, which enhances the brain’s ability to rapidly switch between tasks.

“The data suggest that caffeine’s effect on BDNF may be dependent on paraxanthine, as 70% of caffeine is metabolized into paraxanthine,” comments Wells.

“This is critical to our understanding of enfinity’s cognitive benefits. The increase in BDNF provides a potential mechanism of action for the observed benefits in the human study, improving cognitive function under challenging conditions by enhancing neuroplasticity.”

Significant for multiple functional energy applications

Jäger says one of the most unexpected results of this study is that the PX benefits seem to be independent of age. “Aging leads to cognitive impairment, known as age-related cognitive decline.”

“Since cognition is no longer at its peak in older individuals, they are an ideal subject group for studying potential improvements,” he observes.

“However, in younger individuals, cognition is already excellent, so seeing significant improvements on top of an already well-functioning system is quite surprising.”

In May last year, two research papers investigated the effects of Enfinity paraxanthine on mental stamina. One revealed that paraxanthine provides greater improvement in cognitive function than caffeine after a 10 km run, and the other found it boosted energy expenditure — the number of calories burned without additional activity — to enhance weight loss.