Eight actives. Every dose on the label. Every dose from the research.
Serune Evening Ritual is a cacao bedtime drink with eight named actives: saffron (Safr'Inside™), glycine, magnesium bisglycinate, L-theanine, lemon balm, chamomile, vitamin B6 and zinc. This page lists each one, the amount in every sachet, the form we use and why, the published studies the dose was set against, and the health claims Great Britain authorises for three of them.
We describe what each study looked at, in the people it looked at, and link to the paper. A study is not a claim, and this page does not treat it as one.
Three of the eight actives carry health claims authorised in Great Britain. For the other five there are none, and the page says so on every card.
Every reference below was checked against its journal or PubMed record on 28 September 2026. If a study is small, open-label or industry-funded, the card says that too.
133 references, each linked to its journal record or the paper · Last reviewed 28 September 2026 · Serune is a food supplement and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease
How a dose gets into Serune
The form the research used, the dose the research used, the same strength every batch
We did not start with a label and work out what would fit. We started with the human studies on each active and worked backwards to a sachet that carries all eight at once.
The form the research used
Saffron as Safr'Inside™, a characterised extract with its own human trials, rather than saffron powder. Magnesium as fully reacted, chelated bisglycinate, the form in the only bisglycinate sleep trial. Vitamin B6 as P-5-P, the coenzyme form the body uses. L-theanine from green tea, not synthesised.
The dose the research used
Glycine at 3,000 mg because that is the dose in every human sleep study of glycine. Saffron at 30 mg because that is the dose in the two Safr'Inside™ sleep trials. L-theanine at 200 mg because that is the dose in most of the human research. Where a trial dose is above ours, the card says so.
The same strength every batch
Made in the UK in a BRCGS AA-certified facility, the food safety standard the supermarkets audit against, at its highest grade. Every batch of material comes with a Certificate of Analysis, so an extract standardised to 3% is 3% in fact, not in name.
Why these eight together
Five systems, one evening
The actives were chosen so that each one does something the others do not. This is how the research describes their mechanisms; it is a description of the ingredients, not of what Serune does to you.
Five actives act on the brain's inhibitory GABA and excitatory glutamate balance from different directions: magnesium blocks NMDA receptors and supports GABA-A M16; glycine is itself an inhibitory neurotransmitter G5; L-theanine dampens the sympathetic stress response T2; chamomile's apigenin binds the benzodiazepine site C7; lemon balm's rosmarinic acid slows the breakdown of GABA L10.
Sleep is held through the night by a low core temperature. Glycine opens the blood vessels in the skin and lowers core temperature through the body clock G4, which is why 3 g an hour before bed is the timing the trials used G1.
P-5-P is the cofactor for the steps that make serotonin and, from it, melatonin B1. Saffron's compounds are studied for their effects on serotonin signalling S18S24, and an evening saffron extract raised evening melatonin in one trial S6. Serune adds no melatonin.
In laboratory stress tests, single doses of saffron S3S4, L-theanine T3 and lemon balm L2 reduced the body's stress reaction, and magnesium lowered night-time cortisol in older adults M2M3; stress drains magnesium and low magnesium makes stress harder to handle M18. These are findings about the ingredients; no stress or cortisol claim is authorised for a food supplement in the UK and Serune makes none.
Three actives carry authorised claims that speak to the morning: magnesium and vitamin B6 contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to normal psychological function; zinc contributes to normal cognitive function R1.
The night, and the day that follows it
What the sleep research says about brighter days
People rarely want sleep for its own sake. They want the day back. These are the studies that connect a night's sleep to the next day's mood, appetite, blood sugar, stress hormones, immunity and recovery, and to health over the longer run. They are studies of sleep itself, in the people they studied. They are not claims about Serune, and they are not a promise that Serune changes any of them.
Sleep and mood
Better sleep, better days, in proportion
A meta-analysis of 65 randomised trials in 8,608 people found that when an intervention improved sleep, mental health improved with it: a medium effect on low mood, anxiety and rumination and a small-to-medium effect on stress, and the more sleep improved, the more the day did D2. Neuroimaging shows why a short night feels the way it does: attention and working memory fall, negative emotion is amplified and positive emotion blunted D8.
In a randomised trial of 80 adults with overweight who habitually slept under 6.5 hours, one sleep-hygiene session that added about 1.2 hours of sleep a night cut objectively measured energy intake by 270 kcal a day, with no change in energy expenditure D1. Sleep restriction does the reverse: less leptin, more ghrelin, more hunger and a stronger pull towards sweet and starchy food D4; pooled experiments put the extra intake after a short night at about 385 kcal D6; on the same diet, people sleeping 5.5 hours lost half as much fat as when they slept 8.5 D5D9.
On the cards: the saffron card records the appetite trials honestly, including the one that found no effect on craving. No active in Serune carries an appetite or weight claim.
Sleep and cortisol
One short night, higher cortisol the next evening
In healthy young men, a single night of partial sleep loss raised the next evening's cortisol by 37%, total sleep loss by 45%, and delayed the evening wind-down by at least an hour D3. Six four-hour nights raised evening cortisol and increased sympathetic nervous activity D11. Disrupted sleep and the stress system feed each other D10.
One week of five-hour nights cut insulin sensitivity by about 20% in healthy men D12; a single four-hour night produced measurable insulin resistance the next day D13; six four-hour nights lowered glucose tolerance D11. The reviews conclude that short or broken sleep raises appetite and lowers insulin sensitivity, and that sleeping longer by behavioural means moves both back D14D9.
No active in Serune is cited for blood sugar. The only related authorised wordings are zinc's for normal carbohydrate and macronutrient metabolism, listed in every authorised claim.
Sleep, immunity and recovery
Defence and repair happen at night
People who slept under six hours were about four times more likely to catch a cold after controlled exposure to the virus than those who slept over seven D15. Sleep supports innate and adaptive immunity and keeps low-grade inflammation in check D16. In athletes, sleep loss blunts sport-specific performance and mimics overtraining D17.
The authorised immune wordings belong to zinc and vitamin B6; the cards carry them with their register IDs.
Sleep and health over years
Seven hours or more, regularly
The professional consensus for adults is seven or more hours a night on a regular basis D19. Across 1.4 million people in prospective cohorts, habitually short sleep was associated with a 12% higher risk of death over the follow-up, an association rather than proof of cause D18.
Waking in the night is common, and more so for women
About a third of adults wake at least three nights a week, most of them for months or years, and nightly waking is more frequent in women D7. Sleep disturbance is a core symptom of the menopause transition; a Northumbria University systematic review of 59 studies found that most nutritional interventions reported some subjective sleep benefit, from mostly low-quality trials D20. In 86 women in perimenopause, 12 weeks of a saffron extract improved anxiety and low-mood scores but not hot flushes S8; in 60 post-menopausal women with hot flushes and diagnosed depression, six weeks of 30 mg of saffron a day improved both hot-flush interference and depression scores against placebo S28. A 2025 systematic review of 16 botanical trials for low mood, anxiety and stress in menopause singles out rosmarinic acid, the lemon balm marker Serune standardises to, among the compounds with evidence D21.
The trials in women are on the saffron card; rosmarinic acid is the marker on the lemon balm card; the perimenopause question is answered in the questions.
The formula
What is in a sachet, and what it was measured against
Minerals are stated as elemental amounts, the figure the body receives, then the form. Botanicals are stated as extract weight plus the standardisation on the Certificate of Analysis. Also in every sachet: real cacao (3.6 g of alkalised cocoa powder), 50 mg of Montmorency tart cherry extract, Madagascar vanilla, pectin and a pinch of sea salt — the base, described below with what we do not claim for it.
Eight research cards
Each active, its dose, and the studies it is dosed to
Reference codes link to the full citation at the foot of the page. S is saffron, G glycine, M magnesium, T L-theanine, L lemon balm, C chamomile, B vitamin B6, Z zinc; D is the sleep research in the section near the top of the page. Every card also links back to why these eight together.
Active 1 of 8
Saffron (Safr'Inside™)
Saffron (Safr'Inside™) · 30mg extract, standardised to ≥3% crocins
Why it is in Serune
Saffron is the active with the most recent human sleep research at the exact dose in a sachet. Safr'Inside™ is a characterised extract of Iranian saffron stigma made by Activ'Inside in France, standardised to at least 3% crocins, the carotenoid compounds that give saffron its colour and are absorbed as crocetin. We use the extract that has been through its own trials, at the dose those trials used, rather than a kitchen spice.
Form and standardisation
Safr'Inside™ (Activ'Inside PR-0033-VG): a 5:1 extract of fresh saffron stigmas, water and ethanol extracted, standardised to ≥3% crocins by UHPLC, with safromotivines ≥12% and safranal preserved. 30 mg per sachet is the amount used in the two Safr'Inside™ sleep trials and the eight-week mood trial.
What the research found
S1 165 adults with moderate insomnia took 30 mg or 20 mg of Safr'Inside™ or placebo for four weeks. Insomnia symptoms (Athens Insomnia Scale) fell more on saffron than placebo, sleep quality improved from week three, and perceived stress fell in both saffron groups. No serious adverse events. Sleep Medicine: X, 2025.
S2 52 adults aged 55 to 85 with sleep complaints took 30 mg of Safr'Inside™ or placebo 30 minutes before bed for four weeks, at the University of East Anglia. Sleep quality and sleep efficiency improved, and on an EEG headband the time spent awake during the night fell from 71 to 40 minutes on saffron against 67 to 50 on placebo. Food & Function, 2025.
S3 56 healthy adults with low mood, anxiety or stress took 30 mg of Safr'Inside™ or placebo for eight weeks. Depression scores fell, and a single dose blunted the usual drop in heart-rate variability during a laboratory stress test. Frontiers in Nutrition, 2021.
S4 19 healthy young men took a single 30 mg dose before a standardised stress test. Self-rated stress and anxiety were lower than placebo and the salivary cortisol peak was delayed. Nutrients, 2023. A small, acute study: a mechanism signal, not a benefit.
S8 Women in midlife: 86 women in perimenopause with menopausal complaints took a standardised saffron extract (28 mg a day; a different extract from Serune's) or placebo for 12 weeks. The psychological score of the Greene Climacteric Scale fell more on saffron (anxiety −33%, low mood −32% from baseline); hot flushes and other physical symptoms did not differ from placebo. Journal of Menopausal Medicine, 2021. In a six-week trial, 60 post-menopausal women with hot flushes and diagnosed depression took 30 mg of saffron a day, Serune's dose in a different preparation, or placebo: hot-flush interference and depression scores both improved against placebo S28. In 86 women aged 50 to 70 with low mood and poor sleep, 12 weeks of 28 mg of a different extract improved mood and daytime sleep-related impairment but not sleep disturbance itself S9. Women in Serune's age group; study findings, not claims.
S5 Saffron more widely: 28 mg a day of a different standardised saffron extract improved insomnia severity and restorative-sleep scores over 28 days in 63 adults with poor sleep, and in a 120-person follow-up raised evening melatonin without changing evening cortisol S6. A placebo-controlled six-week trial of a third extract improved sleep quality, latency and duration on questionnaires and time in bed on actigraphy S12. Two Japanese EEG trials of a fourth extract found shorter time to fall asleep, fewer night-time awakenings and more non-REM sleep S10 and better daytime function in poor sleepers S11. The mood trial behind the common 28 mg dose found an effect at 28 mg but not 22 mg, so dose matters with saffron S7. A pooled analysis of eight saffron trials found better sleep quality and longer sleep, graded low-to-moderate certainty S13.
S19 On appetite, for the record: a high-dose saffron extract (about six times Serune's) reduced snacking in overweight women over eight weeks S19, but at 30 mg a day saffron improved mood without reducing food craving in overweight women with depression S20. No appetite story is attached to Serune's saffron.
S16 In medical populations: two six-week trials in adults with mild-to-moderate depression found 30 mg a day of an Iranian saffron extract performed similarly to fluoxetine 20 mg S16 and to imipramine 100 mg S17, with fewer side effects than the tricyclic; 23 pooled trials show a large effect on low mood and anxiety, with publication bias noted S14S15. These are treatment trials in patients; they describe saffron, not Serune.
S24 How it is thought to work: blood taken from volunteers after a dose of Safr'Inside™ protected cultured human neurons from oxidative stress and raised serotonin and dopamine release S24; metabolites in that serum dampened inflammatory signalling in gut and joint cells S26; in mice the extract eased anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviour, with shifts in serotonin and dopamine signalling and in gut bacteria, notably more Akkermansia S25S23S29; crocetin, the absorbed form of crocins, appears in the bloodstream within 45 minutes S22. Laboratory and animal mechanism work, labelled as such.
Health claims
No authorised claim There is no authorised health claim for saffron in Great Britain. The studies on this card are research findings about the ingredient, in the people it was studied in. They are not claims about Serune.
Claim pending assessment Botanical health claims submitted in 2008 that remain unassessed may be used in Great Britain under transitional measures, in their registered wording, where the business holds the evidence R2R3. The registered wordings for saffron:
Saffron contributes to emotional balance‡On-hold ID 2038
Saffron helps to support the relaxation‡On-hold ID 2038
Saffron helps to maintain a positive mood‡On-hold ID 2038
Glycine is the largest active by weight and the simplest: an amino acid the body already makes. Taken before bed at 3 g it lowers core body temperature by opening the blood vessels in the skin, which is the signal the body uses to move into and hold deep sleep. It is the ingredient behind the instruction to drink Serune an hour before bed.
Form and standardisation
Pure glycine, 3,000 mg per sachet, the dose used in every human sleep study of glycine. It also gives the drink a little natural sweetness.
What the research found
G1 Adults with continuing unsatisfactory sleep took 3 g of glycine or placebo before bed. Glycine improved subjective sleep quality and sleep efficiency, shortened the time to fall asleep and to reach slow-wave sleep on polysomnography, and reduced daytime sleepiness. Sleep and Biological Rhythms, 2007.
G2 The first human study: 3 g before bed improved self-rated sleep and next-morning fatigue, liveliness and clear-headedness. Sleep and Biological Rhythms, 2006.
G3 Healthy volunteers restricted to 75% of their usual sleep for three nights took 3 g of glycine or placebo at bedtime. Next-day fatigue fell, sleepiness trended down and psychomotor vigilance improved. Frontiers in Neurology, 2012.
G4 The mechanism, in rats: oral glycine induced non-REM sleep and lowered core temperature by raising skin blood flow, acting through NMDA receptors in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the body clock G5.
G6 An independent 2026 scoping review of 22 trials confirmed that glycine taken by mouth raises blood glycine in a dose-dependent way and that all three glycine sleep trials reported a benefit on at least one sleep outcome, while calling for larger trials with standardised measures. Journal of Dietary Supplements, 2026.
Health claims
No authorised claim There is no authorised health claim for glycine in Great Britain. The studies on this card are research findings about the ingredient, in the people it was studied in. They are not claims about Serune.
Magnesium calms the excitatory side of the nervous system and supports the inhibitory side, the same axis glycine, L-theanine and chamomile act on. It also carries three of the health claims Great Britain authorises that matter most to the day after: reduction of tiredness and fatigue, normal psychological function and normal functioning of the nervous system.
Form and standardisation
Fully reacted, chelated magnesium bisglycinate: each magnesium ion bound to two glycine molecules, absorbed in part intact through a peptide route and notably gentle on the gut M11. Magnesium oxide, the cheapest and most common form, showed around 4% absorption in one comparison and performed no better than placebo in another M13M12. 150 mg is elemental magnesium, the figure that counts: it comes from about 1,150 mg of bisglycinate. That is 40% of the UK Nutrient Reference Value, which makes Serune high in magnesium, and it sits under the 250 mg a day supplemental ceiling M17. How much magnesium you absorb depends more on the dose and how low you are than on the salt, and smaller amounts are absorbed proportionally better than one large one M15, which is the case for a sensible evening amount rather than a mega-dose.
What the research found
M1 The only trial of magnesium bisglycinate on sleep: 155 adults with poor sleep took 250 mg elemental magnesium as bisglycinate or placebo for four weeks. Insomnia severity fell more on magnesium (−3.9 vs −2.3 points), a small effect, clearest in people whose diets were low in magnesium. Nature and Science of Sleep, 2025.
M2 46 older adults with insomnia took 500 mg magnesium or placebo for eight weeks. Sleep efficiency, sleep time and insomnia scores improved; serum melatonin rose and morning cortisol fell. Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 2012.
M3 12 adults aged 60 to 80: 20 days of magnesium increased slow-wave sleep on EEG and lowered night-time cortisol. Pharmacopsychiatry, 2002.
M9 264 stressed adults with low-normal magnesium took 300 mg magnesium with or without 30 mg vitamin B6 for eight weeks. Perceived stress fell by about 44% in both groups; adding B6 helped most in the most stressed. PLoS ONE, 2018 M10. A Leeds systematic review found magnesium may ease subjective anxiety in people prone to it, from trials it grades as weak M8. The same research group's review describes the loop the trial was built on: stress drains magnesium and low magnesium makes stress harder to handle M18 — industry-funded, and labelled as such.
M20 Magnesium status and sleep, observed rather than trialled: in nearly 4,000 US adults followed for 20 years, the highest magnesium intakes went with a third lower odds of sleeping under seven hours M20; in 1,041 Saudi adults, magnesium deficiency carried 1.8-fold higher odds of poor sleep M22. Associations, not proof of cause.
M4 The candid summary: the most recent systematic review of magnesium and sleep found the evidence modest and inconsistent M5M6M7, and in one seven-week trial of 100 older adults with poor sleep, sleep scores improved on magnesium and on placebo alike, while magnesium only moved blood levels in the people who started deficient M19. Magnesium is in Serune for its form, its authorised roles and its place in the calming system, not on a sleep promise.
Authorised health claims in Great Britain
Condition: the food must be at least a source of the nutrient, 15% of the Nutrient Reference Value per portion R1. Serune is high in magnesium, at twice that.
Magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigueGB register ID 244
Magnesium contributes to normal psychological functionGB register ID 245, 246
Magnesium contributes to normal functioning of the nervous systemGB register ID 242
All 10 authorised claims for magnesium
Magnesium contributes to normal muscle functionID 241, 380, 3083
Magnesium contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolismID 240, 247, 248
Magnesium contributes to electrolyte balanceID 238
Magnesium contributes to normal protein synthesisID 364
Magnesium contributes to the maintenance of normal bonesID 239
Magnesium contributes to the maintenance of normal teethID 239
Magnesium has a role in the process of cell divisionID 365
L-theanine is the amino acid in green tea that makes a cup of tea feel calm rather than jittery. It quietens the racing mind without sedating, which is the part of a night that does not hold that most people describe: the thoughts that arrive at 3am. 200 mg is the dose used in most of the human research.
Form and standardisation
L-theanine from green tea (Camellia sinensis) extract, 200 mg per sachet. We use tea-derived L-theanine because it is the form with a history of use as a food; L-theanine made by chemical synthesis or fermentation is treated as a novel food and is going through authorisation R9.
What the research found
T1 30 healthy adults, mean age 48 and mostly women, took 200 mg of L-theanine daily for four weeks in a crossover trial. Sleep-quality scores (PSQI) improved, including sleep latency and sleep disturbance, alongside lower anxiety and low-mood scores and better verbal fluency. Nutrients, 2019.
T5 The first systematic review of L-theanine and sleep: 13 trials, 550 people. Benefits were reported on sleep latency, maintenance and efficiency, sleep satisfaction and how refreshed people felt on waking; the authors put the useful range at 200 to 450 mg a day. Nutritional Neuroscience, 2026. A 2026 summary of the systematic reviews reads the same way: small, real effects on attention, stress under pressure and sleep quality at 200 to 400 mg, without sedation T14.
T6 A meta-analysis of 31 randomised trials (1,168 people): a single 200 mg dose improved choice reaction time, the reduction in acute stress was real but modest, and no serious adverse events were reported. Molecular Psychiatry, 2026.
T3 34 healthy adults: 200 mg of L-theanine in a drink reduced the subjective stress response to a multitasking task at one hour and the salivary cortisol response at three hours T2T8. Nutrients, 2016.
T13 The trial that did not work: 46 adults with diagnosed generalised anxiety disorder added 450 to 900 mg of L-theanine or placebo to their antidepressant for eight weeks. Anxiety scores did not differ from placebo; the L-theanine group did report greater sleep satisfaction. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 2019. A medical population at two to four times Serune's dose, cited because a page that only shows the wins is not a science page.
T9 Why it is not a sedative: the reviewed actigraphy and autonomic studies suggest 200 mg before bed supports sleep by lowering arousal, without next-day drowsiness. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2015, written by the manufacturer's scientists.
Health claims
No authorised claim There is no authorised health claim for l-theanine in Great Britain. The studies on this card are research findings about the ingredient, in the people it was studied in. They are not claims about Serune.
Lemon balm leaf has been used for calm and sleep for centuries; the EU herbal medicines committee recognises its traditional use for relief of mild symptoms of mental stress and to aid sleep L12. Its rosmarinic acid slows the breakdown of GABA, the brain's main calming neurotransmitter L10, which is why we standardise to it and why it sits with magnesium, chamomile and glycine rather than repeating them.
Form and standardisation
Melissa officinalis leaf extract (water and ethanol extraction, about 18:1), standardised to ≥7% rosmarinic acid by HPLC, so a sachet carries at least 28 mg of rosmarinic acid. 400 mg per sachet sits between the 300 mg and 600 mg single doses in the laboratory stress studies and matches the 400 mg daily dose in the two most recent sleep trials. Rosmarinic acid, the marker we standardise to, reaches the blood within an hour of a dose and is absorbed better with food L15, which suits a drink taken in milk.
What the research found
L13 The strongest lemon balm sleep trial: 100 adults with moderate stress, anxiety, low mood or poor sleep took 400 mg a day of a lemon balm aqueous leaf extract (a phospholipid-formulated extract, different from Serune's) or placebo for three weeks. Sleep-quality, stress, anxiety and low-mood scores, mental wellbeing and quality of life all improved against placebo (all p < 0.001), with no adverse events. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2023. One caveat: the lemon balm group started with worse sleep scores than the placebo group, so part of the gap could be regression to the mean.
L2 18 healthy adults: a single 600 mg dose of lemon balm made people calmer under a laboratory stressor; 300 mg sped up mental arithmetic with no loss of accuracy. Psychosomatic Medicine, 2004 L3L4. In the first human trial, calmness rose at 300 mg, accuracy of attention improved at 600 mg, and only 900 mg dulled alertness L14 — the dose-response that puts 400 mg where calm meets clear.
L7 32 adults with poor sleep or emotional distress took 200 or 400 mg a day of a lemon balm preparation for three weeks. Sleep-quality scores improved by 30% at 400 mg, with lower stress, anxiety and low-mood scores. Food & Nutrition Research, 2026. Open-label, so promising rather than proven; in a 12-person subgroup daily salivary cortisol fell over the three weeks L8.
L5 80 heart patients took 3 g of lemon balm or placebo for eight weeks: depression, anxiety, stress and sleep-disturbance scores all fell versus placebo. Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, 2018. A medical population, at a much higher dose of plain powder.
L1 20 stressed volunteers with mild anxiety and sleep disturbance took a standardised lemon balm leaf extract (600 mg a day) for 15 days. Clinician-rated insomnia fell by 42% and anxiety by 18%. Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, 2011. An open-label pilot with no placebo group, run by the extract's maker.
L6 Pooled trials: lemon balm improved anxiety and depression scores versus placebo without serious side effects. Phytotherapy Research, 2021 L9.
Health claims
No authorised claim There is no authorised health claim for lemon balm in Great Britain. The studies on this card are research findings about the ingredient, in the people it was studied in. They are not claims about Serune.
Claim pending assessment Botanical health claims submitted in 2008 that remain unassessed may be used in Great Britain under transitional measures, in their registered wording, where the business holds the evidence R2R3. The registered wordings for lemon balm:
Lemon balm helps to maintain a healthy sleep‡On-hold ID 2085
Lemon balm helps to find a better sleep‡On-hold ID 2302
Lemon balm contributes to optimal relaxation‡On-hold ID 2085
Chamomile · 400mg extract, standardised to 3% total apigenins
Why it is in Serune
Chamomile is the bedtime plant most people already know from tea, with more than a million cups drunk a day C8. Its flavonoid apigenin binds the same receptor site as benzodiazepines, calming without sedating at ordinary doses C7, and in a large cohort people who ate more apigenin reported better sleep C11. A cup of tea is an unstandardised infusion; Serune carries a standardised flower extract at the dose the human trials used.
Form and standardisation
Matricaria recutita flower extract, 400 mg per sachet, standardised to 3% total apigenins (12 mg per sachet; mostly apigenin glycosides, which is why we say apigenins, not apigenin).
What the research found
C1 60 adults aged 60 and over with poor sleep took 200 mg of chamomile extract twice daily (400 mg a day, Serune's dose) for 28 days. Sleep-quality scores were significantly better than control. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2017.
C10 The 2024 meta-analysis of ten trials (772 people): chamomile improved sleep-quality scores by 1.9 PSQI points, and the clearest signal was on the number of awakenings after sleep onset and the ability to stay asleep, improved in two of three studies; sleep length, sleep efficiency and daytime measures did not change. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2024.
C3 A meta-analysis of 12 randomised trials: chamomile improved sleep quality with a medium effect and eased generalised anxiety, with only mild adverse events. Phytotherapy Research, 2019.
C2 The trial that did not work: 34 adults with chronic insomnia took 540 mg a day for 28 days and sleep diaries did not differ from placebo, though daytime fatigue and night-time awakenings trended in chamomile's favour. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2011.
C4 57 adults with mild-to-moderate generalised anxiety: eight weeks of chamomile extract reduced anxiety scores versus placebo with no difference in side effects; nine months of a higher dose was well tolerated C5.
C6 80 sleep-disturbed new mothers who drank chamomile tea for two weeks slept better and felt better than usual care; the effect faded once they stopped. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2016.
Health claims
No authorised claim There is no authorised health claim for chamomile in Great Britain. The studies on this card are research findings about the ingredient, in the people it was studied in. They are not claims about Serune.
Claim pending assessment Botanical health claims submitted in 2008 that remain unassessed may be used in Great Britain under transitional measures, in their registered wording, where the business holds the evidence R2R3. The registered wordings for chamomile:
Chamomile contributes to optimal relaxation‡On-hold ID 2088
Chamomile helps to maintain a healthy sleep‡On-hold ID 2088
Vitamin B6 is the cofactor for the steps that turn tryptophan into serotonin and serotonin into melatonin, and for the synthesis of GABA B1B5. It carries the same authorised claim as magnesium for the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, so two of Serune's actives independently support the day after.
Form and standardisation
Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (P-5-P), the coenzyme form the body uses directly and the form the reference intake is measured on B8, at 2.8 mg: 200% of the Nutrient Reference Value and under a quarter of the 12 mg a day upper level EFSA set in 2023 B4. High-dose B6 supplements are the one group that breach that level, and in one 100-person trial 240 mg of B6 at bedtime increased dream recall while a high-dose B complex left people sleeping worse B7, which is why Serune's dose is deliberately modest.
What the research found
B1 The biochemistry: P-5-P is the active form of vitamin B6 and a cofactor for the decarboxylation steps that make serotonin, dopamine and GABA. Cells, 2018.
M9 264 stressed adults: magnesium plus 30 mg of vitamin B6 gave a 24% greater improvement in perceived stress than magnesium alone in the most stressed subgroup over eight weeks. PLoS ONE, 2018.
B2 478 young adults at the University of Reading: a month of high-dose B6 (100 mg a day, far above Serune's) reduced self-reported anxiety and strengthened a marker of inhibitory brain function. Human Psychopharmacology, 2022. Cited for mechanism, not dose.
B6 The honesty check: a single evening dose of 100 mg pyridoxine did not change melatonin secretion, core temperature or sleep in 12 healthy men. Neuro Endocrinology Letters, 2002. B6 is a cofactor the pathway needs, not a switch that turns melatonin up, and the page does not pretend otherwise.
Authorised health claims in Great Britain
Condition: the food must be at least a source of the nutrient, 15% of the Nutrient Reference Value per portion R1. Serune is high in vitamin B6, at twice that.
Vitamin B6 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigueGB register ID 78
Vitamin B6 contributes to normal psychological functionGB register ID 77
Vitamin B6 contributes to normal functioning of the nervous systemGB register ID 66
All 10 authorised claims for vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolismID 75, 214
Vitamin B6 contributes to normal cysteine synthesisID 4283
Vitamin B6 contributes to normal homocysteine metabolismID 73, 76, 199
Vitamin B6 contributes to normal protein and glycogen metabolismID 65, 70, 71
Vitamin B6 contributes to normal red blood cell formationID 67, 72, 186
Vitamin B6 contributes to the normal function of the immune systemID 68
Vitamin B6 contributes to the regulation of hormonal activityID 69
Zinc is the quiet one. It modulates the NMDA receptor system that magnesium and glycine also act on, serum zinc varies with sleep, and oral zinc changed sleep in animals and people in the Tsukuba sleep-research group's work Z1. It carries the authorised claim for normal cognitive function.
Form and standardisation
Zinc citrate providing 10 mg elemental zinc per sachet, 100% of the Nutrient Reference Value and under half the 25 mg a day upper level Z5. In an isotope study of exactly this dose and form, 10 mg of zinc as citrate was absorbed as well as zinc gluconate (about 61%) and better than zinc oxide, which some people barely absorbed at all Z6.
What the research found
Z6 The absorption study behind the form: 15 healthy adults took 10 mg of zinc as citrate, gluconate or oxide in a three-way isotope crossover. Fractional absorption was 61% from citrate, 61% from gluconate and 50% from oxide, and three people absorbed little or nothing from the oxide. Journal of Nutrition, 2014.
Z7 A 2024 systematic review of eight randomised trials at 10 to 73 mg a day: most reported better sleep-quality scores in adults, none found zinc treated a sleep disorder, and the authors call for trials that account for dietary zinc. Health Science Reports, 2024. Serune's 10 mg is the bottom of the range.
Z2 120 healthy adults ate zinc-rich food or placebo for 12 weeks with a wrist monitor throughout: zinc-rich food shortened time to fall asleep and improved sleep efficiency. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 2017.
Z3 54 intensive-care nurses took zinc or placebo for a month: sleep-quality and sleep-latency scores improved, at a higher dose than Serune's. Workplace Health & Safety, 2018.
Z8 Observed, not trialled: in 5,067 US adults, the people sleeping the recommended seven to eight hours had the highest serum zinc Z8, and in 1,041 Saudi adults zinc deficiency carried a three-fold higher risk of poor sleep M22. Associations only.
Z4 43 care-home residents with insomnia took magnesium (225 mg) and zinc (11.25 mg) with melatonin an hour before bed for eight weeks: sleep quality and next-morning alertness improved. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2011. The mix contained melatonin, so the minerals cannot take the credit alone.
Authorised health claims in Great Britain
Condition: the food must be at least a source of the nutrient, 15% of the Nutrient Reference Value per portion R1. Serune is high in zinc, at twice that.
Zinc contributes to normal cognitive functionGB register ID 296
Zinc contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stressGB register ID 294, 1758
Zinc contributes to the normal function of the immune systemGB register ID 291, 1757
All 18 authorised claims for zinc
Zinc contributes to normal DNA synthesisID 292, 293, 1759
Zinc contributes to normal protein synthesisID 293, 4293
Zinc contributes to normal acid-base metabolismID 360
Zinc contributes to normal carbohydrate metabolismID 382
Zinc contributes to normal macronutrient metabolismID 2890
Zinc contributes to normal metabolism of fatty acidsID 302
Zinc contributes to normal metabolism of vitamin AID 361
Zinc contributes to normal fertility and reproductionID 297, 300
Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal bonesID 295, 1756
Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal hairID 412
Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal nailsID 412
Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal skinID 293
Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the bloodID 301
Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal visionID 361
Zinc has a role in the process of cell divisionID 292, 293, 1759
Every authorised claim, and the honest line for the other five
UK law only lets a food supplement make health claims that have been authorised. Three of Serune's eight actives hold authorised claims, and these are all of them. One sachet provides 150mg magnesium (40% NRV), 2.8mg vitamin B6 (200% NRV) and 10mg zinc (100% NRV).
Magnesium contributes to
a reduction of tiredness and fatigue
electrolyte balance
normal energy-yielding metabolism
normal functioning of the nervous system
normal muscle function
normal protein synthesis
normal psychological function
the maintenance of normal bones
the maintenance of normal teeth
the process of cell division (magnesium has a role in it)
Vitamin B6 contributes to
normal cysteine synthesis
normal energy-yielding metabolism
normal functioning of the nervous system
normal homocysteine metabolism
normal protein and glycogen metabolism
normal psychological function
normal red blood cell formation
the normal function of the immune system
the reduction of tiredness and fatigue
the regulation of hormonal activity
Zinc contributes to
normal DNA synthesis
normal acid-base metabolism
normal carbohydrate metabolism
normal cognitive function
normal fertility and reproduction
normal macronutrient metabolism
normal metabolism of fatty acids
normal metabolism of vitamin A
normal protein synthesis
the maintenance of normal bones
the maintenance of normal hair
the maintenance of normal nails
the maintenance of normal skin
the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood
the maintenance of normal vision
the normal function of the immune system
the protection of cells from oxidative stress
the process of cell division (zinc has a role in it)
Saffron, glycine, L-theanine, lemon balm and chamomile We include them at researched doses and print exactly how much of each is in every sachet.
Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. One sachet per day; do not exceed the recommended dose. If pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or under medical supervision, speak to your GP first.
Every wording above is reproduced from the Great Britain nutrition and health claims register R1, the retained list of permitted claims R6, and rests on the EFSA scientific opinions that assessed the evidence: magnesium R10R11, vitamin B6 R12R13 and zinc R14R15. The same opinions record the claims EFSA rejected — magnesium for blood sugar, blood pressure, hormones and immunity; zinc for tiredness and fatigue; vitamin B6 for mood — which is why none of those appear here.
‡ Wordings marked on the saffron, lemon balm and chamomile cards are botanical health claims submitted in 2008 that are still awaiting assessment. They may be used in Great Britain under transitional measures in their registered wording, and they will be removed if the assessment goes against them R2R3R8.
The base
Cacao, tart cherry, vanilla and hot milk: what they are for, and what we do not claim
The eight actives sit in a drinking-chocolate base. The base is there to make a drink you want to make every night, and this section exists so that nobody has to guess whether we are claiming anything for it. We are not.
Montmorency tart cherry, 50 mg
The tart-cherry sleep research is real and it is small: a Northumbria crossover trial in which a week of juice concentrate raised melatonin metabolites and lengthened sleep K4, two pilot trials in older adults with insomnia where juice cut time awake in the night K5 and added 84 minutes of sleep on polysomnography K6, and a 2025 systematic review that calls the evidence limited and heterogeneous K7. All of it used glasses of juice or servings of concentrate. A 2024 trial of 500 mg of Montmorency powder before bed — ten times the extract in a sachet — found no effect on sleep K8. Serune's cherry is a 10:1 extract at 50 mg, about half a gram of fruit, chosen for the note it gives the cacao. It is on the label because it is in the drink, and it carries no claim.
Real cacao, 3.6 g
Each sachet is a third alkalised cocoa powder by weight. Alkalising cocoa makes it smoother and darker and strips most of its flavanols K2, so Serune carries no cocoa-flavanol claim and uses none of the cocoa-flavanol wording in the register. A chocolate manufacturer's research study found two weeks of 40 g of dark chocolate a day lowered stress-hormone output in anxious adults K1 — roughly ten times the cocoa in a sachet, cited as context for why cacao suits an evening ritual, not as evidence for Serune.
Madagascar vanilla, pectin, sea salt
Vanilla for the aroma, pectin for the body of the drink, a pinch of sea salt for the cacao. No research is cited for them because none is being relied on.
Hot milk
The directions say hot milk because it makes the better drink and because it is the bedtime ritual most people already keep. The literature on milk, dairy and sleep runs from 1972 to 2019, is mixed, and is largely dairy-industry funded K9; Serune claims nothing for the milk, and hot water works too.
What we left out
Restraint is part of the formula
No melatonin
We left melatonin out on purpose. Serune is not designed to knock you out, and it contains nothing that would. Melatonin is the only ingredient with an authorised sleep claim in Great Britain, at 1 mg close to bedtime R1R16; because Serune contains none, Serune makes no sleep claim, and no ingredient on this page is described as if it did.
No ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is not in Serune. We chose lemon balm instead: a leaf with centuries of food and traditional use, a recognised traditional-use monograph L12, and a standardisation we can measure on every batch.
No proprietary blend
UK labelling law makes hidden blends pointless, so every active is named with its amount and its form. What you cannot see on the label, you can see here: the study each dose was measured against.
Made in the UK, tested every batch
The standardisation on the label is measured, not assumed
BRCGS AA
Made in the UK in a BRCGS AA-certified facility: the food safety standard the supermarkets audit against, at its highest grade.
Certificate of Analysis
Every batch of material comes with a Certificate of Analysis. Crocins, rosmarinic acid and total apigenins are figures on a certificate, not adjectives.
Allergens
Contains none of the 14 declarable allergens. Gluten-free.
Permitted forms
Magnesium bisglycinate, zinc citrate and pyridoxal 5'-phosphate are all permitted supplement forms under the food supplements legislation R7. Serune's L-theanine is tea-derived, the form with a history of use as a food R9.
Questions
Straight answers
Does Serune contain melatonin?
No. Melatonin is the only ingredient with an authorised sleep claim in Great Britain ("contributes to the reduction of time taken to fall asleep", at 1 mg). Serune contains none, by design, and so Serune makes no sleep claim. We left melatonin out on purpose. Serune is not designed to knock you out, and it contains nothing that would.
Does Serune help with stress, cortisol, weight or blood sugar?
Serune makes no claim of that kind, because no claim that a food supplement lowers stress or cortisol, reduces weight or controls blood sugar is authorised in Great Britain. The sleep-research section of this page describes what published studies found about sleep and cortisol, appetite, insulin sensitivity and immunity in the people they studied, and links to each paper. What Serune does carry are the authorised claims for its three claim-bearing nutrients that touch these areas, in their exact registered wording: magnesium and vitamin B6 contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue (register IDs 244 and 78); magnesium and vitamin B6 contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism (IDs 240/247/248 and 75/214); magnesium and zinc contribute to normal protein synthesis (IDs 364 and 293/4293); vitamin B6 contributes to normal protein and glycogen metabolism (IDs 65/70/71); zinc contributes to normal carbohydrate metabolism (ID 382), normal macronutrient metabolism (ID 2890) and normal metabolism of fatty acids (ID 302); vitamin B6 and zinc contribute to the normal function of the immune system (IDs 68 and 291/1757); vitamin B6 contributes to normal red blood cell formation (IDs 67/72/186); and magnesium and vitamin B6 contribute to normal psychological function (IDs 245/246 and 77). Each of these is a statement about the nutrient at the amount in a sachet. None of them is a claim that Serune lowers stress or cortisol, reduces weight or controls blood sugar, and we do not present them that way.
Is there research on saffron and perimenopause or menopause?
Yes, and this page cites it as research, not as a claim. In a 12-week randomised trial, 86 women in perimenopause took a standardised saffron extract (28 mg a day; a different extract from the one in Serune) or placebo: anxiety and low-mood scores improved, hot flushes did not (reference S8). In a six-week randomised trial, 60 post-menopausal women with hot flushes and diagnosed depression took 30 mg of saffron a day, Serune's dose in a different preparation, or placebo: hot-flush interference and depression scores both improved (S28). A Northumbria University systematic review found sleep disturbance is a core symptom of the menopause transition (D20), and a 2025 review of botanical trials for mood in menopause singles out rosmarinic acid, the lemon balm marker Serune standardises to (D21). Serune makes no claim about menopause. If you take HRT or any medication, speak to your GP before adding a food supplement.
What does the research say about waking at 3am?
Waking in the night is common: about a third of adults wake at least three nights a week, most of them for months or years, and more often women (D7). Of the studies on this page, these measured time awake during the night: the University of East Anglia trial of Serune's saffron extract, where EEG-measured wake time across the night fell from 71 to 40 minutes over four weeks of 30 mg (S2); a Japanese EEG trial of a different saffron extract that reduced night-time awakenings (S10); the 2024 chamomile meta-analysis, where the clearest signal was on awakenings after sleep onset and staying asleep (C10); and the 2026 L-theanine sleep review, which reported benefits on sleep maintenance (T5). These are findings about the ingredients in the people studied; Serune makes no sleep claim.
Is the Montmorency tart cherry in Serune there for sleep?
No, it is there for taste. Each sachet holds 50 mg of a 10:1 Montmorency tart cherry extract, about half a gram of fruit. The tart-cherry sleep studies used two glasses of juice or two servings of concentrate a day (K4, K6), and a 2024 trial of 500 mg of Montmorency powder before bed, ten times the amount in a sachet, found no effect on sleep (K8). Serune makes no claim for its cherry; the research is on this page for completeness.
How were the references on this page checked?
Every reference was checked against its journal record, Crossref or PubMed on 28 September 2026: authors, title, journal, year, DOI and, where the full text is open, the funding and conflict-of-interest statements. Industry-funded studies are included and labelled as such on the card; two Japanese-journal trials that are not indexed in PubMed link to the papers themselves; one DOI that does not resolve links to its PubMed record instead. Sample size, study type and how the dose compares with a Serune sachet are given under every entry. The date at the top of the page is the date of the last check, and it changes whenever a study is added or removed.
How and when do I take it?
One sachet stirred into about 200 ml of warm milk or water, about an hour before bed, every evening. One sachet per day; do not exceed the recommended dose.
Every entry was verified against its journal, Crossref or PubMed record on 28 September 2026. Where a paper is not indexed in PubMed (two Japanese-journal trials) the link goes to the paper itself. Sample size, study type and how the dose compares with a Serune sachet are given under each entry.
Saffron
S1Schuster J, Mundhenke C, Nordsieck H, Pouchieu C, Pourtau L, Hahn A. Effect of a saffron extract on sleep quality in adults with moderate insomnia: A decentralized, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Sleep Medicine: X 2025;10:100147. doi:10.1016/j.sleepx.2025.100147PubMedRCT · n = 165 · Same extract, same 30 mg dose
S2Lang L, Ditton A, Stanescu A, Jainani V, McArthur S, Pourtau L, Gaudout D, Pontifex MG, Tsigarides J, Steward T, Sami S, Muller M, Hornberger M, Vauzour D, Lazar AS. A standardised saffron extract improves subjective and objective sleep quality in healthy older adults with sleep complaints: results from the gut-sleep-brain axis randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study. Food & Function 2025;16(17):6817-6832. doi:10.1039/d5fo00917kPubMedRCT (pilot) · n = 52 · Same extract, same 30 mg dose, taken before bed like Serune
S3Jackson PA, Forster J, Khan J, Pouchieu C, Dubreuil S, Gaudout D, Moras B, Pourtau L, Joffre F, Vaysse C, Bertrand K, Abrous H, Vauzour D, Brossaud J, Corcuff JB, Capuron L, Kennedy DO. Effects of Saffron Extract Supplementation on Mood, Well-Being, and Response to a Psychosocial Stressor in Healthy Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel Group, Clinical Trial. Frontiers in Nutrition 2021;7:606124. doi:10.3389/fnut.2020.606124PubMedRCT · n = 56 · Same extract, same 30 mg dose
S4Pouchieu C, Pourtau L, Brossaud J, Gaudout D, Corcuff JB, Capuron L, Castanon N, Philip P. Acute Effect of a Saffron Extract (Safr'Inside™) and Its Main Volatile Compound on the Stress Response in Healthy Young Men: A Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study. Nutrients 2023;15(13):2921. doi:10.3390/nu15132921PubMedcrossover RCT · n = 19 · Same extract, same 30 mg dose (single acute dose)
S5Lopresti AL, Smith SJ, Metse AP, Drummond PD. Effects of saffron on sleep quality in healthy adults with self-reported poor sleep: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine 2020;16(6):937-947. doi:10.5664/jcsm.8376PubMedRCT · n = 63 · Different saffron extract (affron®, Pharmactive); 28 mg/day vs Serune's 30 mg of Safr'Inside™
S6Lopresti AL, Smith SJ, Drummond PD. An investigation into an evening intake of a saffron extract (affron®) on sleep quality, cortisol, and melatonin concentrations in adults with poor sleep: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-dose study. Sleep Medicine 2021;86:7-18. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2021.08.001PubMedRCT · n = 120 · Different extract (affron®); 14–28 mg/day vs Serune's 30 mg Safr'Inside™; taken in the evening like Serune
S7Kell G, Rao A, Beccaria G, Clayton P, Inarejos-García AM, Prodanov M. affron® a novel saffron extract (Crocus sativus L.) improves mood in healthy adults over 4 weeks in a double-blind, parallel, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Complementary Therapies in Medicine 2017;33:58-64. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2017.06.001PubMedRCT · n = 128 · Different extract; 28 mg/day vs Serune's 30 mg Safr'Inside™
S8Lopresti AL, Smith SJ. The Effects of a Saffron Extract (affron®) on Menopausal Symptoms in Women during Perimenopause: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Journal of Menopausal Medicine 2021;27(2):66-78. doi:10.6118/jmm.21002PubMedRCT · n = 86 · Different extract; 28 mg/day
S9Lopresti AL, Smith SJ. The effects of a saffron extract (Affron®) on mood, sleep, self-esteem, and exploratory measures of physical appearance in women aged 50 to 70 years experiencing low mood and poor sleep: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Frontiers in Nutrition 2026;13:1838513. doi:10.3389/fnut.2026.1838513PubMedRCT · n = 86 · Different extract; 28 mg/day
S10Takeda R, Yamamoto K, Tokuda M, Koga J, Higaki M, Kondo S, Yamashita A, Sawabe A. Improvement in Quality of Sleep by the Intake of Saffron-derived Crocin and Safranal — A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Parallel-group Trial. Japanese Pharmacology and Therapeutics (薬理と治療) 2020;48(3):497-504. pharmactive.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Affron_Clinical_-SRCT · n = 52 · Different extract, low crocin load (0.66 mg) — Serune's 30 mg Safr'Inside™ at ≥3% crocins delivers ≥0.9 mg crocins
S11Nishide A, Shoyama Y, Yamamoto T, Fujita T, Ohnuki K, Watanabe T, Nagaregawa Y, Shimizu K, Ohnuki K. Sleep Enhancement by Saffron Extract affron® in Randomized Control Trial. Japanese Pharmacology and Therapeutics (薬理と治療) 2018;46(8):1407-1415. pharmactive.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Affron_Clinical_stRCT · n = 21 · Different extract, low crocin load
S12Pachikian BD, Copine S, Suchareau M, Deldicque L. Effects of Saffron Extract on Sleep Quality: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial. Nutrients 2021;13(5):1473. doi:10.3390/nu13051473PubMedRCT · n = 66 · Different extract and much smaller active load (1.6 mg dry extract) — not comparable to Serune's 30 mg Safr'Inside™
S13Munirah MP, Norhayati MN, Noraini M. Crocus Sativus for Insomnia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2022;19(18):11658. doi:10.3390/ijerph191811658PubMedmeta-analysis · n = 8 trials, 431 participants
S14Marx W, Lane M, Rocks T, Ruusunen A, Loughman A, Lopresti A, Marshall S, Berk M, Jacka F, Dean OM. Effect of saffron supplementation on symptoms of depression and anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition Reviews 2019;77(8):557-571. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuz023PubMedmeta-analysis · n = 23 randomised trials · n/a (pooled)
S15Hausenblas HA, Saha D, Dubyak PJ, Anton SD. Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) and major depressive disorder: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Journal of Integrative Medicine 2013;11(6):377-383. doi:10.3736/jintegrmed2013056PubMedmeta-analysis · n = 5 randomised trials · 30 mg/day in the pooled trials; different extracts
S16Noorbala AA, Akhondzadeh S, Tahmacebi-Pour N, Jamshidi AH. Hydro-alcoholic extract of Crocus sativus L. versus fluoxetine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized pilot trial. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2005;97(2):281-284. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2004.11.004PubMedRCT (active comparator) · n = 40 · 30 mg/day (same dose, different extract); a medical population
S17Akhondzadeh S, Fallah-Pour H, Afkham K, Jamshidi AH, Khalighi-Cigaroudi F. Comparison of Crocus sativus L. and imipramine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: A pilot double-blind randomized trial. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2004;4:12. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-4-12PubMedRCT (active comparator) · n = 30 · 30 mg/day; a medical population
S18Lopresti AL, Drummond PD. Saffron (Crocus sativus) for depression: a systematic review of clinical studies and examination of underlying antidepressant mechanisms of action. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental 2014;29(6):517-527. doi:10.1002/hup.2434PubMedsystematic review · n = 6 randomised trials
S19Gout B, Bourges C, Paineau-Dubreuil S. Satiereal, a Crocus sativus L extract, reduces snacking and increases satiety in a randomized placebo-controlled study of mildly overweight, healthy women. Nutrition Research 2010;30(5):305-313. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2010.04.008PubMedRCT · n = 60 · Different extract at ~6× Serune's saffron dose — cited for context only
S20Akhondzadeh S, Mostafavi SA, Keshavarz SA, Mohammadi MR, Hosseini S, Eshraghian MR. A placebo controlled randomized clinical trial of Crocus sativus L. (saffron) on depression and food craving among overweight women with mild to moderate depression. Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics 2020;45(1):134-143. doi:10.1111/jcpt.13040PubMedRCT · n = 73 · 30 mg/day (same dose, different preparation)
S21Hasheminasab FS, Hajimonfarednejad M, Najibi SM, Hashempur MH. Adverse Events of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.): Systematic Review of Current Evidence. Health Science Reports 2026;9(5):e72212. doi:10.1002/hsr2.72212PubMedsystematic review · n = 102 clinical trials and 1 case report
S22Vignault A, Vaysse C, Bertand K, Krisa S, Courtois A, Moras B, Richard T, Gaudout D, Pourtau L. Characterization of Crocetin Isomers in Serum Samples via UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS and NMR after Saffron Extract (Safr'Inside™) Consumption. Metabolites 2024;14(4):190. doi:10.3390/metabo14040190PubMedpharmacokinetic (human serum) · n = human serum samples
S23Monchaux De Oliveira C, De Smedt-Peyrusse V, Morael J, Vancassel S, Capuron L, Gaudout D, Pourtau L, Castanon N. Prevention of Stress-Induced Depressive-like Behavior by Saffron Extract Is Associated with Modulation of Kynurenine Pathway and Monoamine Neurotransmission. Pharmaceutics 2021;13(12):2155. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics13122155PubMedmechanistic-animal · n = mice · n/a (animal)
S24Wauquier F, Boutin-Wittrant L, Pourtau L, Gaudout D, Moras B, Vignault A, Monchaux De Oliveira C, Gabaston J, Vaysse C, Bertrand K, Abrous H, Capuron L, Castanon N, Vauzour D, Roux V, Macian N, Pickering G, Wittrant Y. Circulating Human Serum Metabolites Derived from the Intake of a Saffron Extract (Safr'Inside™) Protect Neurons from Oxidative Stress: Consideration for Depressive Disorders. Nutrients 2022;14(7):1511. doi:10.3390/nu14071511PubMedex-vivo clinical (human serum on cultured neurons) · n = 8–10 healthy volunteers (serum donors) · n/a (10× dose used so serum could be diluted for cell work)
S25Pontifex MG, Connell E, Le Gall G, Pourtau L, Gaudout D, Angeloni C, Zallocco L, Ronci M, Giusti L, Müller M, Vauzour D. Saffron extract (Safr'Inside™) improves anxiety related behaviour in a mouse model of low-grade inflammation through the modulation of the microbiota and gut derived metabolites. Food & Function 2022;13(23):12219-12233. doi:10.1039/d2fo02739aPubMedmechanistic-animal · n = mice · n/a (animal; ~22 mg human-equivalent)
S26Pourtau L, Wauquier F, Boutin-Wittrant L, Gaudout D, Moras B, Vignault A, Vaysse C, Richard T, Courtois A, Krisa S, Roux V, Macian N, Pickering G, Wittrant Y. Reduced Production of Pro-Inflammatory and Pro-Catabolic Factors by Human Serum Metabolites Derived from a Patented Saffron Extract Intake. Pharmaceutics 2024;16(3):336. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics16030336PubMedex-vivo clinical (human serum on cell cultures) · n = healthy volunteers (serum donors)
S27EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA); Turck D et al.. Affron® and increase in positive mood: evaluation of a health claim pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. EFSA Journal 2021;19(7):e06669. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2021.6669PubMedregulatory opinion
S28Kashani L, Esalatmanesh S, Eftekhari F, Salimi S, Foroughifar T, Etesam F, Safiaghdam H, Moazen-Zadeh E, Akhondzadeh S. Efficacy of Crocus sativus (saffron) in treatment of major depressive disorder associated with post-menopausal hot flashes: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics 2018;297(3):717-724. doi:10.1007/s00404-018-4655-2PubMedRCT · n = 60 · 30 mg/day (same dose as Serune; a different, non-branded saffron preparation); a medical population
S29Monchaux De Oliveira C, Pourtau L, Vancassel S, Pouchieu C, Capuron L, Gaudout D, Castanon N. Saffron Extract-Induced Improvement of Depressive-Like Behavior in Mice Is Associated with Modulation of Monoaminergic Neurotransmission. Nutrients 2021;13(3):904. doi:10.3390/nu13030904PubMedmechanistic-animal · n = mice · n/a (animal)
Glycine
G1Yamadera W, Inagawa K, Chiba S, Bannai M, Takahashi M, Nakayama K. Glycine ingestion improves subjective sleep quality in human volunteers, correlating with polysomnographic changes. Sleep and Biological Rhythms 2007;5(2):126-131. doi:10.1111/j.1479-8425.2007.00262.xcrossover RCT · n = healthy volunteers with persistent unsatisfactory sleep (small crossover; the abstract does not give the number) · Same 3,000 mg dose, same timing
G2Inagawa K, Hiraoka T, Kohda T, Yamadera W, Takahashi M. Subjective effects of glycine ingestion before bedtime on sleep quality. Sleep and Biological Rhythms 2006;4(1):75-77. doi:10.1111/j.1479-8425.2006.00193.xcrossover RCT · n = adults with complaints about sleep quality · Same 3,000 mg dose
G3Bannai M, Kawai N, Ono K, Nakahara K, Murakami N. The effects of glycine on subjective daytime performance in partially sleep-restricted healthy volunteers. Frontiers in Neurology 2012;3:61. doi:10.3389/fneur.2012.00061PubMedcrossover RCT · n = healthy volunteers (sleep restricted by 25% for three nights) · Same 3,000 mg dose
G4Kawai N, Sakai N, Okuro M, Karakawa S, Tsuneyoshi Y, Kawasaki N, Takeda T, Bannai M, Nishino S. The sleep-promoting and hypothermic effects of glycine are mediated by NMDA receptors in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Neuropsychopharmacology 2015;40(6):1405-1416. doi:10.1038/npp.2014.326PubMedmechanistic-animal · n = rats · n/a (animal)
G5Bannai M, Kawai N. New therapeutic strategy for amino acid medicine: glycine improves the quality of sleep. Journal of Pharmacological Sciences 2012;118(2):145-148. doi:10.1254/jphs.11R04FMPubMednarrative review · 3,000 mg
G6Fan Z, Nelson JM, Wallace TC. Glycine Bioavailability and Sleep-Related Outcomes Following Oral Glycine and Collagen Supplementation—A Scoping Review. Journal of Dietary Supplements 2026;23(5):602-622. doi:10.1080/19390211.2026.2726197PubMedscoping review · n = 22 trials (21 records) · n/a (review; the three glycine sleep trials it maps are G1–G3, all at 3 g)
Magnesium
M1Schuster J, Cycelskij I, Lopresti A, Hahn A. Magnesium Bisglycinate Supplementation in Healthy Adults Reporting Poor Sleep: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Nature and Science of Sleep 2025;17:2027-2040. doi:10.2147/nss.s524348PubMedRCT · n = 155 · Same form (bisglycinate); 250 mg elemental vs Serune's 150 mg
M2Abbasi B, Kimiagar M, Sadeghniiat K, Shirazi MM, Hedayati M, Rashidkhani B. The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Journal of Research in Medical Sciences 2012;17(12):1161-1169. PubMed 23853635RCT · n = 46 · 500 mg elemental vs Serune's 150 mg; older population
M3Held K, Antonijevic IA, Künzel H, Uhr M, Wetter TC, Golly IC, Steiger A, Murck H. Oral Mg(2+) supplementation reverses age-related neuroendocrine and sleep EEG changes in humans. Pharmacopsychiatry 2002;35(4):135-143. doi:10.1055/s-2002-33195PubMedcrossover RCT · n = 12 · ~729 mg vs Serune's 150 mg; n = 12
M4Lopresti AL, Smith SJ, Drummond PD. Magnesium Supplementation for Sleep in Adults: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Journal of Dietary Supplements 2026;23(5):553-581. doi:10.1080/19390211.2026.2719670PubMedsystematic review · n = 12 RCTs (main synthesis) + 3 (cramps/RLS)
M5Mah J, Pitre T. Oral magnesium supplementation for insomnia in older adults: a Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 2021;21(1):125. doi:10.1186/s12906-021-03297-zPubMedmeta-analysis · n = 3 RCTs, 151 older adults
M6Rawji A, Peltier MR, Mourtzanakis K, Awan S, Rana J, Pothen NJ, Afzal S. Examining the Effects of Supplemental Magnesium on Self-Reported Anxiety and Sleep Quality: A Systematic Review. Cureus 2024;16(4):e59317. doi:10.7759/cureus.59317PubMedsystematic review · n = 15 interventional trials
M7Arab A, Rafie N, Amani R, Shirani F. The Role of Magnesium in Sleep Health: a Systematic Review of Available Literature. Biological Trace Element Research 2023;201(1):121-128. doi:10.1007/s12011-022-03162-1PubMedsystematic review · n = 9 studies, 7,582 participants
M8Boyle NB, Lawton C, Dye L. The Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Subjective Anxiety and Stress—A Systematic Review. Nutrients 2017;9(5):429. doi:10.3390/nu9050429PubMedsystematic review · n = 18 studies
M9Pouteau E, Kabir-Ahmadi M, Noah L, Mazur A, Dye L, Hellhammer J, Pickering G, Dubray C. Superiority of magnesium and vitamin B6 over magnesium alone on severe stress in healthy adults with low magnesemia: A randomized, single-blind clinical trial. PLoS ONE 2018;13(12):e0208454. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0208454PubMedRCT · n = 264 · Mg 300 mg + B6 30 mg vs Serune's Mg 150 mg + B6 2.8 mg
M10Noah L, Dye L, Bois De Fer B, Mazur A, Pickering G, Pouteau E. Effect of magnesium and vitamin B6 supplementation on mental health and quality of life in stressed healthy adults: Post-hoc analysis of a randomised controlled trial. Stress and Health 2021;37(5):1000-1009. doi:10.1002/smi.3051PubMedRCT (post-hoc) · n = 264 · as M9
M11Schuette SA, Lashner BA, Janghorbani M. Bioavailability of magnesium diglycinate vs magnesium oxide in patients with ileal resection. JPEN Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 1994;18(5):430-435. doi:10.1177/0148607194018005430PubMedcrossover RCT · n = 12 · n/a (tracer study)
M12Walker AF, Marakis G, Christie S, Byng M. Mg citrate found more bioavailable than other Mg preparations in a randomised, double-blind study. Magnesium Research 2003;16(3):183-191. PubMed 14596323RCT · n = 46 · 300 mg elemental
M13Firoz M, Graber M. Bioavailability of US commercial magnesium preparations. Magnesium Research 2001;14(4):257-262. PubMed 11794633comparative study · n = healthy volunteers
M15Schuchardt JP, Hahn A. Intestinal Absorption and Factors Influencing Bioavailability of Magnesium—An Update. Current Nutrition & Food Science 2017;13(4):260-278. doi:10.2174/1573401313666170427162740PubMednarrative review
M16He C, Wang B, Chen X, Xu J, Yang Y, Yuan M. The Mechanisms of Magnesium in Sleep Disorders. Nature and Science of Sleep 2025;17:2639-2656. doi:10.2147/nss.s552646PubMednarrative review
M17EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA). Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for magnesium. EFSA Journal 2015;13(7):4186. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4186regulatory opinion · Serune's 150 mg = half the adult female Adequate Intake; well under the 250 mg/day supplemental upper level set by the EU Scientific Committee on Food
M18Pickering G, Mazur A, Trousselard M, Bienkowski P, Yaltsewa N, Amessou M, Noah L, Pouteau E. Magnesium Status and Stress: The Vicious Circle Concept Revisited. Nutrients 2020;12(12):3672. doi:10.3390/nu12123672PubMednarrative review
M19Nielsen FH, Johnson LK, Zeng H. Magnesium supplementation improves indicators of low magnesium status and inflammatory stress in adults older than 51 years with poor quality sleep. Magnesium Research 2010;23(4):158-168. PubMed 21199787RCT · n = 100 (96 completers) · 320 mg elemental vs Serune's 150 mg
M20Zhang Y, Chen C, Lu L, Knutson KL, Carnethon MR, Fly AD, Luo J, Haas DM, Shikany JM, Kahe K. Association of magnesium intake with sleep duration and sleep quality: findings from the CARDIA study. Sleep 2022;45(4):zsab276. doi:10.1093/sleep/zsab276PubMedprospective cohort · n = 3964 · n/a (observational)
M22Al-Musharaf S, Aldhwayan MM, Mazi TA, Abujabir O, Alfawaz W, Aljuraiban GS. Magnesium and Zinc Are Associated with Sleep Quality in Saudi Adults: Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Study. Nutrients 2025;18(1):114. doi:10.3390/nu18010114PubMedcross-sectional · n = 1041 · n/a (observational)
L-Theanine
T1Hidese S, Ogawa S, Ota M, Ishida I, Yasukawa Z, Ozeki M, Kunugi H. Effects of L-Theanine Administration on Stress-Related Symptoms and Cognitive Functions in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients 2019;11(10):2362. doi:10.3390/nu11102362PubMedcrossover RCT · n = 30 · Same 200 mg dose
T2Kimura K, Ozeki M, Juneja LR, Ohira H. L-Theanine reduces psychological and physiological stress responses. Biological Psychology 2007;74(1):39-45. doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2006.06.006PubMedcrossover RCT · n = 12 · Same 200 mg dose (single)
T3White DJ, de Klerk S, Woods W, Gondalia S, Noonan C, Scholey AB. Anti-Stress, Behavioural and Magnetoencephalography Effects of an L-Theanine-Based Nutrient Drink: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Trial. Nutrients 2016;8(1):53. doi:10.3390/nu8010053PubMedcrossover RCT · n = 34 · Same 200 mg dose (single)
T5Cotter J, Caddick CE, Harper JL, Ebajemito JK. Examining the effect of L-theanine on sleep: a systematic review of dietary supplementation trials. Nutritional Neuroscience 2026;29(2):224-238. doi:10.1080/1028415x.2025.2556925PubMedsystematic review · n = 13 trials, 550 participants · Serune's 200 mg sits at the bottom of the 200–450 mg range the review identifies
T6Gerolymos C, Saddier E, Boyer L, Fond G. Cognitive and affective effects of L-Theanine: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 31 randomized trials. Molecular Psychiatry 2026;online ahead of print. doi:10.1038/s41380-026-03727-9PubMedmeta-analysis · n = 31 RCTs, 1,168 participants · Same 200 mg dose
T8Williams JL, Everett JM, D'Cunha NM, Sergi D, Georgousopoulou EN, Keegan RJ, McKune AJ, Mellor DD, Anstice N, Naumovski N. The Effects of Green Tea Amino Acid L-Theanine Consumption on the Ability to Manage Stress and Anxiety Levels: a Systematic Review. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition 2020;75(1):12-23. doi:10.1007/s11130-019-00771-5PubMedsystematic review · n = 9 RCTs · Serune's 200 mg is the bottom of the range
T9Rao TP, Ozeki M, Juneja LR. In Search of a Safe Natural Sleep Aid. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 2015;34(5):436-447. doi:10.1080/07315724.2014.926153PubMednarrative review · Same 200 mg dose
T12EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA). Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to L-theanine from Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze (tea) and improvement of cognitive function, alleviation of psychological stress, maintenance of normal sleep and reduction of menstrual discomfort pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 (claim ID lists omitted from the title). EFSA Journal 2011;9(6):2238. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2011.2238regulatory opinion
T13Sarris J, Byrne GJ, Cribb L, Oliver G, Murphy J, Macdonald P, Nazareth S, Karamacoska D, Galea S, Short A, Ee C, Birling Y, Menon R, Ng CH. L-theanine in the adjunctive treatment of generalized anxiety disorder: A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Psychiatric Research 2019;110:31-37. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2018.12.014PubMedRCT · n = 46 · 450–900 mg/day, 2–4.5× Serune's 200 mg; a medical population
T14Cotter J, Kilpatrick HE. Effects of L-theanine on cognition, mood and sleep: evidence from human trials. Frontiers in Nutrition 2026;13:1922819. doi:10.3389/fnut.2026.1922819PubMednarrative review · n = n/a (mini-review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses) · Serune's 200 mg sits inside every range the review identifies
Lemon balm
L1Cases J, Ibarra A, Feuillère N, Roller M, Sukkar SG. Pilot trial of Melissa officinalis L. leaf extract in the treatment of volunteers suffering from mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances. Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism 2011;4(3):211-218. doi:10.1007/s12349-010-0045-4PubMedopen-label pilot · n = 20 · 600 mg/day vs Serune's 400 mg; standardised leaf extract like Serune's
L2Kennedy DO, Little W, Scholey AB. Attenuation of laboratory-induced stress in humans after acute administration of Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm). Psychosomatic Medicine 2004;66(4):607-613. doi:10.1097/01.psy.0000132877.72833.71PubMedcrossover RCT · n = 18 · 300–600 mg single doses bracket Serune's 400 mg
L3Kennedy DO, Wake G, Savelev S, Tildesley NTJ, Perry EK, Wesnes KA. Modulation of Mood and Cognitive Performance Following Acute Administration of Single Doses of Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm) with Human CNS Nicotinic and Muscarinic Receptor-Binding Properties. Neuropsychopharmacology 2003;28(10):1871-1881. doi:10.1038/sj.npp.1300230PubMedcrossover RCT · n = 20 · 600–1,600 mg single doses, above Serune's 400 mg
L4Scholey A, Gibbs A, Neale C, Perry N, Ossoukhova A, Bilog V, Kras M, Scholz C, Sass M, Buchwald-Werner S. Anti-stress effects of lemon balm-containing foods. Nutrients 2014;6(11):4805-4821. doi:10.3390/nu6114805PubMedcrossover RCT (two studies) · n = two cohorts of healthy young adults · Food-matrix delivery — relevant because Serune is a drink
L5Haybar H, Javid AZ, Haghighizadeh MH, Valizadeh E, Mohaghegh SM, Mohammadzadeh A. The effects of Melissa officinalis supplementation on depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep disorder in patients with chronic stable angina. Clinical Nutrition ESPEN 2018;26:47-52. doi:10.1016/j.clnesp.2018.04.015PubMedRCT · n = 80 · 3,000 mg/day of unstandardised powder vs Serune's 400 mg standardised extract
L6Ghazizadeh J, Sadigh-Eteghad S, Marx W, Fakhari A, Hamedeyazdan S, Torbati M, Taheri-Tarighi S, Araj-Khodaei M, Mirghafourvand M. The effects of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) on depression and anxiety in clinical trials: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytotherapy Research 2021;35(12):6690-6705. doi:10.1002/ptr.7252PubMedmeta-analysis · n = randomised trials to Oct 2020
L7Rondanelli M, Mazzola G, Barrile GC, Misiano P, Perna S. Melissa phospholipids improves sleep quality and mental well-being: concluding results from clinical study in adults with emotional distress. Food & Nutrition Research 2026;70:13729. doi:10.29219/fnr.v70.13729PubMedopen-label dose comparison · n = 32 · 400 mg/day (different formulation — phospholipid complex)
L8Mazzola G, Rondanelli M, Lazzarotti A, Misiano P, Petrangolini G, Perna S. Salivary cortisol dynamics and their relationship with sleep and mental well-being in adults receiving a phospholipid-based Melissa officinalis supplement: a secondary analysis in a subpopulation. Food & Nutrition Research 2026;70:14023. doi:10.29219/fnr.v70.14023PubMedsecondary analysis · n = 12 · 400 mg/day
L9Mathews IM, Eastwood J, Lamport DJ, Cozannet RL, Fanca-Berthon P, Williams CM. Clinical Efficacy and Tolerability of Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis L.) in Psychological Well-Being: A Review. Nutrients 2024;16(20):3545. doi:10.3390/nu16203545PubMednarrative review
L10Awad R, Muhammad A, Durst T, Trudeau VL, Arnason JT. Bioassay-guided fractionation of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) using an in vitro measure of GABA transaminase activity. Phytotherapy Research 2009;23(8):1075-1081. doi:10.1002/ptr.2712PubMedin-vitro · n = in vitro (rat brain enzyme)
L12European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). Community herbal monograph on Melissa officinalis L., folium. EMA/HMPC/196745/2012 2013. www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/herbal/melissae-foliummonograph
L13Bano A, Hepsomali P, Rabbani F, Farooq U, Kanwal A, Saleem A, Bugti AA, Khan AA, Khalid Z, Bugti M, Mureed S, Khan S, Ujjan ID, Şahin S, Kara M, Khan A. The possible "calming effect" of subchronic supplementation of a standardised phospholipid carrier-based Melissa officinalis L. extract in healthy adults with emotional distress and poor sleep conditions: results from a prospective, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Frontiers in Pharmacology 2023;14:1250560. doi:10.3389/fphar.2023.1250560PubMedRCT · n = 100 · 400 mg/day — Serune's dose — of a different (phospholipid-formulated) aqueous leaf extract standardised to 17–23% hydroxycinnamic acids
L14Kennedy DO, Scholey AB, Tildesley NT, Perry EK, Wesnes KA. Modulation of mood and cognitive performance following acute administration of Melissa officinalis (lemon balm). Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior 2002;72(4):953-964. doi:10.1016/s0091-3057(02)00777-3PubMedcrossover RCT · n = 20 · 300–900 mg single doses bracket Serune's 400 mg
L15Noguchi-Shinohara M, Ono K, Hamaguchi T, Iwasa K, Nagai T, Kobayashi S, Nakamura H, Yamada M. Pharmacokinetics, Safety and Tolerability of Melissa officinalis Extract which Contained Rosmarinic Acid in Healthy Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial. PLoS ONE 2015;10(5):e0126422. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0126422PubMedcrossover RCT (pharmacokinetic) · n = 11 · 500 mg rosmarinic acid in one dose vs about 28 mg in a Serune sachet (400 mg at ≥7%)
Chamomile
C1Adib-Hajbaghery M, Mousavi SN. The effects of chamomile extract on sleep quality among elderly people: A clinical trial. Complementary Therapies in Medicine 2017;35:109-114. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2017.09.010PubMedRCT (single-blind) · n = 60 · Same 400 mg/day total
C2Zick SM, Wright BD, Sen A, Arnedt JT. Preliminary examination of the efficacy and safety of a standardized chamomile extract for chronic primary insomnia: a randomized placebo-controlled pilot study. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2011;11:78. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-11-78PubMedRCT (pilot) · n = 34 · 540 mg/day vs Serune's 400 mg
C3Hieu TH, Dibas M, Surya Dila KA, Sherif NA, Hashmi MU, Mahmoud M, Trang NTT, Abdullah L, Nghia TLB, Y MN, Hirayama K, Huy NT. Therapeutic efficacy and safety of chamomile for state anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia, and sleep quality: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials and quasi-randomized trials. Phytotherapy Research 2019;33(6):1604-1615. doi:10.1002/ptr.6349PubMedmeta-analysis · n = 12 RCTs
C4Amsterdam JD, Li Y, Soeller I, Rockwell K, Mao JJ, Shults J. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral Matricaria recutita (chamomile) extract therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology 2009;29(4):378-382. doi:10.1097/JCP.0b013e3181ac935cPubMedRCT · n = 57 · 220–1,100 mg/day (dose-titrated) vs Serune's 400 mg
C5Mao JJ, Xie SX, Keefe JR, Soeller I, Li QS, Amsterdam JD. Long-term chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: A randomized clinical trial. Phytomedicine 2016;23(14):1735-1742. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2016.10.012PubMedRCT (placebo-substitution) · n = 179 · 1,500 mg/day vs Serune's 400 mg
C6Chang SM, Chen CH. Effects of an intervention with drinking chamomile tea on sleep quality and depression in sleep disturbed postnatal women: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Advanced Nursing 2016;72(2):306-315. doi:10.1111/jan.12836PubMedRCT · n = 80 · Unstandardised tea — not comparable to a 3% total-apigenin extract
C7Viola H, Wasowski C, Levi de Stein M, Wolfman C, Silveira R, Dajas F, Medina JH, Paladini AC. Apigenin, a component of Matricaria recutita flowers, is a central benzodiazepine receptors-ligand with anxiolytic effects. Planta Medica 1995;61(3):213-216. doi:10.1055/s-2006-958058PubMedmechanistic-animal / in-vitro · n = mice / receptor binding
C8Srivastava JK, Shankar E, Gupta S. Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future. Molecular Medicine Reports 2010;3(6):895-901. doi:10.3892/mmr.2010.377PubMednarrative review
C10Kazemi A, Shojaei-Zarghani S, Eskandarzadeh P, Hashempur MH. Effects of chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) on sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Complementary Therapies in Medicine 2024;84:103071. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2024.103071PubMedmeta-analysis · n = 10 trials, 772 participants · n/a (pooled)
C11Kramer DJ, Johnson AA. Apigenin: a natural molecule at the intersection of sleep and aging. Frontiers in Nutrition 2024;11:1359176. doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1359176PubMednarrative review
Vitamin B6
B1Parra M, Stahl S, Hellmann H. Vitamin B6 and Its Role in Cell Metabolism and Physiology. Cells 2018;7(7):84. doi:10.3390/cells7070084PubMednarrative review
B2Field DT, Cracknell RO, Eastwood JR, Scarfe P, Williams CM, Zheng Y, Tavassoli T. High-dose Vitamin B6 supplementation reduces anxiety and strengthens visual surround suppression. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental 2022;37(6):e2852. doi:10.1002/hup.2852PubMedRCT · n = 478 · ~100 mg/day, roughly 35× Serune's 2.8 mg — cited for mechanism, not dose
B4EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA); Turck D et al.. Scientific opinion on the tolerable upper intake level for vitamin B6. EFSA Journal 2023;21(5):e08006. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8006PubMedregulatory opinion · Serune's 2.8 mg is under a quarter of the adult upper level
B5Kennedy DO. B Vitamins and the Brain: Mechanisms, Dose and Efficacy—A Review. Nutrients 2016;8(2):68. doi:10.3390/nu8020068PubMednarrative review
B6Luboshitzky R, Ophir U, Nave R, Epstein R, Shen-Orr Z, Herer P. The effect of pyridoxine administration on melatonin secretion in normal men. Neuro Endocrinology Letters 2002;23(3):213-217. PubMed 12080281controlled clinical study · n = 12 · 100 mg single dose — 36× Serune's 2.8 mg
B7Adventure-Heart DJ, Madden NA, Delfabbro P. Effects of Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) and a B Complex Preparation on Dreaming and Sleep. Perceptual and Motor Skills 2018;125(3):451-462. doi:10.1177/0031512518770326PubMedRCT · n = 100 · 240 mg — 86× Serune's 2.8 mg
B8EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA). Dietary Reference Values for vitamin B6. EFSA Journal 2016;14(6):4485. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2016.4485regulatory opinion · Serune's 2.8 mg (200% of the 1.4 mg labelling NRV) is under a quarter of the 12 mg upper level (B4)
Zinc
Z1Cherasse Y, Urade Y. Dietary Zinc Acts as a Sleep Modulator. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2017;18(11):2334. doi:10.3390/ijms18112334PubMednarrative review
Z2Saito H, Cherasse Y, Suzuki R, Mitarai M, Ueda F, Urade Y. Zinc-rich oysters as well as zinc-yeast- and astaxanthin-enriched food improved sleep efficiency and sleep onset in a randomized controlled trial of healthy individuals. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research 2017;61(5):1600882. doi:10.1002/mnfr.201600882PubMedRCT · n = 120 · Dietary zinc, dose not stated in abstract
Z3Gholipour Baradari A, Alipour A, Mahdavi A, Sharifi H, Nouraei SM, Emami Zeydi A. The Effect of Zinc Supplementation on Sleep Quality of ICU Nurses: A Double Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial. Workplace Health & Safety 2018;66(4):191-200. doi:10.1177/2165079917734880PubMedRCT · n = 54 · Higher intermittent dose; Serune gives 10 mg elemental daily
Z4Rondanelli M, Opizzi A, Monteferrario F, Antoniello N, Manni R, Klersy C. The effect of melatonin, magnesium, and zinc on primary insomnia in long-term care facility residents in Italy: a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2011;59(1):82-90. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.03232.xPubMedRCT · n = 43 · Magnesium and zinc doses close to Serune's; but the combination contained melatonin, which Serune does not — cited as context only
Z5EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA). Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for zinc. EFSA Journal 2014;12(10):3844. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2014.3844regulatory opinion · Serune's 10 mg = 100% of the UK NRV and well under the 25 mg upper level
Z6Wegmüller R, Tay F, Zeder C, Brnic M, Hurrell RF. Zinc absorption by young adults from supplemental zinc citrate is comparable with that from zinc gluconate and higher than from zinc oxide. Journal of Nutrition 2014;144(2):132-136. doi:10.3945/jn.113.181487PubMedcrossover RCT (isotope) · n = 15 · Same 10 mg zinc dose, same citrate form
Z7Jazinaki MS, Gheflati A, Moghadam MRSF, Hadi S, Razavidarmian M, Nezhad MY, Akhtari H, Nematizadeh M, Safarian M. Effects of zinc supplementation on sleep quality in humans: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Health Science Reports 2024;7(10):e70019. doi:10.1002/hsr2.70019PubMedsystematic review · n = 8 RCTs · Serune's 10 mg is the bottom of the 10–73.3 mg range reviewed
Z8Jia YN, Sun J, Chen L, Xue Y. Associations of Serum Zinc, Copper, and Zinc/Copper Ratio with Sleep Duration in Adults. Biological Trace Element Research 2022;200(6):2651-2659. doi:10.1007/s12011-021-02897-7PubMedcross-sectional (NHANES) · n = 5067 · n/a (observational)
The base: cacao, tart cherry and milk
K1Martin FP, Rezzi S, Peré-Trepat E, Kamlage B, Collino S, Leibold E, Kastler J, Rein D, Fay LB, Kochhar S. Metabolic effects of dark chocolate consumption on energy, gut microbiota, and stress-related metabolism in free-living subjects. Journal of Proteome Research 2009;8(12):5568-5579. doi:10.1021/pr900607vPubMedclinical trial (metabolomic) · n = 30 · 40 g of dark chocolate a day — roughly ten times the 3.6 g of cocoa powder in a sachet, and chocolate rather than alkalised cocoa — cited as context for the base, not as evidence for Serune
K2Miller KB, Hurst WJ, Payne MJ, Stuart DA, Apgar J, Sweigart DS, Ou B. Impact of alkalization on the antioxidant and flavanol content of commercial cocoa powders. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2008;56(18):8527-8533. doi:10.1021/jf801670pPubMedanalytical survey · n = commercial cocoa powders · Serune uses an alkalised cocoa powder (20–22% fat) chosen for taste and solubility
K4Howatson G, Bell PG, Tallent J, Middleton B, McHugh MP, Ellis J. Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. European Journal of Nutrition 2012;51(8):909-916. doi:10.1007/s00394-011-0263-7PubMedcrossover RCT · n = 20 · Two daily 30 ml servings of juice concentrate — the equivalent of many whole cherries — against 50 mg of a 10:1 fruit extract (about half a gram of fruit) in a sachet: not comparable
K5Pigeon WR, Carr M, Gorman C, Perlis ML. Effects of a tart cherry juice beverage on the sleep of older adults with insomnia: a pilot study. Journal of Medicinal Food 2010;13(3):579-583. doi:10.1089/jmf.2009.0096PubMedcrossover RCT (pilot) · n = 15 · Daily juice servings — not comparable to 50 mg of extract
K6Losso JN, Finley JW, Karki N, Liu AG, Prudente A, Tipton R, Yu Y, Greenway FL. Pilot Study of the Tart Cherry Juice for the Treatment of Insomnia and Investigation of Mechanisms. American Journal of Therapeutics 2018;25(2):e194-e201. doi:10.1097/mjt.0000000000000584PubMedcrossover RCT (pilot) · n = 8 completers (11 randomised) · 480 ml of juice a day — not comparable to 50 mg of extract
K7Barforoush F, Ebrahimi S, Abdar MK, Khademi S, Morshedzadeh N. The Effect of Tart Cherry on Sleep Quality and Sleep Disorders: A Systematic Review. Food Science & Nutrition 2025;13(9):e70923. doi:10.1002/fsn3.70923PubMedsystematic review · n = 7 interventional studies
K8Tucker RM, Kim N, Gurzell E, Mathi S, Chavva S, Senthilkumar D, Bartunek O, Fenton KC, Herndon-Fenton SJ, Cardino VN, Cooney GM, Young S, Fenton JI. Commonly Used Dose of Montmorency Tart Cherry Powder Does Not Improve Sleep or Inflammation Outcomes in Individuals with Overweight or Obesity. Nutrients 2024;16(23):4125. doi:10.3390/nu16234125PubMedcrossover RCT · n = 34 · 500 mg powder — ten times the 50 mg extract in a sachet — and it did nothing measurable
K9Komada Y, Okajima I, Kuwata T. The Effects of Milk and Dairy Products on Sleep: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2020;17(24):9440. doi:10.3390/ijerph17249440PubMedsystematic review · n = 14 studies (8 RCTs)
Sleep, the day after, appetite and cortisol
D1Tasali E, Wroblewski K, Kahn E, Kilkus J, Schoeller DA. Effect of Sleep Extension on Objectively Assessed Energy Intake Among Adults With Overweight in Real-life Settings: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Internal Medicine 2022;182(4):365-374. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2021.8098PubMedRCT · n = 80 · n/a — a study of sleep itself, not of any supplement
D2Scott AJ, Webb TL, Martyn-St James M, Rowse G, Weich S. Improving sleep quality leads to better mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Sleep Medicine Reviews 2021;60:101556. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101556PubMedmeta-analysis · n = 65 RCTs, 72 interventions, 8,608 participants
D3Leproult R, Copinschi G, Buxton O, Van Cauter E. Sleep loss results in an elevation of cortisol levels the next evening. Sleep 1997;20(10):865-870. doi:10.1093/sleep/20.10.865PubMedcontrolled clinical study · n = healthy young men
D4Spiegel K, Tasali E, Penev P, Van Cauter E. Brief communication: Sleep curtailment in healthy young men is associated with decreased leptin levels, elevated ghrelin levels, and increased hunger and appetite. Annals of Internal Medicine 2004;141(11):846-850. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-141-11-200412070-00008PubMedcrossover RCT · n = 12
D5Nedeltcheva AV, Kilkus JM, Imperial J, Schoeller DA, Penev PD. Insufficient sleep undermines dietary efforts to reduce adiposity. Annals of Internal Medicine 2010;153(7):435-441. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-153-7-201010050-00006PubMedcrossover RCT · n = 10
D6Al Khatib HK, Harding SV, Darzi J, Pot GK. The effects of partial sleep deprivation on energy balance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2017;71(5):614-624. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2016.201PubMedmeta-analysis · n = 17 studies (496 participants); 11 in meta-analysis (172)
D7Ohayon MM. Nocturnal awakenings and comorbid disorders in the American general population. Journal of Psychiatric Research 2008;43(1):48-54. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2008.02.001PubMedobservational · n = 8937
D8Krause AJ, Simon EB, Mander BA, Greer SM, Saletin JM, Goldstein-Piekarski AN, Walker MP. The sleep-deprived human brain. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 2017;18(7):404-418. doi:10.1038/nrn.2017.55PubMednarrative review
D9Chaput JP, McHill AW, Cox RC, Broussard JL, Dutil C, da Costa BGG, Sampasa-Kanyinga H, Wright KP. The role of insufficient sleep and circadian misalignment in obesity. Nature Reviews Endocrinology 2023;19(2):82-97. doi:10.1038/s41574-022-00747-7PubMednarrative review
D10Meerlo P, Sgoifo A, Suchecki D. Restricted and disrupted sleep: effects on autonomic function, neuroendocrine stress systems and stress responsivity. Sleep Medicine Reviews 2008;12(3):197-210. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2007.07.007PubMednarrative review
D11Spiegel K, Leproult R, Van Cauter E. Impact of sleep debt on metabolic and endocrine function. The Lancet 1999;354(9188):1435-1439. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(99)01376-8PubMedcontrolled clinical study · n = 11
D12Buxton OM, Pavlova M, Reid EW, Wang W, Simonson DC, Adler GK. Sleep restriction for 1 week reduces insulin sensitivity in healthy men. Diabetes 2010;59(9):2126-2133. doi:10.2337/db09-0699PubMedRCT (inpatient) · n = 20
D13Donga E, van Dijk M, van Dijk JG, Biermasz NR, Lammers GJ, van Kralingen KW, Corssmit EP, Romijn JA. A single night of partial sleep deprivation induces insulin resistance in multiple metabolic pathways in healthy subjects. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 2010;95(6):2963-2968. doi:10.1210/jc.2009-2430PubMedcrossover clinical study · n = 9
D14Reutrakul S, Van Cauter E. Sleep influences on obesity, insulin resistance, and risk of type 2 diabetes. Metabolism 2018;84:56-66. doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2018.02.010PubMednarrative review
D15Prather AA, Janicki-Deverts D, Hall MH, Cohen S. Behaviorally Assessed Sleep and Susceptibility to the Common Cold. Sleep 2015;38(9):1353-1359. doi:10.5665/sleep.4968PubMedprospective viral-challenge study · n = 164
D16Besedovsky L, Lange T, Haack M. The Sleep-Immune Crosstalk in Health and Disease. Physiological Reviews 2019;99(3):1325-1380. doi:10.1152/physrev.00010.2018PubMednarrative review
D17Fullagar HH, Skorski S, Duffield R, Hammes D, Coutts AJ, Meyer T. Sleep and athletic performance: the effects of sleep loss on exercise performance, and physiological and cognitive responses to exercise. Sports Medicine 2015;45(2):161-186. doi:10.1007/s40279-014-0260-0PubMednarrative review
D18Cappuccio FP, D'Elia L, Strazzullo P, Miller MA. Sleep duration and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. Sleep 2010;33(5):585-592. doi:10.1093/sleep/33.5.585PubMedmeta-analysis · n = 16 studies, 27 cohorts, 1,382,999 people
D19Watson NF, Badr MS, Belenky G, Bliwise DL, Buxton OM, Buysse D, Dinges DF, Gangwisch J, Grandner MA, Kushida C, Malhotra RK, Martin JL, Patel SR, Quan SF, Tasali E. Recommended Amount of Sleep for a Healthy Adult: A Joint Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society. Sleep 2015;38(6):843-844. doi:10.5665/sleep.4716PubMedconsensus statement
D20Polasek D, Santhi N, Alfonso-Miller P, Walshe IH, Haskell-Ramsay CF, Elder GJ. Nutritional interventions in treating menopause-related sleep disturbances: a systematic review. Nutrition Reviews 2024;82(8):1087-1110. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuad113PubMedsystematic review · n = 59 studies
D21Sultana A, Bin Heyat MB, Rahman K, Ahmed Z, Akhtar F, Shamim AU, Khaleeq K, Muaad AY. Therapeutic efficacy of botanicals in psychological disorders in menopausal women: a systematic and scoping review. Frontiers in Pharmacology 2025;16:1661035. doi:10.3389/fphar.2025.1661035PubMedsystematic and scoping review · n = 16 RCTs, 1,112 participants
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