Ashwagandha and melatonin: two paths for the evening

What melatonin really is

Melatonin is a molecule that the pineal gland releases when darkness falls: it's one of the signals the body uses to tell itself "it's evening". In supplements, that same molecule comes from outside, and in Europe it carries a narrowly defined authorised claim: it contributes to the reduction of time taken to fall asleep. Note: the claim talks about falling asleep sooner, not sleeping better, nor relaxing - claims are as precise as a scalpel: they say that and nothing else.

What ashwagandha is

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a root used for centuries in the Ayurvedic tradition. Its authorised claims say something else: it has a tonic effect, against physical and mental fatigue, and supports relaxation and mental wellbeing. It doesn't talk about sleep: it talks about the state you're in when you reach the evening - which is another matter.

Two different goals

Here's the point almost nobody makes: the two substances answer different questions. "I want to fall asleep faster" is melatonin's question, and that's its territory. "I want to end the day with a gesture that goes with relaxation" is another question - and that's where the ashwagandha path works. Neither of the two is "stronger": they answer different needs, and choosing one for the wrong need is the surest way to be disappointed.

The path we chose for Relax

Relax, the evening gummy in Focus & Relax, took the second path: it contains no melatonin, and it's a formulation choice. Inside there are 100 mg of KSM-66® ashwagandha (a trademark registered and owned by Ixoreal Biomed Inc.), a root extract standardised to 5% withanolides, then saffron, which supports normal mood, and vitamin B6. If your only goal is to fall asleep sooner, melatonin has that claim and we won't pretend otherwise. If instead you're looking for an evening relaxation ritual without an extra hormone, Relax is built for exactly that.

Sources

• Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 of 16 May 2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods (melatonin and vitamin B6). EUR-Lex
• Ministero della Salute (Italian Ministry of Health), decree of 10 August 2018, “Disciplina dell'impiego negli integratori alimentari di sostanze e preparati vegetali”, Gazzetta Ufficiale, Serie Generale no. 224 of 26 September 2018 (Withania somnifera, Crocus sativus). Gazzetta Ufficiale
• Ministero della Salute (Italian Ministry of Health), “Linee guida ministeriali di riferimento per gli effetti fisiologici” of plant substances and preparations (ashwagandha and saffron). PDF, copy published by AUSL Bologna