Manufacturing a Way to Improved Memory: Garden Sage, Spanish Sage Leaf Extract, and Better Cognitive Function

Approximately 40% of people 65 years or older have age-related memory issues. In the United States alone, around 16 million people struggle to remember. Your private label health brand could benefit these individuals by offering top-of-the-line dietary supplements that are scientifically backed to support cognitive function. Here are some new findings about sage and other ingredients to help you formulate your next product.

Two headlining nootropics

Gene Bruno of Vitamin Retailer recently shared that, though previously overlooked, garden sage and Spanish sage leaf extracts are showing advantages for the brain.

1. Garden sage

Also known as Salvia officinalis, garden sage is an herb native to the Mediterranean region and Middle East. It has traditionally been used for a wide variety of health problems, including inflammation, rheumatism, gout, seizures, ulcers, dizziness, tremors, and more. Garden sage has been most recently studied to prove its anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, and antioxidant effects. In terms of cognitive function, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), an enzyme, inactivates acetylcholine, which is involved in cognitive functions such as memory and learning. Research has shown that this herb can considerably decrease acetylcholinesterase activity both in vitro and in vivo.

There have been several human studies focused on the effects of standardized garden sage leaf extract. One randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study assessed the effects of garden sage on cognitive performance in 20 older adults. Compared to the placebo effects, the herbal supplement had a major effect on performance of the ‘secondary memory’ factor—long-term memory, and dealing with information to be retained for a long duration of time. Another similar study proved that garden sage worked to reduce anxiety and stress, increasing calmness and improved alertness. Last but not least, another study on people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease unveiled that the leaf extract produced a noticeably better outcome on cognitive functions than that of the placebo group.

2. Spanish sage

Also known as Salvia lavandulaefolia, Spanish sage leaf origins range from southwest Europe through Spain. Widely known for its antiseptic, digestive, nervous tension, and depression agency, Spanish sage is proving effective in studies concentrated on memory. Two double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover studies were conducted to examine the effectiveness of the herb in enhancing memory in young adult participants. In Trial 1, 20 participants received a standardized essential oil extract of Spanish sage and a placebo. In Trial 2, 24 subjects also received a standardized essential oil extract of Spanish sage and a placebo. Doses were separated by a seven-day washout period. The results? The Spanish sage greatly improved immediate word recall in both studies. These outcomes represent the first systematic evidence that the herb is “capable of acute modulation of cognition in healthy young adults.”

Can garden sage and Spanish sage be combined?

The answer is yes! You may safely use the more widely known garden sage and include it in a Spanish sage-containing dietary supplement. However, you may decide to combine one of these extracts with other scientifically proven ingredients such as:

• Turmeric: Its main compound curcumin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can boost brain wellness and potentially protect against Alzheimer’s by clearing the brain of beta-amyloid. The buildup of beta-amyloid is known to cause the disease’s related brain plaque.
• Ashwagandha: Also known to slow the formation of beta-amyloid plaque in the brain, ashwagandha could also help by reducing oxidative stress, which may contribute to the development and progression of memory-associated brain disorders.
• Ginkgo biloba: Perhaps the most widely known herbal ingredient for cognition, gingko biloba can help circulate and promote blood flow to the brain. Research is also proving the herb may be particularly effective in slowing cognitive decline among people experiencing neuropsychiatric symptoms, as well as dementia.
• Lemon balm: An herb taken frequently in supplement form to help ease anxiety and insomnia, lemon balm can help improve brain health. For a study published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, 42 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s took either a lemon extract or placebo for four months. At the end of the study, those given lemon balm supplements showed significantly greater improvements in cognitive function than those given the placebo.

Be it a strictly sage supplement or a combination of herbal ingredients, there are many options to work with in manufacturing your next clinically proven product.

Safety Precautions

It is always important, however, to include warnings on your dietary supplement package. While you may be eager to only focus on the health benefits your private label brain health capsule, tablet, or powder can offer, remember that your customers should be warned. Taking sage with sedative medications, including Ambien and Ativan, may cause excessive drowsiness. It is also important to make your customers aware that if they have a seizure disorder, sage should not be taken in doses higher than those typically found in food. Contacting a licensed physician before taking any dietary supplement is the wisest decision any consumer can make. Encourage it through an informative product label with the help of our talented graphic designers.

Who will manufacture herbal supplements?

You can Google ‘herbal supplement manufacturers’ or ‘brain health supplement manufacturers’ and be overwhelmed by endless results of companies. But have you considered the following?

• Is the supplement manufacturer GMP compliant?
• What are their hours?
• Are they exclusively a supplement manufacturer?

By the last question, I mean to direct you to a vitamin or supplement manufacturing service provider that does it all. Instead of jumping from manufacturer to designer to printer to co-packer to fulfillment center, you can cut the chaos and choose Makers Nutrition. There is no need to waste your energy on different providers when you can get everything handled under one FDA-registered roof. We are here around the clock to take your calls, answer your questions, and give you premium dietary supplements to sell privately. Our services extend beyond those typical of a vitamin company. Sure, there may be other companies vying for your business, but you won’t get the bundle del with them. At some point, you will likely have to choose between quality and value—but not with Makers. We offer top-notch quality and value all while providing excellent client care. Why settle for less?

Money matters

We bring this information to you because we know you ultimately want your private label supplement sales to soar while improving the lives of countless individuals. Right time, right place rings true in the vitamin and supplement field. And RIGHT NOW, the cognitive category is blowing up in popularity. Both older and younger consumers are trying to build up their brain health as much as possible, delaying memory-associated disorders that unfortunately affect so many. While it is important that you offer advantageous and safe supplements, you must also consider how manufacturing cognitive-supporting products will help your business. The global brain health supplements market is expanding at an incredible rate. While valued at around $7+ billion in 2020, it is expected to grow at an 8% CAGR by 2028. This sector of the nutraceutical industry is quickly climbing its way to the list of most popular types of vitamins consumers buy. Let your private label brand be the one they turn to for evidence-based, quality-sourced, credible cognitive supplements.