Is Polygala Tenuifolia the answer to anxiety, stress, and poor sleep that’s destroying our cognitive health? Find out all you need to know, including how it works and cautions to bear in mind.
Polygala Tenuifolia is a potent nootropic that’s been praised for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine, with a rich history dating back to its frequent mentions in the medical encyclopedia Zhong Hua Yi Dian.
Through its history, users noted the incredible benefits they experienced from supplementing with it. Now, with science in our armor, we’re learning more and more about its neuro-protective properties.
We’re starting to understand more about its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory behaviors, and how it supports us with anxiety, stress, depression and sleep.
It’s even shown promise in the fight against age-related cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
I’ve put together a guide here on all things Polygala Tenuifolia, from what it does and how it works, to side effects and cautions, so that you can be sure it is a nootropic that’ll benefit you safely.
An Introduction To Polygala Tenuifolia
Known for its impressive nootropic properties, Polygala Tenuifolia is a powerhouse in its category. What gains it the most attention is the alleviating effects it has on us for stress and anxiety.
These are hugely damaging symptoms for so many of us today. A large UK study reported a worrying 74% of people felt so stressed, that they were unable to cope or felt overwhelmed. In the same study, 61% reported anxiety.
Stress and anxiety have a bidirectional relationship with depression, meaning one can exacerbate the other.
An example of this is a study that showed that 84.4% of university students were stressed and 88.4% were suffering with anxiety, leaving 75% of them feeling depressed.
These figures are really concerning to read, and quite sad. Life can be tough, and we’re faced with increased demands, challenges, and information overload more than ever before.
If you think you may be depressed, it’s crucial you reach out to someone who is professionally trained and can guide you along the best pathways and support.
I can’t give advice on depression, unfortunately. But what I can do is tell you a little about what we know of Polygala Tenuifolia, and how it appears to help calm our minds to function with focus and patience, and even prevention of cognitive decline.
Holding a mini catalog of active components ranging from saponins, ginsenosides, oligosaccharides, to alkaloids and flavonoids, Polygala Tenuifolia shows some remarkable nootropic abilities.
Where Polygala Tenuifolia Can Help
If you have oxidative stress, neurotransmitter dysfunction, increased cortisol levels, and inflammation, you’re much more likely to suffer with:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Memory loss
- Obesity
- Insomnia
There are a number of clinical studies and user reports that show supplementing with Polygala Tenuifolia can relieve these symptoms and prevent neurogenerative disease.
Polygala Tenuifolia For Stress and Cognition
Polygala Tenuifolia functions as a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI), and these inhibitors are known to increase the utilization of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, helping to enhance mood, arousal, alertness, and energy levels. And when we experience all these benefits, we often see improvements in learning and memory.
This incredible herb also contains compounds such as tenuifolisides and 3,6-disinapoylsucrose, which contribute to improved congition. They foster an increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and suppress the abundance of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-alpha and IL-1beta, which are often associated with cognitive decline.
Notably, the saponins found in Polygala Tenuifolia stimulate the activation of a BDNF receptor called TrkB. Their role is game-changing, considering they prevent the reduction of NMDA receptors in aged individuals, therefore supporting important cognitive functions like learning and memory.
Also helping our memory enhancement, Polygala Tenuifolia’s action on acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter crucial for learning and memory) and upregulation of BDNF facilitates more robust synaptic transmission in the hippocampus, the part of the brain essential for memory storage.
Polygala Tenuifolia For Sleep
Sleep plays a huge part in our overall well-being and cognitive performance, and Polygala Tenuifolia has long been glowing as an effective remedy for sleep issues. Different clinical studies (albeit mostly animal-based so far) have recognized its effectiveness in improving sleep.
The herb’s potential can be attributed to a notable active component, Senegenin. This unique compound can help increase levels of GABA and acetylcholine (the neurotransmitters associated with sleep) in various brain regions.
As a result, the use of Polygala Tenuifolia imitates natural sleep patterns, enhancing both non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) phases of sleep.
Polygala Tenuifolia For Memory
Evidence spanning way back to the traditional text of the Zhong Hua Yi Dian right up to contemporary research validates Polygala Tenuifolia’s memory-enhancing attributes.
A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted in South Korea involving around 50 elderly individuals showed that supplementing with Polygala Tenuifolia significantly bolstered short-term memory and recall.
More interestingly, researchers found that the herb acted as a m