EndoAxis Clinical Team
When it comes to optimizing health and restoring balance to the nervous system, a few key lifestyle pillars stand out: consistent sleep, physical activity, balanced blood sugar, and effective stress management. Of these, managing stress is perhaps the most complex—and the most overlooked. Cortisol, our primary stress hormone, influences everything from blood sugar regulation and immune response to sleep quality and emotional resilience.
What’s often missed in the conversation is that stress isn’t just what happens to us—it’s also how we interpret and respond to it.
That’s why Relora®, a clinically studied, trademarked blend of Magnolia officinalis and Phellodendron amurense, was selected as a key feature in our high-stress blends, to help targeted stress support.
Understanding Stress: It’s Not Just “In Your Head”—It’s In Your Cells
Stress manifests in two key ways:
- Objective (Real) Stress: These are measurable life stressors—like job changes, illness, injury, or financial strain—typically assessed using scales like the Holmes-Rahe Stress Inventory.
- Subjective (Perceived) Stress: This reflects how overwhelmed or equipped we feel in response to a stressor, and it’s often more predictive of biological outcomes than the stressor itself.
Why does this distinction matter? Because research consistently shows that perceived stress—how we appraise our life circumstances—drives HPA axis activation and cortisol release more than the event itself.
According to Cognitive Appraisal Theory, we assess stress in two steps:
- Primary Appraisal: Is this harmful, threatening, or a challenge?
- Secondary Appraisal: Do I have the resources to cope?
When we perceive events as overwhelming, our bodies respond with cortisol elevation—even if the external threat isn’t objectively severe. This makes stress highly personal, but also highly modifiable.
Relora®: A Targeted Solution for Both Objective and Subjective Stress
Relora® is not just another herbal blend—it’s a rigorously researched, branded ingredient formulated to impact both the physical and perceptual aspects of stress. It addresses both the actual cortisol elevation seen in objective stress and the psychological reactivity found in subjective stress.
Its two powerful botanical components work synergistically:
Phellodendron amurense – Enhances cortisol-lowering effects, supports antioxidant pathways, and reduces systemic inflammation.
Magnolia officinalis (rich in honokiol and magnolol) – Promotes relaxation by lowering cortisol and binding to calming GABA receptors.
The Research-Backed Benefits of Relora®:
| Reduces Cortisol by Up to 37% | In clinical trials, stressed individuals experienced a dramatic reduction in salivary cortisol after taking Relora®. This makes it one of the few natural compounds that targets cortisol reduction objectively and measurably. |
| Improves Mood & Emotional Stability | Relora® increases GABA activity in the brain—a calming neurotransmitter often suppressed by chronic stress. This leads to measurable improvements in mood, including: ↓ Tension ↓ Anger ↓ Confusion ↓ Depression ↑ Vigor (up to 18% improvement!) |
| Promotes Calm Alertness | Unlike sedatives that dull cognitive function, Relora® promotes calm clarity—reducing the wired-but-tired feeling by balancing stress reactivity without impairing focus. |
| Supports Appetite Regulation & Metabolic Health | Stress-induced cravings, especially for carbohydrates, are a hallmark of elevated cortisol. Relora® has been shown to reduce cravings by 76% in some studies. Additionally, honokiol reduces glucose toxicity, which improves liver function and insulin sensitivity—key for weight management. |
| Enhances Sleep Quality | Chronic stress often disrupts sleep onset and depth. Relora® has been shown to: -Decrease sleep latency (time to fall asleep) -Increase non-REM and deep sleep phases -Support restorative recovery overnight |
Why The Branded Ingredient Matters
Generic combinations of Magnolia and Phellodendron may exist, but Relora® is standardized, clinically tested, and quality controlled, which ensures the potency, purity, and consistent results you need. In functional and integrative health, outcomes matter—and branded ingredients like Relora® give you confidence in those outcomes.
Relora® doesn’t replace lifestyle changes—but it does amplify their benefits. When combined with habits like restorative sleep, regular movement, and mindful blood sugar regulation, Relora® supports a calmer, more adaptive stress response—protecting your mood, metabolism, cognition, and immune system from the wear and tear of modern life.
