Chronic stress has been found to be a major contributing factor in obesity. NOW® Relora® is a safe, non-sedating formula that can help to alleviate symptoms associated with stress such as nervous tension, irritability, concentration difficulties and occasional sleeplessness.

The relaxing effect of Relora® can thereby help to control appetite and prevent stress-related eating, aiding in weight control. NOW® Relora® is an all-natural proprietary blend of plant extracts from Magnolia officinalis and Phellodendron amurense  that is not habit-forming.

Relora® is a natural proprietary blend of a patented (U.S. Patent No. US 6,582,735) extract of Magnolia officinalis and a patent-pending extract from Phellodendron amurense. Relora® was developed as an ingredient for dietary supplements and functional foods that could be used in stress management and for stress-related appetite control. This patented blend of plant extracts is the result of screening more than fifty plant fractions from traditional plant medicines used around the world. Relora® has excellent stress management properties without causing sedation.

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Relora Appetite Control (NOW) - Average rating 5 (3 reviews)  - Write a review Show Reviews Reviews (3) (0) (0) (0) (0)   1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. April 09, 2012 Reviewer: A customer in Texas I just switched to this from another product, just as good but a third of the price. It is a mood enhancer and stress reliever, It has never made me lose my appetite but it really helps with emotional eating. Was this review helpful to you? Yes  No 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. February 27, 2008 Reviewer: Jenn in Virginia I've used this for several years. At first you don't realize it but then you notice it mellows you out for several hours, doesn't make you drowsy at all, but drops your stress level down and this may sound strange, but it seems to make me more thoughtful, less in a hurry. Was this review helpful to you? Yes  No 0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. January 08, 2010 Reviewer: Steve in Iowa Just started taking product today, I think after everyday use, it would be very helpful for stress eating. I feel better than I thought it would make me. Only thing I notice is that I am a little drowsy, but I am sure that will go away in time due to just starting this. Just great to have an item at a great price that actually helps. I will buy more when this runs out... Was this review helpful to you? Yes  No

153-0084 NOW Relora Appetite Control 60 capsules Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 1 Vcap Servings Per Container: 60 Amount Per Serving % Daily Value* Relora (A proprietary blend of plant extracts Magnolia officinalis and Phellodendron amurense. Standardized to 1.5% Honokiol and 0.1 % Berberine.) 300  mg   *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Contains NO sugar, salt, yeast, wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, shellfish or preservatives. Vegetarian/vegan product.   Other Ingredients: Rice Flour, Cellulose (capsule, modified food and corn starch, silica and magnesium stearate (vegetable source). Recommended Use: As a herbal dietary supplement, take 1 Vcap 2 to 3 times daily. Before beginning any program of weight loss, consult your health care practitioner. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you notice any errors in the information above, please let us know. If you have further questions about this product, please contact NOW at 1-888-NOW-FOOD The nutrition facts listed above are supplied as a courtesy to our customers. The nutrition facts were current and accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time they were entered. Manufacturers often change formulas or ingredients without notifying us. We do our best to keep them as up to date as possible, however Netrition.com will not be held responsible for any differences between what is listed on our web site and what is listed on the product that you receive. If you need to be 100% certain of the ingredients currently being shipped, we recommend that you call or email our customer service department to check the shelf of current stock.

Safety Studies

An extensive literature review of the chemical constituents with the parent plant's use for hundreds of years indicates that this material is safe for its intended use. An acute toxicity study in rats (5g/kg) with 14-day observation revealed no untoward effects of the individual extracts or the combination in Relora® except mild diarrhea and slight sedation in female rats. No side effects are expected at the recommended human dosage.

Mechanism of Action

Relora® is a natural stress management ingredient that helps control stress-related eating and has the added value of being non-sedating. In central nervous system receptor binding assays the plant extracts in Relora® binds to several important targets associated with stress. It does not bind to the benzodiazepine receptors that would cause sedation, yet has the relaxing qualities that have been demon-strated in both animal and human studies. In addition, it normalizes hormone levels associated with stress-induced weight gain and eating behavior. Stress has been shown to play a significant role in a variety of conditions. A large percentage of overweight adults have excessive abdominal fat due to stress-related over eating. Relora® appears to maintain healthy hormone levels in stressed individuals and act as an aid in controlling weight and stress-related eating.

Animal Models

The plant extracts in Relora® have been shown to be an effective non-sedating anti-stress product in an animal model known as the "Chick Social Separation Stress Procedure." The excellent results of the patent-pending extracts in Relora® using this model were published in Psychopharmacology (2001)153:219-234.

Human Trials

The first formulation of Relora® was tested and found to be a safe, effective, and rapid acting, dietary supplement that helps control stress symptoms. Fifty subjects were treated with Relora® for two weeks. The recommended dosage was 200 mg of Relora® three times daily. (The new Relora® dosage is 750 mg daily in divided doses.) Based on pre-clinical studies, Relora® was designed and evaluated against the following concepts; Relora® helps control stress-related symptoms, such as: irritability; emotional ups and downs; restlessness; tense muscles; poor sleep; concentration difficulties. Post trial analysis revealed an excellent agreement (82%) with the pretrial concept. Relaxation was reported by 78% of the patients... 8 out of 10 people feel more relaxed. The product does not cause significant sedation, however, 74% of the patients did report restful sleep. Only 24% reported drowsiness. Relora® was judged to be gentle on the stomach by 94% of the subjects. No significant side effects were reported. A second trial was undertaken to measure cortisol and DHEA levels in 12 patients with mild to moderate stress. Elevated cortisol levels and depressed DHEA levels are associated with chronic stress. A two-week regimen of Relora® caused a significant (P= 0.003) increase in salivary DHEA (227%) and a significant (P = 0.01) decrease in morning salivary cortisol levels (37%). Cortisol and DHEA levels were returned to normal in all subjects during the course of Relora®. A third trial of 49 subjects achieved similar results to the first trial regarding relaxation and restful sleep. In addition, Relora® reduced stress-related snacking of sweets, such as ice cream, cake, pie, and cookies by 76% in those individuals that claimed they ate these types of foods under stress.

Relora® helps prevent weight gain

Patients at the "Living Longer Clinic" in Cincinnati who have been using Relora® for more than three months state that Relora® also helps alleviate fatigue. These significant findings support Relora's ability to relieve stress and its potential role in weight control and stress-related eating behavior. A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial with Relora® was completed in January 2004. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of Relora® in overweight women who typically eat more in stressful situations. 28 subjects completed the study and Relora® was well tolerated. There was a significant weight gain during the study for the placebo group but no significant weight gain and some weight loss for the Relora® group. The scientists at Miami Research that conducted the trial concluded that overweight subjects who eat in response to stress may benefit from taking Relora®. The mechanism of action appears to be through reduction or normalization of stress hormone levels, and possibly perceived stress, thereby helping subjects maintain body weight. A larger study with Relora® is planned for 2005.

Will Relora® help me lose weight?

Relora® is for stress and stress-related eating. It should be used as an adjunct to an exercise and diet program. Relora® may help a person lose weight if he or she has excessive weight due to excessive stress. Excessive stress can lead to food cravings and increased fat, particularly in the belly. Relora® appears to help cut carbohydrate cravings when they are due to stress by normalizing hormone levels and producing a less stressed state.

Relora® is generally well tolerated. Some individuals experience mild drowsiness with Relora®. This drowsiness usually dissipates within the first couple of days. Like any plant, there is always the possibility of an allergic reaction. If you are allergic to either magnolia or phellodendron plants then there is the possibility that you will have a reaction.

Relora® should not be taken with stimulants such as caffeine. Their pharmacological actions are opposing.

750 mg of Relora® should be taken daily in divided doses, either three times per day in 250 mg doses or twice a day, morning and evening, in 375 mg doses. Relora® should be taken with food. Although most people do not have a problem taking Relora® on an empty stomach, there is a small percentage of the population that might experience some stomach upset when taken on an empty stomach.

Relora®'s stress reduction benefits start working within a few hours. But some people don't feel the effects for a few days.

Each 250mg capsule of Relora® contains approximately 0.2 grams of carbohydrate.

Relora® is a propriety blend of a patented plant extract from the Magnolia officinalis tree and a patent-pending plant extract from the Phellodendron amurense tree.

All of our studies demonstrate that Relora® is very safe. But, we cannot recommend the use of Relora® if you are currently being treated for a medical condition. The decision to take Relora® in this case is up to your physician. Relora® should not be used by women trying to get pregnant, or during pregnancy. We cannot recommend the use of Relora® while breastfeeding simply because we do not know if any of the metabolites from Relora® might cross over into the milk.

Relora® can be taken safely with vitamins and minerals. But it is difficult to ascertain all of the potential interactions with other herbal/botanical supplements. We suggest you not take Relora® in combination with other herb/botanical supplements unless recommended by a health professional.

Relora® may cause drowsiness and alcohol may intensify this effect. Use caution in operating automobiles and heavy machinery.

You should continue for a least a month. If after a few months you would like to see how you are doing without Relora®, feel free to take a couple weeks off and see how you do. Otherwise, you can take Relora® for an indefinite period of time.

Relora®, like all dietary supplements, is regulated by the FDA under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994.